This November, St George’s Ascot brought a much-loved classic to life in a bold and captivating new way, as our whole-school production of Alice in Wonderland took to the stage. Adapted and written by our Director of Drama, Mrs Liddle, the performance blended the magic of Lewis Carroll’s world with an inspiring, contemporary message about girls finding, and using, their voices.
From the very first scene, it was clear that this retelling was about more than Wonderland. Through beautifully crafted dialogue between Alice and her sister Lorina, Mrs Liddle explored the limitations placed on Victorian girls and contrasted them with the limitless potential of girls today. Alice’s determination to question, to imagine, and to believe in “impossible things” became a powerful call to action for every girl.
One of the most special moments came as Alice declared,
“I believe that one day, girls shall do more than read history books; they will write them, and what’s more, they’ll make history too.”
Miss Fox noted that this line encapsulates the values we champion at St George’s: enabling girls to see themselves as agents of change, capable of shaping history rather than simply observing it.
I wanted our girls to recognise themselves in Alice, not as a character who simply wanders through chaos, but as a young woman discovering the power of her own voice. Carroll’s world is a fantasy, but the context of Alice’s Victorian reality allowed me to ground the story in something deeply relevant to St George’s today.
Mrs Liddle
In her Director’s Note within the programme, Mrs Liddle also highlighted the real women whose achievements inspired elements of the script. From Ada Lovelace to the codebreakers of Bletchley Park, we celebrate those women who pushed boundaries long before society was ready to accept them.
If Alice learns anything on her journey, it’s that imagination is not childish, it’s radical. It is how progress begins. I wanted our girls to see that questioning the world, even when people pretend not to hear, is an act of courage.
Mrs Liddle
The result was a production that was immersive, visually spectacular, musically rich and emotionally resonant. The cast delivered performances full of humour, heart and conviction, supported by a superb backstage, music, make-up and technical team. It was a true whole-school achievement.
“To the women of impossible futures.”
“And to the girls who dream them into becoming true.”
As the final toast between Alice and Lorina was spoken, it felt like it was a celebration of who our girls are, who they are becoming, and who they will go on to be.
Congratulations to everyone involved for creating a piece of theatre that was not only entertaining, but inspiring in every sense.