Search - Alice in Wonderland-1947 :: Alice in Wonderland / 1947 Broadway Cast

Peerless LeGallienne version of the Lewis Carroll classic

Byron Kolln | the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood | 03/22/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The recording to the 1947 Broadway revival of Eva LeGallienne's adaptation of ALICE IN WONDERLAND, with a charming score by Richard Addinsell.



This recording is beautifully-narrated by LeGallienne herself (who also plays the role of the White Queen). The entire cast is sensational, headed by the charming Alice of Bambi Linn (best-known for her role as 'Dream Laurey' in the film version of "Oklahoma"). Other key roles are taken by Margaret Webster as the imperious Red Queen, Angus Cairns as the Mock-Turtle and Hugh Franklin as the White Knight.



Richard Addinsell's score is pure perfection and pinpoints the fractured, wounded heart of the original Lewis Carroll book. From the opening strains of "A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky", to the slow ragtime strut of the Mock-Turtle's "Will You Walk a Little Faster?", to the utterly nonsensical trial song "They Had Told Me You Had Been to Her", the score bespeaks of the glowing, shimmering summers of youth and the heart that still recognizes the need to return to that innocence. The best number is the White Knight's bittersweet ballad "A-Sitting on a Gate", it is truly beautiful, and I defy anyone not to get choked up in the final few bars of music where the dream of Alice's adventure comes to a close.



This recording is one to savour and cherish. LeGallienne's ALICE is just as enjoyable for adults as it is for children; full of wit and charm, and more than a touch of shining brilliance."