Review of ‘The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’: “Crazy crazed craziness”

Lewis Carroll’s literary frenzy jumps from the page onto the stage one more time, through this new adaptation starring its most insanely iconic character. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if its banquet of ideas ended up giving bad hare day.

“What’s an audience without a show?”, asks Wonderland’s deranged craftsman as he stares fondly into the glassy eyes of his Frankestein-esque dead pet rat. If you were expecting a lively, camp homage to Uncle Walt’s World of Colour, Rupert Street may be the place to look (because, you know…). But by all means, do not attempt for joy or charm to be the core flavour of this piece – however much it takes from a children’s book (despite its many adult themes), this is definitely another story. 

Last night, the White Bear Theatre hosted the London premiere of The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, a deviation from Carroll’s signature novel – welcoming audiences back into one of the most captivating lands of its topsy-turvy universe, in a time when any speck of marvel (at least, as we’ve always imagined it) has been effectively erased – perhaps, for good. A  darker, more mature take on two of its most memorable personages, the play also stars the March Hare as the second host to this ever-running party – as viewers are invited to gorge on their bittersweet treats of decadent philosophy.

An engaging premise of ambitious intentions, the script manages to sketch both concept and style with moderate success: it’s the sound reflections of he who has been deemed mad by others, exposing the relativity of truth, as well as the idea of insanity as a title that some have been given to name others with – the result of belonging to the privilege granted by the current status quo. Exuding as much as complexity as potential for a rather transformative, profound introspection into the fundaments of life, the writing sadly fails to deliver much more than its primary topic – capable of presenting it, but spending too much effort in honing its form, without adding to much substance underneath.

Though acted with tremendous power and rapport, the absence of a proper story arc makes the piece struggle to engage its public –  all the time, repeating the same formula of the Ophelian-like bard revealing the hypocrisies of our existence, but without any of them contributing to a plot that moves and evolves enough to be entertained, gripped and, eventually, moved by their journey (which, in this case, is almost non-existent). In the end, the inevitable feel is of not really understanding what we’ve seen, since though all of its elements flaunt strength on their own, the lack of integration among them leads to quite a confusing impression as for the point and contents of the work.

Drawing the initial lines for what could be an extremely compelling, thought-provoking theatrical jaunt, The Mad Hatter’s puts, in fact, too many hats on by throwing too many topics into the same box, but without really developing any of them into something that, within its framing mania, can ultimately make sense. A better defined structure, built upon a path that fully allows both characters and issues to move forward, is crucial for the play to finally set down and, first and foremost, secure that missing connection that, as of now, never gets to establish with its audience. It’s catty at some moments, and it points up to a heart, but still needs to cater stronger pillars for it to completely land.

The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party plays at London’s White Bear Pub Theatre until 7 September. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara