Whimsical Wonderland journey the Orthodox way

Turning the iconic children’s novel Alice in Wonderland into a Jewish musical by women for women is no mean feat. However, the Joburg Jewish Women’s Theatre created captivating musical theatre on Monday, 9 June.

Alice – The Journey Inward is Linda Zulberg’s introspective adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic story, focusing on Alice’s inner growth. “Stop and think. Think before you act. Stay focused, and resist the inevitable distract,” are just some of the messages weaved through the performance.

In this adaptation, Alice is guided in her journey through Wonderland by the characters and experiences she encounters. She undergoes a transformative process physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The whimsical world she enters is a symbolic space where she confronts life’s challenges and distractions, learning vital lessons.

Guided by three mentors and progressing through seven stages marked on a “Wonderland Dial”, Alice learns principles such as self-awareness; the power of words; choosing good over negativity; understanding identity; and resisting distraction. The journey emphasises spiritual development and continuous personal growth, ultimately helping Alice to realise her potential and gain wisdom. The story is brought to life through rich visuals, music, and performance.

The Joburg Jewish Women’s Theatre, a company where all actresses are female and performances are shown to women only, was started by Zulberg, who saw a need for Orthodox Jewish women to express theatrical talent.

Zulberg took into account the fact that in Orthodox Judaism, a woman singing in front of men who aren’t immediate family is forbidden. This is based on the principle of kol isha (the voice of a woman), and is understood to be a potential source of distraction or temptation. The prohibition is often seen as a way of maintaining modesty and religious observance.

The company offers an opportunity for observant Jewish women to demonstrate performing abilities in a halachically permissible setting.

Zulberg, who has been involved in Johannesburg communal life for more than 50 years, has a BCom (Law) degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, and has also studied English, psychology, and philosophy. She is a speech and drama teacher with many years of experience of running a drama studio preparing students for eisteddfods, exams, and productions.

She has written, directed, and produced numerous plays, some specifically for schools. This is the fourth production by the company following The Fortunate Two; The Power of Song; and Anatevka.

Romy Michelson, who plays the Queen of Hearts in Alice – The Journey Inward, described working with a female-only cast as a unique experience. “There was such a camaraderie,” she said. “Being a mother, I could joke with the other moms, discussing how our husbands needed a support group because they were steering the ship at home. There was just a wonderful, warm, nurturing, feminine energy with all the encouragement around us.”

The acting was excellent, with each actress bringing flare to their character.

Michelson said her role was a complete push out of her comfort zone. “It’s fun to play a character that shows such extreme emotions and behaves in a way that would be seen as socially inappropriate. It was difficult in some ways because the Queen of Hearts demands everybody’s respect and attention. That aspect of the character was quite difficult for me.”

Costume and makeup played a vital role in conveying the personality, status, and development of characters, as well as reinforcing the mood and setting. Alice’s costume evolves from a neat, structured dress to a looser, more flowing outfit, symbolising her inner transformation and growing sense of freedom. The dark, muted tones used for the Queen of Hearts’ attire emphasise her controlling and threatening nature. The whimsical, mismatched costumes of Wonderland characters reinforce the play’s themes of chaos and self-discovery.

Makeup and costume design helped blur the line between reality and imagination, pulling the audience deeper into Alice’s psychological journey. The exaggerated makeup of the Cheshire Cat added a surreal, otherworldly quality to the character, helping the audience to feel as if they were no longer in the real world and had joined Alice in Wonderland.

The use of stage lighting and props helped bring out the tone of each scene and the characters’ emotions, even when there was no dialogue. Musical composition led the performance, while keeping to the whimsical theme of the original Alice in Wonderland storyline.

The choreography for each dance was matched to each scene, blending dialogue, costumes, and music. Despite the play being an adaptation of the original storyline, Zulberg and her team kept the magic of the story while adding in Jewish-related ideas.

• Alice – The Journey Inward is on from 9 to 16 June, with a few performances a day. Go to https://jonamo.tech/Site/JJWT/book for tickets and more information.