Follow Alice, Find Yourself
Repertory Philippines' Alice in Wonderland, running from August 23 to December 14, reminds us that sometimes the only way forward is through curiosity and wonder.
Words Jaymar Aquino
Photo courtesy of Repertory Philippines
September 24, 2025
“Curiouser and curiouser.” The phrase has echoed for generations, whispered each time someone dares to step into a world where reason bends and imagination reigns. This year, Repertory Philippines invites audiences to tumble headfirst into that dreamscape, as its Repertory Theater for Young Audiences (RTYA) unfurls a brand-new musical staging of Alice in Wonderland at the REP Eastwood Theater, running from August 23 to December 14.
It is not the Wonderland of soft illustrations tucked into storybooks, but a living, breathing fantasia. Directed by Joy Virata and Cara Barredo, this adaptation by Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman gathers Carroll’s most beloved characters and sets them into motion with music, dance, and a delicious dose of absurdity. A mad tea party bubbles with laughter, flamingos transform into croquet mallets, and playing cards shuffle into tap-dancing life. In this theater, logic takes a bow, and nonsense becomes its own kind of poetry.
At the heart of it is Alice, ever-curious and ever-searching. Brought to life by a rotating trio—Reese De La Vega Iso, Justine Narciso, and Cheska Quimno—she is a mirror for anyone who has wondered what lies beyond the ordinary. Around her orbit a riotous court of characters: Cara Barredo, Pinky Marquez, and Mayen Bustamante-Cadd as the imperious Queen of Hearts; Hans Eckstein and Gerhard Krysstopher as the unpredictable Mad Hatter; and Steven Hotchkiss and Gabo Tiongson racing as the anxious White Rabbit.
The magic extends beyond the cast. Musical direction by Phoebe Bitoon, choreography by Stephen Viñas, and set design by Lawyn Cruz create a stage that is both a dream and a puzzle. Costumes by Hershee Tantiado and Phillip Domingo burst with color, while John Batalla’s lighting and GA Fallarme’s projections blur the edges between waking life and dreamscape.
The result is a Wonderland designed not just for children, but for anyone willing to believe in whimsy again. REP has woven a tapestry of Filipino talent into a story that belongs to the world, proving that even in a rational age, there is room for the fantastical.
Perhaps the real question is not whether Alice will find her way through Wonderland, but whether we will allow ourselves to follow. After all, how do you get to Wonderland?
Tickets to this theatrical adventure are available through TicketWorld at http://bit.ly/RTYAAlice2025TW and Ticket2Me at https://bit.ly/45tNMHU for Orchestra Center or https://www.ticket2me.net/event/22466 for Orchestra Side.
For inquiries and showbuying opportunities, reach out through REP’s social channels (@repertoryphilippines), call 0962-6918540 or 0966-9054013, or email [email protected] or [email protected].
