AN EXCLUSIVE CHAT WITH MY FAVOURITE CHARACTERS & 3 ALICE IN WONDERLAND QUOTES MADE RELEVANT TO MENTAL HEALTH | ALICE IN WONDERLAND: THE MUSICAL | IN COLLABORATION WITH IMMERSION THEATRE

www.immersiontheatre.co.uk

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“Stories make us more alive, more human, more courageous, more loving.”

Madeleine L’Engle

On attending a show at Whitley Bay Playhouse, I just happened to spot the poster for Alice in Wonderland: The Musical and I think that I literally jumped for joy with pure, childish excitement! I’ve loved Alice in Wonderland for well over ten years now with my obsession starting when I read the book whilst a sectioned (detained under Section 2 of the 1983 Mental Health Act) inpatient of a psychiatric hospital. I almost immediately discovered just how beneficial the level of imagination used in the plot was for my ability to use reading the book as the opportunity for some emotional and psychological escapism. It provided me with the chance to really block out my environment and, actually, my entire situation. It afforded me this amazing skill to just fully immerse myself in Wonderland, become engrossed in Alice’s adventure, and really become invested in each of the hysterical, but seriously wise, characters. So –with my love for Musicals also in mind – seeing this poster was incredibly exciting and I genuinely pulled my Mum along to the Box Office and bought tickets. Then, I came home and contacted Immersion Theatre to pitch the idea of this piece being a collaboration and I’m so honoured to have received a ‘yes!’ and to have been given the opportunity to actually have a chat with two of their cast.

So, I’ve put together this post full of snippets from my chat with Chris Laishley who plays the Mad Hatter and Meg Matthews who plays both the parts of the Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts, as well as a few bits about how I relate to three of my favourite quotes from the Alice in Wonderland story…

FIVE LESSONS LEGALLY BLONDE HAS TAUGHT ME | IN COLLABORATION WITTH WHITLEY BAY OPERATIC SOCIETY | AD

I was honoured to be invited backstage at Whitley Bay Operatic Society’s Legally Blonde: The Musical at Whitley Bay Playhouse last week. My blog post on the show, Q&As with the cast, and behind-the-scenes photos, was such a success that I’ve now been invited to preview their upcoming show in October (2019). So, I thought it only fair to write another post inspired by their incredible adaption of Legally Blonde!

1.      SUPPORTIVE FRIENDS ARE A NECESSITY

In Legally Blonde, Elle Woods is in a sorority and you get to see the bond between all of the ‘Sisters’ who are so excited for her when it seems as though her boyfriend (Warner) is going to propose. Feeling pleased for another friend’s success is so meaningful in a world filled with spiteful jealousy – especially in the blogging industry. Having fellow blogger, Marty (from gumonmyshoe.com) as a best-friend has really taught me a few things about supporting one another rather than viewing each other as competition. My two other best-friends; Lauren and Ellie, are the kind of friends who are always there in your most desperate moments. It’s been hard having each of us – inevitably – drift apart to live our very different lives but it’s also strengthened our relationship to have been able to see that regardless of the distance (literal and otherwise) we’re still there for one another and it doesn’t matter how much ‘effort’ it now takes to do that.  

WHITLEY BAY OPERATIC SOCIETY PRESENTS: LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL AT WHITLEY BAY PLAYHOUSE

At the Whitley Bay Christmas market last year (2018) I had the pleasure of meeting Steve Tawse, Secretary for the Whitley Bay Operatic Society while I was representing the Society selling tickets to their Legally Blonde show, set to begin May 1^st 2019. When I asked Steve about the chances of being allowed backstage to write a blog post, I was surprised – and chuffed! – to be given complimentary tickets to the show’s matinee on May 4th at Whitley Bay Playhouse!


Haven’t seen Legally Blonde?

Basically, it’s about a blonde girl called Elle Woods who is dumped for not being ‘serious’ enough, so she works her butt off and gets into Harvard Law School, where she hopes to win back her ex-boyfriend. Initially, everyone underestimates Elle and she struggles to fit in, and with her ex’s new girlfriend turning the other students against her she devotes herself to her studies and wins an internship with one of the Professors as he represents a fitness guru accused of murder. After her Professor hits on her, Elle manages to take over the entire court case and proves the client innocent.