Audience encouraged to embrace upcoming Alice shows

Dancer-representatives from the reimagined Alice in Wonderland performances met the press yesterday afternoon and encouraged audience members to embrace the upcoming shows with open hearts.

Seah Hagan and Heather Conn are dancers at the shows that will be performed at the Macao Cultural Centre between Dec. 21 and 25.

The duo outlined that this rendition would not strictly adhere to the traditional Lewis Carroll storyline, and instead would incorporate lighting, mirrored images and other visual and audio techniques to stage a refreshed presentation of the globally-recognized story.

According to the dancers, members of the audience may be “pleasantly surprised” by the highly reimagined version of the story, in place of a conventional Alice in Wonderland narrative on the stage.

When asked by the Times how local audience should prepare themselves for the highly reimagined shows, the dancers, who are both from MOMIX Dance Company, said that people should “come to the shows and let everything come to [them] without preconceived notions.”

Conn added that the shows will be able to connect with people from all walks of life, and that “they do not have to be someone special” to understand the story. The duo hinted that despite the adaptation, the essence of the story is maintained.

In certain scenes, technologies will be used to enlarge Alice, while in others, viewers may not even see the dancers on the stage. Previous shows served as examples to demonstrate the adaptation’s influence and ability surprise the audience.

MOMIX’s artistic director and choreographer, Moses Pendleton, leads audiences on a journey filled with eccentricity, fantasy, and movement, reinventing a classic for both children and adults.

This circus-like adaptation of the iconic story introduces an intense parade of familiar characters and visionary ideas, where the skillful dancers in colorful costumes interact with a contemporary setting of holograms, special effects and sophisticated design.

Founded in 1980, MOMIX has been enchanting audiences around the world, including in Macau, where the company performed Opus-Cactus, a desert-inspired production.

Public holidays affect

audience turnout

With seven shows scheduled in Macau, tickets for initial performances were nearly sold out as of press time yesterday. However, as Christmas approaches, more seats remain available.

For instance, one fifth of seats for the evening show on Dec. 23, as well as for performances on Dec. 24, remain available.

This Christmas marks the first time in three years without travel restrictions, potentially prompting additional travel. In addition, the city’s show organizers now face competition from nearby counterparts. For example, on Dec. 22 and 23, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra will stage three sold-out concerts featuring Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas by the influential Tim Burton.

Macau’s tourism industry has acknowledged that the lack of international flights to and from Macau is one of the main reasons that the city is less attractive to international visitors.