The Dukes walkabout play in the park has been a staple of Lancaster’s summer for almost 40 years. It began as an answer to the problem of attracting audiences indoors during the summer holidays and for the first 12 years there were two shows in Williamson Park – usually a Shakespeare adaptation and a family show.
The emphasis is now very much on family fun and this year it’s an all-new re-telling of Alice in Wonderland which is a treat for all ages. On the night we were there, the audience included toddlers and plenty of school-age children with their families as well as a number of older couples.
First-time audience members will love the madcap fun, beautiful setting and slick storytelling and fans of the park show will enjoy the familiar humour and silly wordplay – it’s no surprise that writer Andrew Pollard also creates pantomimes.
The play is filled with original songs in a variety of styles and the action unfolds in four locations around the park. There is quite a walk between the first two scenes and a half hour interval – ideal for a picnic – before the third scene at the Ashton Memorial.
It follows the efforts of Alice (Eve Pereira) to rescue her friend Lewis (Ross Telfer) from the fearsome Jabberwock when a camping trip to Worton Under Blandings is hit by a storm.
There are strong performances from those two throughout, with Ross threatening to steal the show as the Dormouse and a wonderfully 1960s caterpillar. And there are no weak links elsewhere in the cast: Helen Longworth – a veteran of the park show – is superb as the camp leader Miss Dodgson and the Queen of Hearts; Katie Ball is a delightful Hatter; and Kira Hayes a great Hare. Emma Nixon as the playful White Rabbit leads the way between scenes and engages with the audience brilliantly.
There were some comments on the opening couple of nights from audience members who felt they weren’t given enough direction on where to sit, and that the sound quality varied – neither of those was an issue on the night of our visit. 
The creativity of these shows is always a joy and a special mention must go to the costume team – Jessica Curtis and Laura O’Connor – for the first class job they have done, particularly with the caterpillar in scene one and the tea party after the interval.
* Alice in Wonderland runs from Tuesdays-Sundays from July 19-August 25 at 7.15pm. Tickets must be booked in advance. Group bookings negotiable, contact The Dukes Box Office on 01524 598500 or tickets@dukeslancaster.org.
