Dive Into Wonderland: Joffrey Ballet in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”

The Joffrey Ballet’s presentation of Christopher Wheeldon’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” opened at the Lyric Opera House on June 5, marking a milestone as the company’s first extended production run. Originally premiered at the Royal Opera House in London in 2011, Wheeldon’s interpretation makes its American debut. Joby Talbot’s original score, brought to life by the Lyric Opera Orchestra under Joffrey Music Director Scott Speck, supports an immersive, imaginative world.

The ballet dazzles with expansive theatricality—elaborate moving sets, animated projections, intricate puppetry, and close-up magic all work in concert to immerse the audience. Visually, it transitions from the muted greys of Edwardian Oxford to a Wonderland alive with vivid color, texture and light. Bringing this world to life, the Joffrey dancers embody Wheeldon’s whimsical vision with precision and vibrant character work. As Wheeldon notes in the program, “The Joffrey dancers lead the way in storytelling through dance, approaching choreography with enthusiasm and energy… These dancers are artists of curiosity and great integrity.”

Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” is a radical reimagining of power, identity and logic, told from the perspective of a young girl who refuses to accept the world as is. These themes of challenging authority, questioning established truths and navigating a fractured reality remain especially timely in today’s international sociopolitical climate, where debates over power, identity, and truth continue to shape public discourse. 

Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet does not fully embrace these radical ideas, and the injection of a romantic plot between Alice and Jack—the Knave of Hearts—dilutes the tale’s subversive edge, in favor of a more conventional emotional arc. Wheeldon’s decision to frame Alice’s journey around a romantic pursuit aligns with conventional ballet storytelling but arguably simplifies Carroll’s satirical and philosophical undertones. 

Wheeldon’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” succeeds in conveying a complex narrative without spoken text, largely because of the viewer’s familiarity with Carroll’s classic story. By leaning more heavily on the original, surreal source material rather than the sanitized Disney versions, Wheeldon offers visual cues (heavily aided by video animation) and character motifs that help orient viewers within the chaos. However, for those less versed in the book, certain scenes—such as the grotesque domestic horror of the Duchess’s cottage—may veer into bewildering abstraction. 

Joffrey Ballet in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Photo by Cheryl Mann

At times, the show teeters between cohesion and confusion. Moments of theatrical and choreographic clarity (like the flower garden or the caucus race) contrast with others that feel densely packed with multiple visuals happening on stage at once. The use of digital effects adds a layer of spectacle but occasionally detracts from the dancers’ ability to command focus and drive the narrative through movement alone. In Act III’s playing card guard chase, projections of animated cards swarm the drop while dancers dart, leap and slice with angular precision—effectively capturing the mechanical energy of their characters. 

The choreography was potent enough to convey the idea, and the projection risks dulling the audience’s imagination and overshadowing the performers. One wonders whether more thought could have been given to the choreography itself to fully embody the qualities of cards—folding, shuffling, flipping—as they search for Alice and her allies. Could a more inventive, movement-based approach have better served both the narrative and the theatrical impact without relying on digital effects?

Standout scenes showcased striking theatrical contrasts. The caucus race features a rich diversity of movement motifs that vividly bring to life a menagerie of animals—from agile dogs and fluttering birds to playful monkeys and a comically slow-moving turtle. Beginning with the animals journeying through a minimalist set of three-layered waves, representing Alice’s tears, the stage then clears to allow the dancers’ physicality to fully carry the narrative’s whimsical energy. 

In stark contrast, the Duchess’s house plunges the theater into a blend of pure terror and exaggerated comedy, anchored by Fernando Duarte’s commanding Duchess and Basia Rhoden’s fiery Cook.

Although not the central protagonist, the Queen of Hearts, portrayed by Anais Bueno, commands the stage with unmatched force, leaving us desiring her presence. Her venomous articulations and explosive interactions with her playing card guards provide both comedy and menace. As the guards nervously attempt complex lifts, their failures become part of the humor and tension. A recurring choreographic motif—pointing followed by a slash across the throat—encapsulates the Queen’s chilling authority—We could practically hear her infamous line echoing in their minds: “Off with their heads!”

This is a must-see for fans of the original work, who will delight in the many visual Easter eggs scattered throughout. From character costumes to scenic details, nods to John Tenniel’s iconic illustrations surface in clever, unexpected ways—rewarding those familiar with Carroll’s text and its classic imagery. The show also offers a boldly imagined, family-friendly experience that taps into the curious inner child in every ballet-goer, making Wonderland feel both timeless and newly discovered.

“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ is presented by The Joffrey Ballet through June 22 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Showtimes are Thur – Sat at 7:30 pm; Sat and Sun matinees at 2 pm. Tickets start at $40 available at Joffrey.org.