Since I was a little girl I’ve had a fascination with Alice in Wonderland. I remember watching the Disney movie with my cousins for the first time as a child. When they re-played the 1985 tv adaption we recorded it, and I must have watched it over a dozen times. (I never did understand why they would put Alice in such an ugly peach-colored dress though!).
In high school we put on a production of the play, and I had the honor of having a musical part created for me. I was The Music Box Doll, and in between each scene I would come out and sing a scene-related song to help with the transition. I still have several great photos from that play, and the sweatshirt that we all had made. I only wish there was video of the show!
In college I actually read the book(s) for the first time, and I absolutely loved them! There were so many great discussions in that Interp of Lit class related to the symbolism and meaning of each scene and character.
Alice mostly collected dust on my bookshelf after that class ended. Then last month I got the urge to re-read the books! In doing so, I discovered that The Mad Tea-Party and Tweedledum and Tweedledee are still my two favorite chapters.
‘The time has come’, the Walrus said,
‘To talk of many things:
Of shoes– and ships– and sealing wax–
Of cabbages– and kings–
And why the sea is boiling hot–
And whether pigs have wings.’
In late September Andrew and I took the most amazing trip to New York City, and while we were there I insisted that we go see the Alice statue in Central Park. We ended up going on the last day of our trip, and that morning it had been raining and cold. But it warmed up, and the rain made the grass in the park electric green and the bark of the trees deliciously dark brown. It was so beautiful, I could have walked around all day!
We had no idea where we were going, but after asking several nice strangers (who had no clue) and stopping into a little shop with a map, we eventually found it! When we got there, we had about two minutes alone to really view the statue, but right as we were starting to take pictures a whole troupe of children came up from behind and started climbing all over it! We were patient, and after the kids cleared out, we had plenty of time for photos. I’m not exactly sure why, but I really love that statue, and I’m so glad we got the opportunity to see it (and climb on it ourselves)!
Alice in Wonderland Statue, Central Park 2009
Our final Alice adventure ended this weekend. For Halloween Andrew and I dressed up as Alice and the Mad Hatter. I have to say it, we looked so great! This was absolutely my favorite costume ever, and I’m so glad we were able to pull it off. Andrew took the upcoming Tim Burton movie’s “Johnny Depp approach” to the costume. So although it wasn’t as obvious as a store bought costume (which all looked like clowns!), he got a lot of compliments on it from those who must have also been “true Alice fans,” appreciating the darker approach to the character.
My only wish for the weekend is that I had thought to dress Zoey up as the Cheshire Cat, or the White Rabbit … though I’m sure she would have hated it, and she definitely wouldn’t have been allowed in the bars (“Nohow!”), so its just as well.
Halloween 2009
The only thing left to do now is go see the new movie in March. I’m so excited! (“Contrariwise!”)
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