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]

Contents

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

Reception

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

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References

  1. ↑ "Rafferty Star of Pantomime". Sydney Morning Herald. 10 December 1962. p. 16.
  2. ↑ "Advertisement". TV Times. 13 December 1962. p. 15.
  3. ↑ "TV Guide". The Age. 13 December 1962. p. 31.
  4. ↑ Vagg, Stephen (November 4, 2020). "Forgotten TV Plays: Pardon Miss Wescott". Filmink.
  5. ↑ Ferrier, Noel (1985). The Memoirs of Noel Ferrier: There Goes Whatsisname. The MacMillan Company of Australia. p. 88.
  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. 1 2 ""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. ↑ "'Alice' with Music and Dancing". Sydney Morning Herald. 20 December 1962. p. 6.
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