Alice_in_Wonderland_(1962_film)

<i>Alice in Wonderland</i> (1962 film)

Alice in Wonderland (1962 film)

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Alice in Wonderland is a 1962 Australian television film based on Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It was a pantomime and aired as part of the BP Super Show.[1]

It aired 15 December 1962[2] and ran for one hour.[3] It was one of a number of original Australian musicals on TV at the time.[4]

Cast

Production

It was a version of the show presented at Melbourne's Comedy Theatre the year before. Noel Ferrier had pitched the idea of doing a pantomime at the Comedy Theatre to Sir Frank Tait, who agreed. Ferrier said the show was "a great financial success" and staging it "was a most enjoyable experience. I cannot think of many other ventures I have enjoyed as much."[5]

It was especially written for television by Jeff Underhill, reportedly the first time the poem had been adapted for television. Bruce George wrote the music.[6]

"Alice, as the central figure, provides the continuity," said Jeff Underhill, "and the scene changes take place round her in the almost magical way videotape allows."[7]

There were 14 different scenes and eight songs. Noel Ferrier produced and his wife did the sets.[7]

Selected songs

  • "Off with their heads"
  • "A-sitting on a Gate"
  • "Beautiful Soup"
  • "You Are Old, Father William"

Reception

The Sydney Morning Herald said the "production was not always successful in matching confusion with charm."[8]

References

  1. [1]
    "Rafferty Star of Pantomime". Sydney Morning Herald. 10 December 1962. p. 16.
  2. [2]
    "Advertisement". TV Times. 13 December 1962. p. 15.
  3. [3]
    "TV Guide". The Age. 13 December 1962. p. 31.
  4. [4]
    Vagg, Stephen (November 4, 2020). "Forgotten TV Plays: Pardon Miss Wescott". Filmink.
  5. [5]
    Ferrier, Noel (1985). The Memoirs of Noel Ferrier: There Goes Whatsisname. The MacMillan Company of Australia. p. 88.
  6. [6]
    "TV FEATURES". The Canberra Times. Vol. 37, no. 10, 406. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 12 December 1962. p. 27. Retrieved 29 September 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. [7]
    ""ALICE," THROUGH THE TV SCREEN". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 30, no. 29. Australia. 19 December 1962. p. 19. Retrieved 29 September 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. [8]
    "'Alice' with Music and Dancing". Sydney Morning Herald. 20 December 1962. p. 6.
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