It was wonderful to attend a performance of Down the Rabbit Hole at the Masque, Cape Town.  The production was presented by the Masqueโ€™s Youth Theatre Club and was on for a short season โ€“ three performances on Oct 10 and 11, 2025.

This was the first production, presented by the Masqueโ€™s Youth Theatre Club and was directed by Melanie Horn. We are all mad in this world and it is getting madder with technology. Madness and discombobulation are powerful leitmotifs of Lewis Carroll classic Aliceโ€™s Adventures in Wonderland and is foregrounded in this adaption, Down the Rabbit Hole. The production pings loudly in this mad world of ours with technology skewing and distorting our sense of ourselves in terms of scale and our surroundings as we go down the rabbit hole of our screens. This is vividly portrayed in this interesting production. The young cast are fully invested in the text and images, giving their all. I loved the use of innovative props to configure shifts in scale and space.

Impressive acting and characterisation by the young performers (cast of 23, 9-16 year olds), working with challenging material โ€“ physically and emotionally. It is not easy to navigate this ruptured world and Invangely Joubert conjures up a flummoxed Alice, as she confronts changing circumstances and situations. The cast delivers strong ensemble work. It is not a saccharine version of Alice. There is a jitteriness and edginess which imbues the story with nuance. ย However, I do think that the production could do with cutting in terms of length.



Congrats to director Melanie Horn, creative team, cast and the Masque for Down the Rabbit Hole. It is wonderful that the Masque has developed this vital youth community platform. It is not just the company which deserves a shout out but also the supporters โ€“ parents, extended family members and community โ€“ who have pulled together to create and make theatre for young people by young people. I look forward to what is next on stage, presented by these talented thespians.

โ‡ Gabriella Goldman Bryce Leslie Maddie Preston Olivia Beatty in Down the Rabbit Hole , Youth Theatre Club, Masque Theatre, Cape Town, October 10, 11, 2025. Photo: Christine Kaye. Supplied.