You've seen the Disney classic, now experience the tale of Alice in Wonderland as never before in this live-action adaptation of the timeless tale from the BBC and director Jonathan Miller. Capturing all of the menace and wonder of Lewis Carroll's age-old classic while injecting the story with a pinch of subversive Victorian gothic satire, this surreal updating of the children's fantasy classic features an all-star cast including Sir Michael Redgrave, Sir John Gielgud, Leo McKern, Peter Cook, Peter Sellers, and Alan Bennett. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Jonathan Miller - Director, Dick Bush - Cinematographer, Jonathan Miller - Producer, Jonathan Miller - Screenwriter, Ravi Shankar - Featured Music, Lewis Carroll - Book Author
The play featured a number of famed British actors including Michael Redgrave (as the Caterpillar), John Gielgud (as the Mock Turtle), and Peter Sellers (As the King of Hearts), as well as Miller's fellow cast members of Beyond the Fringe, Peter Cook and Alan Bennett as the Mad Hatter and the Mouse, respectively. The title role was played by Anne-Marie Mallik, the 13 year old daughter of a Surrey barrister, this being her only known acting performance. Wilfrid Brambell played the White Rabbit, Michael Gough and Wilfrid Lawson were the March Hare and Dormouse, Alison Legatt was the Queen of Hearts, and Leo McKern in a drag turn as the Ugly Duchess. Radio and Television Personality Malcolm Muggeridge was The Griffon. The play also featured a very young Eric Idle, several years before Monty Python brought him fame, uncredited as a member of the Caucus Race.
Ravi Shankar wrote the music for this unusual production which was first broadcast on 28 December 1966.
This play is extremely interesting from the point of view of costume - The Queen and King of Hearts are dressed respectively as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, and thus give viewers clarity as to their character within Lewis' book.
