By Nethan Crew, Managing editor of production 

Last semester, the University of Montevallo theatre department announced its 2025-2026 season, including 4 shows. One of which was “Alice by Heart,” a retelling of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” through the memory of two young friends, Alice and Alfred, during the London Blitz in World War 2.  

Written by Steven Sater, Jessie Nelson and Duncan Sheik and directed by Michael Walker, the show touches heavily on topics of grief, loss, love and how imagination can help soften the blow of hardship.  

Actors and Casting 

One of the highlights of the show is the actors and their choices on stage. It can be common in reviews of theatre performances to call someone a “show-stopper” or a “scene-stealer,” but it felt that every single actor on stage had and used that capability. 

Starting off with the titular character, Renee Greene plays Alice. The stark endurance of her performance is no easy feat, being on the black box stage for the almost hour and a half runtime. Greene also brought the childlike wonder and naivety to the character that pushed Alice as the child in the underground station and in the wonderland to a living being.  

I would be remiss to not mention the debut performance of Elliot Lear as Alfred/White Rabbit/March Hare. His neurotic sense of urgency for more time in every scene perfectly personifies the rabbit character we know from the stories of old, as well as the young boy suffering from terminal illness. Every single scene Lear was in was one where he never felt invisible.  

Allya Florence’s performance as the Red Cross Nurse and the Queen of Hearts brought out a new level of artistry from her past performances. She depicted these characters as the “type A” hot-tempered individuals they are, and created a real level of villainy that brings out genuine fear for what comes next.  

There are so many others that should be mentioned, especially the actors that are making their first debut as a principal character in a musical scope. Thatcher Carter’s debut as Duchess is amazing, Camilia Bran’s first show at UM does not disappoint either as the Queen of Diamonds, Cole Wilson and Alan Weston’s portrayals of Mad Hatter and Doormouserespectively bring a even larger level of whimsy and tarnish that places the audience in an intense game of transferring attention all around the black box stage.  

Technical Aspects 

One of the greatest benefits of this show is the performance taking place in the Michael and Sue Meadows Black Box Theatre. The script of the show plays itself so well to being placed in this immersive, riveting space, and the confined nature of the area plays its own character in the story.  

The set pieces are also very barren and convey the story well. The random suitcases, trunks, stretchers and carts help the viewer remember that they are still in both realities of the show. The props are especially well made, with the caterpillar’s halves being a true work of art. 

The costumes are also amazing, with the effect that the costumes are all “rag-tag” pieces that would be found in the underground bunker. This does not diminish the ability to place any character as someone they aren’t, and the costume change during the opening scene for Alice is especially impressive.  

Closing Thoughts 

“Alice by Heart” is a truly impeccable show from UM’s theatre department. The raw emotion felt in every scene and every character is pulverizing to the audience, and the technical aspects of the show back this up with so much weight and veracity.  

The story of this show feels like exactly what we need today. It reminds us that everyone suffers and everyone dies, but that the imagination and whimsy we share with people creates the life worth living for. 

The tones of grief and loss are especially heartfelt and moving in this show. It makes the audience member reflect about their friends, family and colleagues, and reminds them that their time spent together is finite. It also reminds me as a viewer that feeling large emotions is one of the greatest gifts I have, and that we as humans are so lucky to feel sad, despair, joy, heartbreak and love. “Alice by Heart” put a dagger in my heart, and I thanked it for doing so.