Opening weekend for thew fall musical was Halloween weekend, Thursday, Oct. 29. in the blackbox theater at West Hartford’s Hall High School.

By Kate Levine. Photos by Craig Rosenberg

Alice by Heart is a musical set in the London Blitz of World War ll in 1941, with the leads being Alice and her childhood friend Alfred. Alfred is terminally ill with tuberculosis, and as a means of coping with the reality of war, he and Alice escape into the imaginary world, Alice in Wonderland, their favorite childhood book. (Beware that there are spoilers if you continue reading)

Each character from the London tube station that they use as a bunker doubles as a character in the book; for example, Alice as Alice and Alfred and the White Rabbit. 

The show takes on heavy topics like grief and loss through the foolish maximalism of Alice in Wonderland. In “Some Things Fall Away,” we see the Cheshire cat help Alice come to accept that Alfred is dying and deal with her grief.

‘I’ve Shrunk Enough’. Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg

It isn’t solely sad, though, with songs like “Chillin’ the Regrets” adding a bit of fun and playfulness to the story. In the number, the caterpillar – played by two people acting as part of the same caterpillar – attempts to persuade Alice to blow bubbles so that time will “stop.”.The cast comes together in this song to form the one caterpillar, each acting as a part in a waterfall effect.

‘Chillin’ the Regrets.’ Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg

The pinnacle of the show has to be the music, from emotional ballads to dancebreaks, the show contains a wide range of music that will send chills down your spine.

The opening number, “Down the Hole,” is high-energy and haunting as they transition to the world of Alice in Wonderland. Another song that stood out was “Still,” a duet between Alice and Alfred.

Hailey Walsh and Ben Ursillo starred as Alfred and Alice, they are both seniors at Hall and have done theater all four years. They have been Choraliers for two years now(you are eligible for Choraliers only if you’re a junior or senior). They had fantastic chemistry and their voices carried the audience through the emotional tones of the show.

The act two opener “Sick to Death of Alice-ness,” which references the tea-party scene in Alice in Wonderland, is another praiseworthy song. Alfred takes on the role of the March Hare in an attempt to make Alice hate him so she won’t be sad when he will ultimately die.

Hailey Walsh and Ben Ursillo performing ‘Still.’ Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg

There are still three shows left to be performed – on Friday Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. and Saturday Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. These shows are already sold out and the cast is gearing up for the performances.

‘Your Shell of Grief.’ Photo credit: Craig Rosenberg

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