The play is actually entertaining, full of laughs and quirky moments. The acting is superb, very believable, and the production is top notch. They start with the "Down the Rabbit Hole" chapter where Alice meets the rabbit who is chubby and small and very funny. I have to admit the costumes are excellent enough that if you just buy into the fantasy, you wouldn't think of them as human actors portraying animals anymore.
I do squirm a bit in my seat when a mirror comes into the scene. Thank God we're sitting in the middle of the auditorium, far enough that the mirror has no effect on me.
"That Alice is horrible," the Pillar mumbles. "In the real book, she wore yellow, not blue. Blue is Disney's doing."
"You hate Disney."
"What makes you think that?" he whispers. "Jafar from Aladdin is my hero."
The next chapter, "The Pool of Tears," is superbly portrayed. There is an actual flood of water taking place on stage. I have no idea how they do it. The Pillar raises a suspicious eyebrow, as if telling me something is fishy here.
Still, the acting is amazing. The songs are enchanting. I like how the play is presented in a comedic way, not the morbid Alice world I live in.
The "Caucus Race" chapter follows. It's hilarious. When they start to dance in place, the Pillar can't resist moving his feet and cane to the music.
When the caterpillar chapter plays, the Pillar squirms in his seat. "That's not me," he mumbles. "Absolutely not."
Then he sits back and watches chapters four and five without much interest. He says he never liked those chapters.
Midway, the curtains pull to a close, announcing a break. Lights turn on again. A few sellers offer drinks during the break. There is a loud ice cream boy walking around, offering it for free. He isn't much welcomed by the elders, but the kids adore him.
A few people hurry to the Pillar's seat, asking for autographs. I think they believe him to be the Duchess' spokesman. I tilt my head up; the Duchess is gritting her teeth, although cameras aren't giving her a break to breathe.
The curtains pull open again, and now we're in for the much-loved "Pig and Pepper" chapter.
I don't know what is supposed to be so great about it. It's lame and boring. The Duchess, portrayed by an actress with brilliant makeup, is mad at her cook in this scene. Her cook, a peculiarly tall actor, even taller with the toque on his head, loves pepper in the strangest ways. He keeps adding pepper in the food and enjoys watching the Duchess' guests choking. Then he throws pepper in the air, chanting, "Peppa! More peppa!"
The crowd finds it amusing, actually.
Maybe I am not just in the mood, now that we have waited too long with no appearance of the Muffin Man. I look to my left, and the Pillar is as bored and puzzled as me. Are we here just to watch a play? It looks like we followed a wrong lead all along.
I take a deep breath and continue watching the performance on stage. Suddenly, someone is sitting on my right side. He grabs my hand and squeezes it, but I don't panic. It's a warm hand that I know and trust.
It's the ice cream boy. It's Jack Diamonds.
Chapter 3 7
"Hey," he whispers, sliding down in his chair and tightening the ice cream cap on his head. "I was thinking."
I say nothing. I am happy he is there. It's illogical. It doesn't make sense, but I can't fight the feeling.
"About what I said about marrying you," he says. "I can't."
"Why?" I raise an eyebrow, whispering, pretending to be surprised.
"It's not because I don't like you," he says. "I told you I am mad about you."
"You said that before, Jack."
"Saying it every morning won't express how I really feel." He squeezes my hand. "But it's just...I'm not ready for marriage."
I act upset. "You think you're too young?" I whisper.
"I am too poor, but that's not the reason," he says. "They fired me from Oxford University today, so I practically have no future now."
"Why did they fire you?" A smile sticks to my face and promises not to leave me as long as Jack is nearby.
"It's silly," he says. "They said I was dead. Can you believe that?"
I shrug and pull my hand away. I feel guilty when I hear this. Why does he keep bringing up the subject?
"No." His eyes moisten when I pull my hand away. "I'm not really dead. They just think that. How can I be dead? I am here talking to you. What bothers me is that they said that my name isn't Jack, which is really absurd."
"Then you're not fired. They can't fire you without getting your name right," I suggest.
"I know. I am not giving up, trust me. I will do my best to become a great man and deserve you."
"Selling 'Ice Scream' sounds like a start," I tease, easing my aching heart.
"I did try racing in France, but it didn't work," he says. "It's like I don't know what I really want yet."
"I know the feeling." I pull his hands back. He seems the happiest boy on earth.
"Alice." His voice gets softer. "Don't bother with me. It's you that matters."
"Why do you say that?"
"Just listen. I don't think you know what you are capable of." He holds both of my hands, and his look in my eyes intensifies. "Trust me. You have no idea. I know it's a bumpy road, but you will be all right." His eyes sparkle as his gaze scans every part of my face adoringly. I think he is about to kiss me.
Just before he does, the Pillar interrupts and asks whom I am talking to.
"It's Jack." I sigh. Bad timing, Pillar. Very bad timing.
"Who's Jack?"
"You know who," I grunt.
"Ah, the boy who is not there," the Pillar says, watching the show with interest. "I assume he is on your right side now."
"He is."
"Tell him I said hi, because I can't see him," the Pillar says. "Tell him I wonder if he'll still be there when the light turns on."
"I will be," Jack says, finally confronting him. "You shouldn't walk with this man, Alice." Jack squeezes my hand.
Silence steals my breath away. I am still confused about the Pillar's reaction to Jack. I am also heart-warmed by Jack wanting to become a better man to marry me.
Then the silence breaks when the glaring spotlights from the stage are directed toward me. When I look up, the man hosting the play is talking to me.
"Hey, miss," he says in the echoing microphone.
I say nothing, freaked out by the sudden and unexplainable attention.
"Yes, you." He points my way. "Are you even watching the show?"
The crowd laughs.
"We've chosen you to kindly approach the stage," the host says. "I believe you haven't heard us."
"Why?"
"This is the part of the show the reviewers said is the most refreshing. The 'Pig and Pepper' chapter," the man explains. "We select a girl from the crowd to portray Alice for a short scene. Amateur improvisation. You haven't had any kind of acting lesson before, have you?"
"No." I shrug.
"Fabulous," he says. "It's really going to be fun. Would you mind approaching the stage?" The man stretches a welcoming arm.
The crowd encourages me to go.
"No thank you," I say. I am not going to do some acting improvisation on stage on my fifth day out in the real world.
"Yes!" The Pillar stands up and encourages the crowd to clap their hands. "She will come." He pulls me up, sneering at me.
Finally, I get the message. The Pillar thinks this is the part where we meet the Muffin Man. Come to think of it, he might be right. Why would the host choose me to get on stage? It's too much of a coincidence.