Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Alice in Wonderland Dramaturgy
Alice in Wonderland Dramaturgy
A New Musical
by Janet Yate Vogt & Mark Friedman
Dramaturgy
Table of Contents
Concept Page 4
Synopsis Pages 5-8
Playwrights/Composers/Lyricists Pages 9-10
Production History Page 11
Cast List Page 12
YouTube Playlist Link Page 12
The Form Pages 12-65
Victorian Style Pages 12-19
Background Page 20
Characters Pages 21-64
Leitmotifs Pages 64-65
Vocabulary Pages 65-112
Dialects Page 112
*Most of the information in this compilation was gathered from internet resources, utilizing Google,
unless specifically noted before the entry.
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Concept
I love the imaginative films of PAN’S LABYRINTH, CITY OF LOST CHILDREN, and
WHAT DREAMS MAY COME. Use these as jumping off points for images and
inspiration, to create the magical and weird world the preshow/overture mentions. Oskar
Escobedo, our set designer, came up with a shadow play/toy theater idea, which was
very popular in the Victorian era. We will use a zoetrope to transition and create a sense
of turning/shifting and shadow play to give that danger of the unknown. Shadow play will
also give us the freedom to play with the needs of “big” and “small”. The following
dramaturgy should also help with our storytelling. I believe that our young audiences
should start with the rabbit hole being the entrance to the theater, and then it can move
and be the entrance for Alice.
Stylistically, I think we should be inspired by anime and video games; giving it that
interactive and big-bodied-choices that work so well in TYA theater. I also love that the
real-life story of Alice Linddell and Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) has real
places that still exist in Oxfordshire/Christ Church, Oxford. These images will be in the
dramaturgy packet and in the Pinterest Board.
There are two teams: Team Adulthood and Team Childhood. Team Adulthood is led by
the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts. Team Childhood is led by the King of
Hearts/Mock Turtle and the White Rabbit. These characters manipulate the scenes like
puppeteers. Ultimately, the moral center of the piece the King of Hearts/Mock Turtle,
wins Alice to their side.
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As the music transitions – now brightly and up-tempo – the White Rabbit scurries in –
befuddled and in a great hurry, exclaiming he is late! A startled Alice is quickly surprised
by more Wonderland characters who assure her “there’s a place bigger than the biggest
of your dreams – Wonderland!” Alice is puzzled and apprehensive, but very intrigued
how she might be able to go to this magical place – especially a place where she might
be treated like a grown-up. Soon she follows each Wonderland character down the
rabbit hole, taking the leap to leave her boring English childhood behind.
Alice finds herself in a room with many doors of all shapes and sizes. The White Rabbit
scurries in again, complaining he is late, and despite Alice’s pleas to “wait,” he quickly
goes through a door, shuts it and it locks behind him. Alice, left alone, cannot get any of
the doors to work and she is also either too big or too small to fit through many of them.
(Curiouser and Curiouser). Wonderland characters pop in and out, offering their
comments and advice, though unnoticed by Alice. Suddenly Alice notices a piece of
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cake with a note, “Take a bite,” which she does, and begins to feel very odd. Then
thirsty, she notices a cup of tea with a note, “Take a sip,” which she does and much to
her dismay she begins to shrink. But in doing so, she can now fit through a tiny door
leading her to a beautiful and colorful Wonderland. (Now That I See Wonderland).
Alice is surprised to meet yet another curious creature – especially one with a large grin
who can partially disappear, leaving only his smile to be seen. The Cheshire Cat
advises Alice that when the Queen of Hearts is around his grin “is turned upside down.”
Alice still innocently wishes to find her way to the Queen’s court and the Cheshire Cat
suggests that on her way she stop and see the Mad Hatter and the March Hare, who
are always having tea, adding “Everyone in Wonderland is mad-mad-mad”– including
Alice! He vanishes and with a sudden burst of excitement, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle
Dum enter to greet Alice. (I’m Tweedle Dee, I’m Tweedle Dum).
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, two silly and childish Wonderland characters, are
excited to let Alice know that whenever you can’t remember the lyrics to any song – just
insert their names, Dee and Dum, for each musical note. They illustrate to Alice several
musical styles and examples – from a Dee and Dum rendition of the ABC’s to a Dee
and Dum version of Bizet’s Carmen. With still no help in finding the Queen, Alice follows
them off hoping they might lead the way.
The Two, Seven, and Five of Hearts are painting all the roses in the Kingdom red – by
order of the Queen of Hearts (Painting the Roses Red). They, too, dread her every
whim and threat, especially her edict, “Off with their heads!” The Knave of Hearts enters
to point out all their faults, since he is a “face card” and has superiority over them. The
Knave observes the Five of Hearts is eating tarts – and all suddenly realize they are
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actually the Queen’s tarts and are terrified of the consequences should she discover
they are missing. The Knave offers to return what’s left of the tarts to the Queen though
it is clear he really just wants the tarts to himself. Alice – spying red roses – approaches
them in hopes she is getting closer to the Queen’s Court. They listen politely to her
plight to return the Queen’s fan, but clearly do not wish to be involved, and wearily
shuffle off to paint the remaining “3,422 rosebushes.” The Mock Turtle enters, late
again, this time for painting the roses. Alice, still impatient to find her way to the Queen,
is assured by the Mock Turtle that “all the mysteries will be revealed in time.”
Suddenly the easy-going Caterpillar, sitting on a big mushroom, enters along with
Wonderland Flowers and offers Alice advice about the “Queenie who can be a meanie”
but is probably “not playing with a full deck.” He is happily sipping a straw from a very
large over-sized soda and, along with the flowers, tells Alice why he loves Wonderland
where you can lay in the sun all day – just hanging out and having fun (I’m a
Caterpillar).
Alice stumbles upon a tea party, where the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the
Doormouse all announce to her, “No room!” though, as Alice points out to them, there is
plenty of room at the table (It’s Always Tea Time). As the four continually shift seats,
sipping tea and toasting their teacups, Alice tries to make sense of this odd tea party
and conversation. The Mad Hatter reads Alice’s tea leaves and proclaims she is in for a
“disastrous adventure,” and curiously wonders if she plays croquet. As the party
progresses, they are gradually joined by a large group of Wonderland characters
celebrating “the tea party that never ends” with the clock forever stuck on six o’clock. In
a parade-like fashion, all except, once again leaving Alice alone.
Alice joins the Mock Turtle, who is forlorn and crying to himself. Alice tries to console
him as he laments the many reasons why he is so misunderstood. (It May Take a While
But You’ll Get There). Though no one understands his leisurely pace, the Mock Turtle
explains it is actually the key to truly enjoying and experiencing life. Most importantly, he
advises Alice to not be in such a hurry to grow up. They are suddenly interrupted by a
fanfare. The Queen is approaching, and the Mock Turtle warns Alice to “Hide!”
The Heart Cards enter, singing the praises of the Queen of Hearts, who triumphantly
enters. (She’s the Queen of Hearts). She is the center of attention – vain and ready to
declare “Off with their heads” to anyone who might offend her, including the King
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himself. The Queen announces that her beloved tarts have disappeared. She suddenly
sees the Knave munching on the tarts and instructs the Mad Hatter to read “the
accusation,” and then orders the Knave’s fate, “Off with his head!” The Queen,
overcome with all the events, is about to faint and asks for her fan. Alice, pleased to
help her, presents the fan to the Queen, who accuses Alice of stealing the fan and also
orders her punishment, “Off with her head!” The Mock Turtle comes to Alice’s defense,
asking for the Queen to at least allow Alice to have a trial, which briefly amuses the
Queen. Ultimately the Mock Turtle suggests a competition where Alice may prove
herself worthy of a royal pardon. The Queen declares a game of “sudden death”
(Flamingo Croquet) where the first one who scores wins.
With flamingos as croquet mallets, the match begins. Though Alice clearly scores the
first point, the Queen ignores it. Instead she takes a swing, misses, and instructs the
King to place her ball through the wicket, declaring herself the winner. Filled with glee at
her victory, the Queen shouts, “Off with all of their heads!” A madcap chase ensues with
the King and the Heart Cards protecting Alice from the Queen’s wrath. Suddenly the
White Rabbit runs in, exclaiming he is still late! Alice is finally able to ask him why – and
he explains to an astonished Alice that all along he has been late – to get her back up
the rabbit hole and return her home. Together they escape the chaotic scene.
As the English parlor is revealed once again, the audience discovers that Alice has
simply fallen asleep while reading her book, leaving them to believe that Alice has only
dreamed of her adventure to Wonderland. The Mother enters and tells Alice that she
has reconsidered and Alice can join the “grown-up party” after all. Alice declines –
explaining that she prefers to just stay in the parlor to read her book – having been
reminded just recently that there is plenty of time for growing up. As the Mother exits, a
bit of mystery still remains. Wondering if Wonderland did exist after all, she spies the
Mad Hatter’s hat on the parlor’s hat rack – and the Wonderland characters re-appear,
re-assuring her it wasn’t a dream after all. (That’s How You Get to Wonderland Reprise).
She takes the Mad Hatter’s hat, puts it on her head and smiles, and the curtain falls.
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Janet and Mark are a unique writing team, with each of them writing together the book,
music and lyrics for their musicals. They are proud to have been commissioned by
several theatres, including The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio) The
Columbus Children’s Theatre (Columbus, Ohio), Kalamazoo Civic Theatre (Kalamazoo,
Michigan), and Casa Manana Theatre (Fort Worth, Texas). Their works have played at
numerous theaters – Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; The Old Log Theatre, Excelsior
MN; Center REP Theatre, Walnut Creek, CA; Orlando REP; Merry-Go Round
Playhouse, Auburn NY; Florida Repertory Theatre, Fort Myers; Red Barn Theatre, Key
West; Wimbledon Studio Theatre, UK; Erith Playhouse, Erith, Kent; Dallas Children’s
Theatre; Omaha Theatre Company, Omaha NE; SCERA Center for the Arts, Orem,
Utah; San Diego Junior Theatre; Fulton Theatre, Lancaster, PA; Plaza Theatrical
Productions, Lynwood, NY; Altarena Playhouse, Alameda, CA; Weston Playhouse,
Weston, VT; Ivoryton Playhouse, Ivoryton, CT; and many others.
Janet and Mark’s shows also include Sleepy Hollow, A Musical Tale; Alice in
Wonderland; Anne of Green Gables; Jingle ARRGH the Way; Sherlock Holmes and the
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Mystery of the Crown Jewel; Snow White & the Prince, and The Magical Adventures of
Merlin which have appeared in 49 states (one more to go!) as well as Australia,
Germany, New Zealand, South Korea, China, Canada, the Philippines, and England.
Janet and Mark are thrilled to be represented by Theatrical Rights Worldwide and hope
you will consider their riveting and surprising glimpse into the life of the legend
Rosemary Clooney described by critics as “a must see” – or explore one of their many
TYA musicals, including their popular pirate adventures based upon Melinda Long’s
best-selling children’s books – or jump into literary classics like Alice in Wonderland and
her journey down the rabbit hole – or the haunting tale of Sleepy Hollow’s Headless
Horseman – or the beloved story of Anne finally finding a home at Green Gables – or
take your audiences on a mystery that only Sherlock Holmes could solve – or see Snow
White’s fairy tale unfold in a whimsical and fresh new way.
Janet and Mark’s literary representation is with Jonathan Mills, Paradigm Agency.
Please check out their website vogtfriedmancomposers.com for more information.
Mark and collaborator, Janet Vogt, have written many successful musicals together.
Their TRW licensed adult bio-musical Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical has
enjoyed rave reviews across the US and in London. Their TRW/TYA titles include: How I
Became a Pirate; Alice in Wonderland; Sleepy Hollow: A Musical Tale; Anne of Green
Gables, Jingle Arrgh the Way; Snow White and the Prince, and Sherlock Holmes and
the Mystery of the Crown Jewel – all playing worldwide. Grateful for his theatre success,
Mark still considers his best productions to be his children, Emily and Christopher, both
NYU graduates living and working in NYC in film and television. Mark is represented by
Paradigm Artist Agency, New York.
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Production History
The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati, Cincinnati OH
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Characters - 3 female, 8 male and 2 gender flexible featured roles (and extras)
Alice
The Queen of Hearts (Alice’s Mother, Caucus Race Animal)
The Mad Hatter
The White Rabbit
The Doormouse (2 of Hearts Tap Dancing Card, Rose Painter)
The Mock Turtle
The Dodo Bird (5 of Hearts Tap Dancing Card, Rose Painter)
The Cheshire Cat (7 of Hearts Tap Dancing Card, Rose Painter)
Tweedle Dee (Loreena - Alice’s Sister, Caucus Race Animal)
Tweedle Dum (Caucus Race Animal)
The Caterpillar (Caucus Race Animal)
The March Hare (The King of Hearts)
The Knave of Hearts
Extra 1: Pop-Up Flower, Caucus Race Animal, 4 of Hearts Tap Dancing
Extra 2: Pop-Up Flower, Caucus Race Animal, 6 of Hearts Tap Dancing
Extra 3: Pop-Up Flower, Caucus Race Animal, 3 of Hearts Tap Dancing
YouTube Playlist
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2eVZ45jkcXvFpjLY5DeML7WS-4I3IeTE
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Victorian Style
From Masterclass.com
Three Characteristics:
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windows also provided color to both the interior and exterior of Victorian homes.
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Five Examples:
2. Painted Ladies: More than 48,000 Edwardian and Victorian houses were built in
San Francisco, California, between 1849 and 1915. Though many were lost in
the historic 1906 earthquake, thousands remain standing all throughout the city.
The Painted Ladies, a brightly colored block of Victorian homes in the Alamo
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Square neighborhood, are among the most famous. Re-painted in the 1960s to
emphasize their architectural details, the Painted Ladies are a key part of San
Francisco's rich architectural history and a popular photo-op for tourists from
around the world.
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4. Manchester Town Hall: Built by British architect Alfred Waterhouse in 1877, the
Manchester Town Hall in Manchester, England, has an ornate Gothic-style
facade and features a 280-foot-tall clock tower. In the nineteenth century,
Manchester was a hub of the Industrial Revolution and thus suffered from poor
air quality. Soot from factories had the tendency to settle on the exteriors of
buildings, ruining their appeal. Waterhouse solved this problem by constructing
the building with a uniform stone exterior. For the interior walls, he used
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5. Carson Mansion: The Carson Mansion is a jumble of Victorian styles. Built for
lumber baron William Carson in Eureka, California, in 1886, the home features a
redwood exterior, roofs of different heights, finials, and a heavily ornamented
wraparound porch.
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Background
The period saw the British Empire grow to become the first global industrial power,
producing much of the world's coal, iron, steel and textiles. The Victorian era saw
revolutionary breakthroughs in the arts and sciences, which shaped the world as we
know it today.
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Characters
From AliceInWonderland.net
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Alice: is the main character of the story “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and the
sequel “Through the Looking-Glass and what Alice found there”.
She is a seven-year-old English girl (in ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ she is exactly
seven years old, in ‘Through the Looking-Glass’ she is seven and a half) with lots of
imagination and is fond of showing off her knowledge. Alice is polite, well raised and
interested in others, although she sometimes makes the wrong remarks and upsets the
creatures in Wonderland. She is easily put off by the abruptness and rudeness of
others.
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In Through the Looking-Glass, she is 6 months older and more sure of her identity.
In the article ‘Alice on Stage’, Carroll gives the following description of her:
“Loving, first, loving and gentle: loving as a dog (forgive the prosaic simile,
but I know no earthy love so pure and perfect), and gentle as a fawn; then
courteous – courteous to all, high or low, grand or grotesque, King or
Caterpillar, even as though she were herself a King’s daughter, and her
clothing of wrought gold: then trustful, ready to accept the wildest
impossibilities with all that utter trust that only dreamers know; and lastly,
curious – wildly curious, and with the eager enjoyment of Life that comes
only in the happy hours of childhood, when all is new and fair, and when Sin
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The character of Alice is based on a real girl, called Alice Liddell, who was one of the
author’s child-friends.
Alice was born on 4 May 1852 and was the 4th child and second daughter of the Dean
from the Christ Church College in Oxford, Henry George Liddell, and Lorina Liddell.
(Gardner 100)
The older brothers and sister were Edward Henry (called Harry,
1848), Lorina (1849), and Arthur (1850, but died in 1853). Her
sister Edith was born two years later, in 1854. Her other brothers
and sisters were Rhoda (1858), Violet (1864), Frederick (called
Eric, 1865) and Lionel (1868). She had one more little brother
named James, who also died young. It was with Lorina and Edith
that Alice went on the famous boat trip, and these sisters appear
in the story too.
In 1876 Edith died, aged only 22 and just before she was to be married. This was a
huge shock for the family.
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On 25th February 1856, Henry Liddell, the new Dean, moved into the Deanery at Christ
Church. At this time Dodgson was sub-librarian and the window of his room overlooked
the Deanery garden, where Alice and her sisters played. Dodgson came in contact with
the Liddell’s via the Dean’s niece, Fredrika Liddell, whom he had sketched. He met the
Liddell family in February 1856 during a train trip. Two months later, on 25 April, he met
Alice during a photo session with his friend Reginals Southey, on which occasion he
was photographing Christ Church Cathedral. He was able to meet her and her sisters
properly on 3 June when he photographed them.
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The illustrations of Alice by John Tenniel are not based on Alice Liddell. Carroll sent
Tenniel a photograph of Mary Hilton Badcock, another child-friend, who was the
daughter of the Dean of Ripon. He recommended her as a model, but whether Tenniel
accepted this advice remains a matter of dispute.
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The name of one of the three little sisters in the Treacle Well refers to Alice: ‘Lacie’ is a
transformation of the letters from the word ‘Alice’.
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In Tim Burton’s 2010 movie, the Queen of Hearts and the Red Queen are the same
person, and her name is Iracebeth.
The phrase ‘mad as a hatter’ was common in Carroll’s time. ‘Mad as a hatter’ probably
owes its origin to the fact that hatters actually did go mad, because the mercury they
used sometimes gave them mercury poisoning.
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Carroll may have asked Tenniel to draw the Mad Hatter to resemble Theophilus Carter,
a furniture dealer near Oxford. Carter was known in the area as the Mad Hatter, partly
because he always wore a top hat and because of his eccentric ideas.
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The White Rabbit doesn’t have a name; he is just being referred to as ‘the white rabbit’.
In Tim Burton’s 2010 movie, he was named Nivens McTwisp.
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should wear spectacles. I am sure his voice should quaver, and his knees
quiver, and his whole air suggest a total inability to say “Bo” to a goose!”
Dean Liddell, Alice’s father, might have been an inspiration for the White Rabbit. The
Dean was always running late as well; when Alice was a child, there was no west
entrance to the Christ Church Cathedral and the Dean would normally have had to
leave the Deanery, walk along Tom Quad, around the Cloisters and into the Cathedral
through the south door. Therefore he was notorious for being late for services.
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Doormouse (Chapter 7, 11); another member of the tea party and witness. He
constantly falls asleep and is mistreated by the Hare and the Hatter. In the first editions
of the story the Dormouse is referred to as ‘it’, but since the 1897 edition the Dormouse
is also sometimes being referred to as ‘he’, establishing it as a male character.
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Mock Turtle (Chapter 9, 10); he seems to be very sad and constantly sobs. He tells
Alice about his schooldays.
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Dodo: (Chapter 2, 3); another creature that fell into the pool. He suggests doing a
Caucus Race to get dry. He is said to be modeled after Dodgson (Carroll) himself.
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At the end of the second chapter from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland it says: “There
was a Duck, and a Dodo, a Lory and an Eaglet”. This is a reference to the author, his
friend, and Alice’s sisters: all passengers who were with Alice in the boat when the story
was first told to her. Lorina is the Lorry and Edith the Eaglet. The Duck is Canon
Robinson Duckworth. The Dodo was Charles Dodgson, who had a slight stutter, which
made him sometimes give his name as ‘Do-do-Dodgson’.
The proof that these last two nicknames were actually used, comes from Dodgson’s
inscription in a 1886 facsimile edition of “Alice’s Adventures Under Ground”, which he
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Cheshire Cat is the cat of the Duchess. Alice first meets it in chapter 6 from “Alice’s
Adventures in Wonderland”, when she leaves the Duchess house, and finds it in a tree.
It constantly grins and can disappear and reappear whenever it likes. Sometimes it
disappears and leaves its grin behind. In chapter 8 she meets it again in the Queen’s
croquet garden.
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In “The Nursery ‘Alice'”, Alice notices that the cat has ‘lovely green eyes’.
The Cheshire Cat is the only character in Wonderland who actually listens to Alice. With
his remarks, he teaches Alice the ‘rules’ of Wonderland. He gives her insight in how
things work down there.
Carroll kept changing details in the story throughout this life, and in some editions of the
story the name of the cat is spelled as ‘Cheshire-Cat’, not ‘Cheshire Cat’.
“`Cheshire
Puss,’ [Alice]
began, rather
timidly, as she
did not at all
know whether it
would like the
name: however,
it only grinned a
little wider. `Come, it’s pleased so far,’ thought Alice, and she went on.
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`Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’
`That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat.
`Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat.
`Oh, you’re sure to do that,’ said the Cat, `if you only walk long enough.'”
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`Oh, you can’t help that,’ said the Cat: `we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re
mad.’
`You must be,’ said the Cat, `or you wouldn’t have come here.’
Alice didn’t think that proved it at all; however, she went on `And how do you
know that you’re mad?’
`To begin with,’ said the Cat, `a dog’s not mad. You grant that?’
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`Well, then,’ the Cat went on, `you see, a dog growls when it’s angry, and
wags its tail when it’s pleased. Now I growl when I’m pleased, and wag my
tail when I’m angry. Therefore I’m mad.'”
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Although the original illustrations are black-and-white, in the text the Caterpillar is
described as being blue (‘a large blue caterpillar’).
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March Hare (Chapter 7, 11); he is holding a tea party with the Hatter and the
Dormouse. The party will continue forever, as they live in a frozen time. Later on, the
March Hare is a witness during the trial.
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Caucus Race Animals: Alice and the animals, including a dodo, a duck, a rat, a crow
and a parrot.
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Five, Seven and Two (Chapter 8); they are playing cards and the Queen’s gardeners.
They’re painting roses red because they planted white ones by mistake.
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Alice’s sister (Chapter 1, 12); in the beginning of the story she’s reading a very boring
book (according to Alice). In the end Alice wakes up in her lap and tells her her
adventures. She is presented as a reasonable adult, who, in the end, recognizes Alice’s
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own adult-like qualities. Note that the real Alice’s older sister, Lorina, was actually only 3
years her senior.
Alice’s Mother: Lorina Hanna Reeve was born 3 March 1826, the sixth and last child of
James Reeve, son of Robert Reeve (1739-1815) and Pleasance Clerke (1739-182) and
brother of Lady Pleasance (Reeve) Smith, and his wife Lorina Farr, da. of John Farr.
She married Henry George Liddell in 1846. She was the mother of Alice LiddellShe
passed away in 1910.
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Flowers: In the second book THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, Alice meets several
flowers in the garden, including Tiger-Lilly, Rose, Daisy, Violet,
and Larkspur. These flowers can be in Wonderland.
Leitmotifs
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There are several leitmotifs in the score of ALICE IN WONDERLAND: a new musical,
and we will use the techniques of Richard Wagner’s Gesamtkunstwerk (“total work of
art”), in which all the elements of performance would be integrated. Nothing could
be left to chance; all must be directed toward the same end.
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Vocabulary/Timeline
Timeline
Published Story Date: May 4, 1872 - perpetually six o’clock in the evening - tea time
https://libguides.franklinpierce.edu/alicesadventuresinwonderland
Vocabulary
Ace in the Hole: an ace dealt and held face down, especially in stud poker. an
advantage or a resource kept back until the proper opportunity presents itself: His ace in
the hole is his political influence.
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The alarm may ring until the weight or spring runs down, or there may be a shut-off
switch.
Mechanical clocks for the home might have been made as early as the 13th century
(see Revolution in Time by David S. Landis, Belknap Press, 1983, p. 80), and it is likely
that the alarm was available very early on.
The oldest alarm clock I found referenced is a German iron wall clock with a bronze bell,
probably made in Nuremberg in the 15th
century. This clock is 19 inches tall with
open framework construction. It hung high
on the wall to make room for the driving
weights to fall. Alarm clocks from the 1500s
are in existence. See The Clockwork
Universe, German Clocks and Automata
1550 - 1650, Maurice and Mayr, 1980,
Smithsonian, Neale Watson Academic
Publications, New York.
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Armchair:
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Asparagus:
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Bell:
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Biscuits:
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Book:
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Bowing:
2. Close up the trailing foot to either first position (Hillgrove) or third position in front
(Ferraro), beginning to bow.
Broccoli:
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Cake:
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Cherry Tart:
Conga Line: The conga line is a novelty line dance that was derived from the Cuban
carnival dance of the same name and became popular in the US in the 1930s and
1950s. The dancers form a long, processing line, which would usually turn into a circle.
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Crazy Eights: Crazy Eights is a shedding-type card game for two to seven players. The
object of the game is to be the first player to discard all of their cards. The game is
similar to Switch and Mau Mau. Originally this was played primarily by children with the
left over cards not used in Euchre.
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Croquet: Croquet is a sport that involves hitting wooden or plastic balls with a mallet
through hoops embedded in a grass playing court. Its international governing body is
the World Croquet Federation. You must strike the ball with either end face of the mallet
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but with no other part. The ball must be struck cleanly. You cannot move hoops or the
peg to enable a shot to be played. Putting your foot on your ball (or indeed touching any
ball with your foot) is not allowed. Court: The nine-wicket Croquet court plays best in
short grass and is set up in a double diamond pattern.
Custard:
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Daffodil: The UK's wild daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) might be less showy than
the bold, bright varieties planted in gardens and villages across the land, but it is still
unmistakable. Look for the familiar trumpet-shaped tube at the centre in a warm,
egg-yolk yellow, surrounded by pale yellow petals.
Door:
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Dormouse-style Door:
Do-si-Do: in square dancing, and other country dancing) a figure in which two dancers
pass around each other back to back and return to their original positions.
Drum Major: Essentially, a drum major is the leader who keeps the tempo with the use
of a baton or other forms of time-keeping, such as conducting. The drum major often
holds the responsibility to keep the band organized and structured.
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Eaglet: A baby eagle is called an eaglet. You would hardly see one around because
they stay with their parents until they are old enough to leave the nest. Baby eagles
tend to remain with their parents for approximately 8-14 weeks, until fledging happens.
Fan:
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Fifty-two Pick-Up: Usually not played as a serious game; often done as a prank. 52
pickup or 52-card pickup is a humorous card game which consists only of picking up a
scattered deck of playing cards.
Glowers: have an angry or sullen look on one's face; scowl. late 15th century: perhaps a
Scots variant of synonymous dialect glore, or from obsolete glow ‘to stare’, both
possibly of Scandinavian origin.
Grandfather Clock:
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Hatrack:
Henpecked: continually criticized and given orders by one's wife or female partner
(typically used of a man).
Hot Potato: Arrange everyone in a circle. If just two players, sit facing each other. Pass
the beanbag around the circle (or back and forth) to music, pretending that the beanbag
is a steaming hot potato. When the music stops, the person holding the beanbag is out.
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Jam Jar:
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Knave: a dishonest or unscrupulous man. Old English cnafa ‘boy, servant’, of West
Germanic origin; related to German Knabe ‘boy’.
Larva: the active immature form of an insect, especially one that differs greatly from the
adult and forms the stage between egg and pupa, e.g. a caterpillar or grub.
Leniency: the fact or quality of being more merciful or tolerant than expected; clemency.
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Little Owl:
About 220mm tall with a wing span of 560mm.
● Mottled brown and white underparts and upperparts.
● Narrow brownish face with pale yellow eyes and dark irises.
● Overall impression in flight of a smallish brown bird.
● Characteristic, direct, undulating flight.
● Lives in mixed farmland habitat, particularly where there are fruit trees/orchards.
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London Bridges Falling Down: "London Bridge Is Falling Down" (also known as "My Fair
Lady" or "London Bridge") is a traditional English nursery rhyme and singing game,
which is found in different versions all over the world. It deals with the dilapidation of
London Bridge and attempts, realistic or fanciful, to repair it. In this game, two children
link their arms to form an arch of a bridge while the other kids take turns running
underneath them. They continue to run through until the singing stops, the arch falls,
and someone is “trapped.” That person is eliminated, and the game is repeated until
there’s one player left. The meaning of “London Bridge Is Falling Down?” has long been
debated by historians and other experts. Like many popular children’s stories, there are
some darker meanings that lurk underneath the song’s surface. However, the most
commonly accepted origin story for the rhyme is that of the London Bridge actually
falling down in 1014 — because Viking leader Olaf Haraldsson allegedly pulled it down
during an invasion of the British Isles. Though the reality of that attack has never been
proven, the tale of it inspired a collection of Old Norse poems written in 1230, containing
a verse that sounds close to the nursery rhyme. It translates to “London Bridge is
broken down. Gold is won, and bright renown.” But that wasn’t the only event that could
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have inspired the London Bridge rhyme. Part of the bridge was damaged in 1281 due to
ice damage, and it was weakened by multiple fires in the 1600s — including the Great
Fire of London in 1666. Despite all of its structural failures, the London Bridge survived
for 600 years and never actually “fell down” as the nursery rhyme implies. When it was
finally demolished in 1831, it was only because it was more cost-effective to replace it
rather than repair it. One dark theory behind the bridge’s longevity maintains that there
were bodies encased in its moorings. The author of the book “The Traditional Games of
England, Scotland and Ireland” Alice Bertha Gomme suggests that the “London Bridge
Is Falling Down” rhyme refers to the use of a medieval punishment known as
immurement. Immurement is when a person is encased into a room with no openings or
exits and left there to die. Immurement was a form of punishment as well as a form of
sacrifice. Gomme points to the lyric “take the key and lock her up” as a nod to this
inhumane practice and the belief that the sacrifices may have been children. According
to her, people during those times believed that the bridge would collapse if there wasn’t
a body buried inside. Thankfully, this disturbing suggestion has never been proven and
there is no archaeological evidence that suggests it’s true.
Lory: Lories are attractive birds with glossy feathers, neatly proportioned bodies and
round tails. They are curious, agile and very playful. They’ll entertain you for hours with
their adorable antics. Having a Lory in the house is a lot of like having a toddler running
around. These birds are mischievous and love getting into absolutely everything.
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Note/Label/Sign:
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Pictures:
Pineapple:
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“Playing with a full deck”: The phrase 'not playing with a full deck' is a phrase which
suggests that somebody 'is missing a screw' or 'not all there' and so on. There is a
popular story that the origin of this phrase dates back to the 1500s, when a tax was
levied against decks of cards. People would get around the tax by purchasing decks of
51 cards instead of 52 cards, thereby not playing with a full deck. This is a false story
originally circulated in a viral email purporting to solve the murky origins of certain
idioms. Not playing with a full deck is one of many phrases that emerged in the United
States during the 1980s to describe someone “missing something upstairs”. Similar
phrases are not firing on all cylinders, two bricks shy of a load, and half a bubble off
plumb.
Pocket Watch:
Poker Face: : an inscrutable face that reveals no hint of a person's thoughts or feelings
Wright has a terrific poker face—I could see how he was able to keep things a secret
right up through publication.—
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Ashes, Ashes
To fetch a pail of water; (Children hold hands and dance around in a circle)
Ashes, Ashes
Sits high above the people; (Children hold hands and dance around in a circle)
Ashes, Ashes
The boys and girls are singing; (Children hold hands and dance around in a circle)
Ashes, Ashes,
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Ring around the Rosie meant the itchy rash around the infected sore of a person sick
with the plague. Pocket full of posies were the flower pedals that plague doctors
showered upon their deceased patients, which also helped to ward off their odor. Ashes,
ashes meant the cremated remains of the deceased. And yes, whether sick or not: we
all fall down (at the end of our lives).
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Roast Turkey:
Rummy: Rummy is still one of the best-known card games in the United States, though
in many regions it has been superseded by Gin Rummy and Oklahoma Gin. Rummy
works better than Gin Rummy when there are more than two players. A pleasing feature
of the game is that it is so simple to play and has many variations.
Rank of Cards
K (high), Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A. (In many forms of Rummy, the ace may rank
either high or low.)
The Deal
Dealer gives one card at a time face down, beginning with the player on the left. When
two people play, each person gets 10 cards. When three or four people play, each
receives seven cards; when five or six play, each receives six cards. The remaining
cards are placed face down on the table, forming the stock.
The top card of the stock is turned face up and becomes the upcard. It is placed next to
the stock to start the discard pile.
When two people play, the winner of each hand deals the next. When more than two
play, the deal passes to the next player on the left.
Each player tries to form matched sets consisting of groups of three or four of a kind, or
sequences of three or more cards of the same suit.
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The Play
Beginning with the player to the left of the dealer, players either draw the top card of the
stock or takes the top card of the discard pile and adds it to his hand. The player may
also lay down on the table, face up, any meld (matched set). If the player does not wish
to lay down a meld, he discards one card, face up, onto the discard pile. If the player
has drawn from the discard pile, he may not discard the same card on that turn.
Laying off
A player may add one or more from their hand to any matched set already shown on the
table. Thus, if threes are showing, they may add the fourth three; if 10, 9, 8 are showing,
they may add J, or Q, J, 7, or 7, 6.
Going out
When a player gets rid of all of their cards, they win the game.
If all of their remaining cards are matched, the player may lay them down without
discarding on their last turn. This ends the game and there is no further play.
If the last card of the stock has been drawn and no player has gone out, the next player
in turn may either take the top of the discard pile, or may turn the discard pile over to
form a new stock (without shuffling it) and draw the top card. Play then proceeds as
before.
Each player pays to the winner the pip value of the cards remaining in their hand,
whether the cards form matched sets or not. Face cards count 10 each, aces 1 each,
and every other card its pip value.
A player goes "rummy" when they get rid of all cards in their hand at once, without
previously having put down or laid off any cards. In this event, every other player pays
double - twice what opponents would otherwise owe.
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Settee:
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Shadow Theater: (from unima.org) Shadow puppetry is an art that collapses the world
from three dimensions toward two. Exact replication of the real was of little interest to
those who created this genre. The flattened plane of a picture scroll or the friezes of
temples, iconographically, have much more in common with the practice of the shadow
puppeteer. Indeed, we sometimes are often told that the picture [storyteller] (often a
Buddhist priest) is the forerunner of the puppeteer – in southern China shadow puppet
theatre is associated with wandering Buddhist priests whose scrolls (pien) about the
torments of hell terrified people into good behaviour. On the walls of the Hindu-Buddhist
temples of East Java we see episodes laid out panel by panel in a way that reminds us
of contemporary Balinese puppetry. On the walls of Thai temples we see paintings in
the style of the nang yai, the shadow theatre of the court. If we circumambulate Angkor
Wat we will find episodes that are danced with puppets (or presented by masked
actors). In Indonesia wayang beber, scroll theatre, is said to be the predecessor of
wayang kulit, an art practitioners say was created by the wali, the Islamic saints. The
shadow theatre takes the flattened picture plane of the temple wall or the picture scroll.
It shrinks the dimensions and allows figures to move by cutting out the characters. Via
puppetry, the narrative of the religion’s epic stories can play in the village of the believer.
In the puppet screen miniaturization is always at work, but the tale still retains a mystical
impression. The puppets can grow suddenly larger or vanish instantaneously. Epic
stories are condensed into flat, portable figures that can be carried easily and presented
with relative ease by a small group.
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Shore Crab: The shore crab is the most common crab encountered on our shores.
Normally a green-ish colour, shore crabs are easily found in rockpools or on the end of
crab lines dangled into shallow waters. They aren't exactly picky eaters and will feast on
anything and everything they come across, including seaweed, mussels, barnacles and
even smaller crabs. If you spot a crab with an orange mass on its stomach, don't be
alarmed, they are eggs! Females carry the fertilised eggs with them to protect them
from predators. A female with eggs is known as "berried". Although a native species
here, the shore crab has become an invasive species in many other parts of the world,
including Australia, South Africa and California.
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Streamers:
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Sugar Cubes:
Table (long):
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Table (small):
Tea Party: For a small company, the high tea was an excellent form of entertainment. It
was not suitable for a large assembly, but when a limited number of guests were invited
to spend the evening in some such recreation as card playing, it was not unusual to ask
them first to high tea. Or if the latter part of the evening was to be devoted to dancing, a
chosen few of the guests may be invited to tea first, and the remainder requested to
come later. In that case no supper would be offered to the dancers except cake, ices,
and coffee. Should the dining table be large enough to accommodate all the guests
invited to the high tea, it would be drawn to the requisite length, and all the company
seated about it. But if, from the limited dimensions of the dining room, or because it
better suited the whim of the hostess, small tables would be laid so as to accommodate
at each six, or four, or even two, always taking care in the last case that the right two
are placed together. If one large table was used, it would be spread with either a dinner
or a tea cloth. Flowers would be in the middle upon a pretty centerpiece, and there
would be small vases set about here and there. The places would be arranged with
small silver for each course, and the usual accompaniments of butter plates — or bread
and butter plates — salt cellars, glasses, napkins, etc. If it was warm weather, the table
would be further beautified by bowls or baskets of fresh fruits that would later be part of
the dessert. In winter, dishes of cake, preserved or brandied fruits, etc., would be on the
table. These could also be placed on the sideboard, thus allowing space for the more
substantial courses, which at a high tea were seldom relegated to the position on the
side table that they would take at dinner. The hostess would sit at the head of the table
with the tea tray in front of her. Guests would also be offered coffee or chocolate, which
the hostess poured while the servant passed them the cream and sugar. When small
tables were used, the hostess presided over a tray placed upon one of them, or the
cups were filled outside, and passed to each with the cream pitcher and sugar bowl. It
saved some delay in serving when there was a cream pitcher and sugar bowl on each
table. These little tables were covered with small cloths or large napkins, and perhaps a
vase of flowers. While small tables accommodated more people with comfort than could
be seated at a large table, a large table provided a prettier display of floral decoration,
china, silver, etc., than the smaller tables.
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Tea Set:
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Toast:
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Toy Theater: (From unima.org) Toy theatre, also known as paper theatre, model theatre
and juvenile drama, is a technique that involves the manipulation of paper characters.
The genre was probably born in England in the beginning of the 19th century. It used to
be a toy until 1940 but since the end of the 20th century the technique has been used
by an increasing number of puppeteers and other artists. Each country has a specific
toy theatre tradition, but they all originate in the passion for theatre which spread all
over Europe in the 19th century. Scripts of popular theatre plays were available in print
everywhere, as well as thousands of portraits of famous actors and actresses which
people would hang on their walls. However, there is no documentation on the
beginnings of the toy theatre. It is likely that someone once decided not to put only the
portrait of a single actor on a sheet, as was the custom, but the figures of all the actors
of a play – thus creating a different type of memorabilia. It is also likely that a theatre
enthusiast decided to cut the figures out, as one would have with dress-up paper dolls,
and gave life to the characters in the process.
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Tray:
Tremolo: a modulation effect that creates a change in volume, while the "tremolo arm"
on your guitar is actually vibrato, which is varying pitch. These both can be used to
create similar rhythmic effects, but the way it is created is much different.
Vase of Flowers:
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Verocity: Strong, loud, forward and impactful. Seemingly a cross between ferocity and
velocity. First used by a certain string ensemble conductor.
“Wax on Wax Off”: Originally it’s from the movie The Karate Kid(1984) starring Ralph
Macchio as Daniel and Pat Morita as Mr. Miyagi and the phrase has been adapted to
the remake too. Mr. Miyagi was supposed to be teaching Daniel karate, but all summer
the karate master had the kid just painting stuff and waxing his car.
Wicket: a small door or opening. Nine-wicket — Croquet is a sport that involves hitting
wooden or plastic balls with a mallet through hoops (often called "wickets" in the United
States).
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Willy-Nilly: whether one likes it or not. without direction or planning; haphazardly. early
17th century: later spelling of will I, nill I ‘I am willing, I am unwilling’.
Window Seat:
Witness Box:
Woebegone: sad or miserable in appearance. Middle English (in the sense ‘afflicted with
grief’): from woe + begone ‘surrounded’ (past participle of obsolete bego ‘go around,
beset’).
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Yellowhammer: Male yellowhammers are unmistakable with a bright yellow head and
underparts, brown back streaked with black, and chestnut rump. In flight it shows white
outer tail feathers. They are often seen perched on top of a hedge or bush, singing.
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Zoetrope: A zoetrope is one of several pre-film animation devices that produce the
illusion of motion by displaying a sequence of drawings or photographs showing
progressive phases of that motion. Greek for Zoe=Life, Trope=Turning.
Dialects
If you would like to use a dialect, here are some links to the typical ones used in ALICE
IN WONDERLAND. I am a good resource for this in rehearsal, but…if you want to toy
around before we begin, here are some resources:
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