5 March 2007

Alice’s great-great-great niece steps into Wonderland

Photo call in costume, 4pm on Tuesday, at Dundee University students union

More than 140 years since her great-great-great Aunt provided the inspiration for the original Alice in Wonderland, Rachel Arskey will play the part in the latest production by Dundee University’s Lip Theatre Company.

Alice Liddell was in a rowing boat on the Thames when she asked Charles Dodgson, who went under the pen name of Lewis Carroll, to entertain her and her siblings a story. He told them a tale about a little girl called Alice and her adventures after she fell into a hole. Alice begged Charles to write the story down and months later he presented Alice with a tale, Alice and her Underground Adventures. The tale eventually became Alice in Wonderland, one of the best loved books in the world and still read by children to this day. A second Alice book, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There was published in 1871.

Rachel Arksey, who is a second year Anatomical Sciences student, is delighted to be playing the part that was inspired be her relative. She says, "I'm Really excited to be playing a role that has a personal connection to me. I don't think many other actresses get a chance to play characters actually inspired by their decendants."

The latest interpretation of the story will include Puppets and multi media effects with film and animation. Aimed at the whole family, the show is being performed in the Bonar Hall, Dundee on 9th, 10th and 11th March at 2pm and 7:30pm.

Tickets cost £5 and £3 for concessions and are available on the door.

For media enquiries contact:

Anna Day
Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: a.c.day@dundee.ac.uk