Many of us grew up reading wonderous stories, from Peter Pan to The Chronicles of Narnia. One story that stood out to me was Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The way she followed the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole hooked me – I too wanted to experience the mesmerising world she uncovered.
At Cirque Alice, I got a taste of that for a night. We had the pleasure of attending their Canberra Theatre show on opening night — it felt like we were stepping into the fantastical world of Alice in Wonderland.
The show starts with an introduction to the White Rabbit and Alice. The White Rabbit, played by Darius Thompson, plays a haunting violin solo, and is joined by Alice, played by Layla Schillert. Throughout the show, their skills were showcased: Thompson’s violin skills are incredible, enough to send a shiver down your spine, and Schillert has a beautiful opera voice, consistently holding soaring notes with depth. It is clear that she is able to exercise strong control over her voice, and with that, performed beautifully as Alice.
Every Alice in Wonderland story needs the Mad Hatter, and Raymond Crowe did not disappoint. We appreciated the way he engaged the audience, not only through eccentric jokes, but also by pulling audience members on stage. He had a talent for making them feel comfortable, and his jokes were light-hearted: a well-needed break from the intensity of some of the acts. Also worth mentioning was his shadow puppetry, a perfect reminder of the joy of childhood innocence.
Who is the Mad Hatter without the March Hare to even him out? In this case, he was played by Viktor Hladchenko. His circus wheel act was reminiscent of chaos and spring, with plenty of energy and beautiful music to further bring the act to life.
Wonderland’s Juggler, Brandon Raffo, brought a similar light-heartedness to the stage with his engaging juggling act: fun, sweet, and easy to watch.
Tweedledee and Tweedledum were played by the TT Boys: Tamrata Kuka and Tomas Teka Alemu. Their duet brought acrobatic brilliance and energy to the crowd and had audience members on the edge of their seats as they balanced each other whilst performing acrobatic feats.
Similarly breathtaking were the Ramadhani Brothers, Fadhili Rashidi and Ibrahim Mwaimise, playing the Knights. Watching them balance each other head-to-head was jaw-dropping – you didn’t want to look away for even a moment.
The Caterpillar, composed of Enkhzaya Battogoo, Baigalmaa Chuluun, Doljinsuren Ganbold, and Dolgorsuren Ganbold, was hypnotic, moving with grace and flexibility. It was alluring to watch the way they seemed to melt together.
Aerial displays are always standout acts in my eyes, and seeing the aerial duet by Emeline Goavec and Yoann Benhamou was a delight, if not my favourite act. They wore stunning pink costumes, and they moved with elegance, grace and warmth. Their performance was intimate: it felt like you were watching two people fall in love with each other for the first time.
Similarly beautiful to watch was the Snap Dragonfly, whimsical and fleeting, and Daniel Schwarz delivered that with his aerial show. It is incredible to watch seemingly casual strength on stage.
Don’t forget the chessboard pieces – Cirque Alice definitely didn’t. The chessboard White King and Queen, Daniel Monni and Marina Sabetta, brought dreamlike tension onto the stage with their rollerskate act. The highlight of their act was Monni spinning Sabetta around using his neck. It was dazzling, and slightly frightening, to witness.
“Inventive, emotionally rich and visually stunning, Cirque Alice is circus theatre at its most imaginative.” FUSE Magazine
The Dormouse is said to be small and sleepy, and Estuart Mena Gonzales was anything but. His balancing and juggling act made our hearts pound in our chests, and every time he seemed close to falling, he would pull himself back from the brink.
Every story needs a villain, and the Queen of Hearts provided that: dangerous, poised, terrifying. Munguntsatsrag Naranbaatar wowed the audience with her flexibility during her balancing act.
Each act was engaging and entertaining, and what really brought the acts to life were the costumes, lighting, and the soundtrack. The costumes were tailored to the acts and the characters: creative and whimsical. They were original too, and they suited the Alice in Wonderland theme, from chessboard pieces to Alice’s classic blue dress. The costumes paired well with the lighting, which seemed to enhance the glitter and shine of them. The soundtrack was wonderfully curated. It provided depth, tension and intensity, and it aligned with the performances and their lighting needs without missing a beat.
If you are looking to let yourself escape into a fantastical world for a night, I would recommend Cirque Alice. It shined by combining circus acts with Alice in Wonderland themes.
★★★★☆ “A spellbinding dive down the rabbit hole — bold, beautiful and brimming with wonder.” – FUSE Magazine
CIRQUE ALICE TOUR DATES
Canberra Theatre
Thursday 22 – Saturday 31 January 2026
Images. Credit: Cirque Alice/Coliseum Theatre
