Abby Wain, who lives less than 20 miles away from Derby, is to make her first appearance at Derby Theatre as Alice in the Christmas 2016 production Alice in Wonderland.
The 25-year-old, who hails from Jacksdale in Nottinghamshire, is excited to be taking on the role. “Christmas time is when most people go to the theatre and there’s that festive buzz. A lot of children in the audience give you that warm feeling when they’re watching something magical at that time of the year.
“It’s also nice to be performing at home around Christmas, which has never happened before in my career. It means my family can come and see me which they can’t always do if I’m in London.
“In fact, there are coachloads of family and friends coming—so there’ll be plenty of pressure on me.
“Alice is quite close to my heart. Alice’s curiosity and her vivid imagination appeal to me. I think she’s also trying to make sense of a grown-up world which appears nonsensical.”
The cast also features Dominic Rye as The Mad Hatter, Elizabeth Eves who played Alice in Northern Broadsides’ An August Bank Holiday Lark in 2014 as the Duchess and Mother, Jack Quarton who was the March Hare in Alice in Wonderland for Octagon Theatre Bolton in 2014 as the White Rabbit, Joanna Brown who appeared in The Princess and the Pea for York Theatre Royal in 2014 as the Queen of Hearts, Paula James who played Mother in Snow Child for Tutti Frutti and York Theatre Royal in 2015 as Tweedle Dum, Keshina Misha as the Dormouse and John Holt Roberts, who appeared in Derby Theatre’s 2013 production of Kes, as Tweedle Dee.
Helena Rimmer, who lives in Derby, will be joining the cast under the Brian Weaver Fellowship which provides an aspiring actor with the opportunity to perform in two professional theatre productions at Derby Theatre.
Playwright Mike Kenny’s new take on Lewis Carroll’s tale runs at Derby Theatre from Friday 2 December until Saturday 7 January.