Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) has announced the creative team and cast for the world premiere of Cirque Alice, set to take the stage at the Concert Hall from 10 to 22 April 2025, during the upcoming Easter school holidays.
Created by Tim Lawson (The Illusionists) of TML Enterprises and Simon Painter of Painter Productions, Cirque Alice sets out to offer audiences young and older a reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, blending acrobatics, magic, and theatrical spectacle.
In terms of casting, Australian soprano Layla Schillert (Australian Idol) will play the title role of Alice, while comedic magician Jeff Hobson, known for his performances in The Illusionists, will take on the role of The Mad Hatter. The production also a lineup of internationally renowned acrobats, including Cirque du Soleil’s The TT Boys as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, Australia’s Got Talent finalists The Ramadhani Brothers as the Red and White Knights, and Oleg Tatarynov (Australia’s Got Talent) performing as The Butterfly on aerial pole.
Other cast members include Alexandre Lane (Cirque Bon Bon) as The March Hare in the Cyr Wheel, Maria Sarach (Cirque du Soleil) hand-balancing as The Queen of Hearts, and William Estuart Mena Gonzales on the rola bola as The Dormouse. Maria Romanenko and Alexander Vakar will perform as as The Flamingos in a duo aerial act, Leandro Zeferino (La Soirée) and Anastasiia Vashenko (Gran Circo Mundial) as roller-skating Royals, and Mongolian contortionists Tsetseglen Odgerel, Bayarmaa Ganbat, Baigalmaa Chuluun, and Dolgorsuren Ganbold will portray The Caterpillar.
With regard to the creatives behind the production, Cirque Alice will feature an original soundtrack by Norwegian composers Martin Raabe-Olsen and Marius Christiansen, with live accompaniment by violinist Darius Thompson from London’s West End. The music will include remixes of classical pieces such as Flight of the Bumblebee, Flower Duet, and Für Elise, with QPAC’s oft-underutilised Klais Grand Organ incorporated into the performance.
Creative Directors Ash Jacks and Kirsty Painter lead the production, with costumes by Angela Aaron and puppetry by Olivier Award-winning company Unit 9. Choreography is by Dane Bates, featuring local dancers Abby Lennon, Charlee Danilczak, Kaylee Smith, Gabriel Herrera, and Lachlan Greenland.
Commenting on the announcements, Creative Producer Simon Painter described the cast as one of the best assembled for an Australian production:
When we were creating this show we were looking for two things: who is the very best in the world, and what acts best personify the characters from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
The choice of The TT Boys as Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee was obvious, as they will bring this extremely energetic and quirky act that is known as Icarian Games; while The Queen of Hearts is a very strong domineering character who needs to do something extraordinary like we’ll see in Maria Sarach’s hand-balancing act.
This production continues the collaboration between TML Enterprises and Painter Productions, whose previous circus productions, including Le Noir (seen at QPAC in 2015) and Circus 1903. Cirque Alice is co-presented by QPAC as part of the QPAC 40 program.
