![](https://www.sardinesmagazine.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/thumbnail_Looking-glass-text-poster.png)
Show: Looking Glass
Society: Early Doors Productions
Venue: Brentwood Theatre
Credits: Justin Cartledge & Amy Clayton
Type: Independent (registered user)
Performance Date: 27/10/2022
Looking Glass
Amy Clayton | 05 Sep 2023 13:16pm
The Final Trilogy Instalment
Author: Tessa Davies
This was the third play of a trilogy, and I did feel that, not having seen the first two, I was a bit lost at first. Loosely based on The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland, the story takes us to a time when Alice is an adult, with a teenage son and charts her progress through a magical land where almost anything can happen.
The story is complicated, and I do not pretend that I understood all of it. However, the performances by the cast and the whole production were fascinating to watch.  All the players were good with excellent characterisations. It would be difficult to single out any one of them, although my favourites were Justin Cartledge as the Mad Hatter and Ben Martins as the Cheshire Cat. Ben always delivers and is a pleasure to watch. I last saw Justin as the title role in Alfie and his performance as the Mad Hatter was so very different from that but equally enjoyable.
Every member of the cast was totally immersed in their character and Director Amy Clayton has a talent for gathering strong actors to this company’s productions. Jack Dobre played Alice’s son, Lewis, very well and his dancing was beautiful. It is such a joy to see young talent and I am sure we will see more of him in the future.
The set was simple but very well used and the nightmare-like quality of the production continued throughout. The costumes were well thought out and suited each character well. Lighting was excellent, perfectly timed and in the right place. The accompanying music created by Lady Grey and the Earls was very appropriate and added to the ‘other world’ impression.
As I drove home, reflecting on what I had seen, I began to make more sense of it, and I would have loved to have seen all three plays to see the whole story from beginning to end.
- : user
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- : 27/10/2022