ZooNation Welcome to Wonderland. The stage is set for dance company ZooNation’s production of The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at London’s Linbury Theatre.
Oversized cups and plates, filled with delicious-looking treats, stand next to colorful teapots, ready for practice. But there are many other props that are not featured in Lewis Carroll’s favorite fairy tale – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
In this adaptation, the doctor’s white coat is hanging up and the case file in a brown binder labeled March Hare, Ratu Hati, Mad Hatter, White Rabbit and Alice, strewn across the table.
The file belongs to Dr. Ernst Sven Sjogren-Kvist, a “normalization” expert, played by Tommy Franzen. His job is to fix people who have been locked away for not being “normal”.
Kate Prince, choreographer and founder of ZooNation, wants this production to open a discussion about mental health.
The goal is to challenge the point of view of what is considered normal: “What is considered normal by modern society? My discoveries in life and the theme of the show are not normal.
“It’s all about mental health challenges and also about the benefits of music and dance for mental health, and how you can develop and feel free and free.”
Ali Wright Since 2017, the number of young people struggling with mental health has doubled, according to Mind’s charity.
Young people often find it difficult to find the words to express their feelings, and hope a production like this can help.
Jennifer Walters, executive director of social change at mental health charity Mind, says the arts can support young people with mental health and help people talk about it.
“We found that almost a fifth of young people have had a conversation about mental health after listening to or reading about their musical experience, and almost a third said it helped to normalize the topic of mental health,” he said.
“Finding a way of communicating that works for you can be an important first step in getting the help and support you need.
“Seeing mental health experiences portrayed on stage or on screen or sharing the experience of watching a show together and discussing it afterwards can be a great way to open up this mental health conversation more.”
The characters in Kate Prince’s production all face different challenges.
Alice suffers from anorexia nervosa and body dysmorphia. The Queen of Hearts has BPD (borderline personality disorder) with an uncontrollable rage. Tweedle Dum has PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and White Rabbit has anxiety, depression and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).
Ali Wright Tommy Franzen, who played Dr. Ernst Sven Sjogren-Kvist, said that his character is on a journey during the production, and his perception changes if he knows more than what people are facing.
“His behavior may seem strange to many, but once you hear his story, you sympathize with him and his behavior starts to make sense,” he said.
“My character is someone who at the beginning of the show sees the world in black and white, right or wrong. This probably comes from his education, because he just graduated. challenge and finally he loses his mind (or gains it) as expressed through a solo dance.”
The music in this production was composed by Josh Cohen and DJ Walde, who worked together with Kate Prince to bring her narrative to life. It combines different musical styles, artists and influences, with each character getting a unique musical motif.
Ms Prince thinks the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party will be a positive theater experience: “The show makes you feel alive and free, and it inspires you that the dancers and singers are amazing and the music is really fun.
“It’s always good to try something new. I always tell my son to try something new,” she said.
ZooNation also offers industry-led workshops for schools, communities and educational groups, who want to discover more about the creative process, choreography and characters behind the show.
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party is at the Royal Opera House Linbury Theatre, 4–24 September, 2024
