How well do you know Alice, is it by heart? The upcoming spring musical has Arcata High’s theatre lovers in a tizzy. Alice By Heart is not the typical Arcata High production; the play asks viewers to tackle its material, not simply watch and be entertained. Approaching the upcoming spectacle, Pepperbox took a sneak peek inside the WW2 bunker and got to know the characters behind the familiar faces.
The following transcribed recordings were collected at great risk, reporters had to brave bombs, tuberculosis, big hats, and opium addicts in their venture. Alice and her castmates currently hide in their bunker to escape the bombs raining down during the London air raids. The bunker is bleak, people are getting sick and losing their heads. Alice is left to her immense imagination, her only escape, into her favorite book, Alice in Wonderland. The people around her begin to take shape into the characters and the story progresses in and out of time with her own life.
Profile interview 1 Alice/ Alice Spencer:
The Story’s protagonist doesn’t fully acknowledge her circumstances, but she’s determined.
“So Alice, How’s life in the bunker?”
“I haven’t been doing very well. I don’t have my book Alice in Wonderland and it’s kind of bleak. I lost my family and it’s not that great down here. I’m with my friend Alfred. We like to read together, but lately, he hasn’t been feeling well and they [the doctors and nurses] won’t let me see him, I don’t know why… it’s a bit worrying”
“Moving on Alice, on a given day how fearful are you of disease?”
“You can overcome any disease with a positive attitude. Tuberculosis? I hardly know her.”
“Aside from your disregard for modern medicine, what are your thoughts and experiences with recreational drugs?”
“It’s not my thing, but Angus likes it, he keeps on telling me, ‘Just one puff’.”
Profile Interview 2 Angus/ the Caterpillar:
– An accomplice of Alice, he tries his best to smoke away his problems, an opium addict.
Reporters on a lead from Alice went on to interview Angus, he seemed moderately confused upon questioning:
“Hey, hey do you want a puff?”
“Ummmmm I guess so.”
“WOW, ok, cough, cough, so Angus, what are your thoughts on recreational drugs?”
“Yea, yea definitely. My buddy, he has his stuff under his cot and I have my stuff under my cot. He has liquor and I have my weed growing under there. Do you want– Do you want just, one, puff?
“Angus, do you think Erika [your actor] would do better with just one puff?”
“Yea, yea definitely she just needs to chill.”
Profile interview 3 Alfred/ the White Rabbit:
Alfred is Alice’s best friend, he turns into the rabbit as Alice starts to imagine Wonderland. He’s the main reason why they go, Alice is trying to prolong the amount of time she has left with him.
“Cough, cuh, cugh,”
“Alfred, is there something you miss the most from the outside world?”
“I really miss taking a shower, I smell SO bad. Also, my parents, my family, my house is rubble. Cough.”
“Speaking of Outisde, what do you think it would be like to be an Arcata High student, would it be that different than the bunker?”
“Arcata High is much worse, have you ever been in those bathrooms? It’s a f*cking warzone out there! Specifically in the bathrooms on a rainy day.”
“And then Alfred, is there anything you dislike most about the actors that portray you?”
“They don’t know how to portray death well enough, they overact, like shut up.”
Profile Interview 4 Tabitha/ the Cheshire cat:
Both Tabitha and the Cheshire Cat guide Alice on her journey both in the bunker and in Wonderland.
So Cheshire, tell me, what is something you miss from the outside?
“I miss the normalcy of coming home and seeing my family because I am an orphan and my family is dead.”
“Damn, ok, as a Highschool student of Arcata High how do you think your life would be different?
“It wouldn’t be so survivalist It would definitely be more fun and I might have a future to think about. I wouldn’t have to worry, like am I going to live to tomorrow?
Profile Interview 5 Queen of Hearts:
The queen has something of a superiority complex, everyone must bow down to avoid losing their head. Major bitch.
“Hey Queen, so, what are you missing most right now?”
“I miss being able to get away from these kids, some time to myself.”
“Would you like to have kids of your own?”
“Absolutely not.”
“You’ve mentioned your husband, is he pretty?”
“He’s a trophy husband at best.”
“And then, I’ve been asking some of the others this, If you were an Arcata High student would it be different for you?”
“Oh absolutely, I would not have bombs dropped on me every day, threats definitely, but actual bombs, no.”
