An exciting twist on a classic tale, Joss Arnott’s Meet the Hatter brought magic to the stage… and lots of piping hot tea!
On 19 September, Joss Arnott premiered his latest and greatest production, Meet the Hatter, at Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre in Leeds; an inspiring story of loneliness, friendship and the power of one’s imagination.
Featuring Lewis Carroll’s beloved Alice in Wonderland character, the iconic Hatter, the performance was a spectacle of light and wonder. Aimed at children 5+ and families, the play is funny and engaging while also holding an uplifting and impactful message.
The production began with a tea party setting beautifully projected onto a simple screen. As Hatter comes bounding onstage, he spruces himself up ready for his afternoon of fun with his friends. Quickly, he realises they aren’t coming and becomes sad.
He is then taken into a world of his own imagination, creating rain made of tea, skies of stars and his own White Rabbit to escape his solemn reality.
The projection screen being the set brought to life the magic Hatter imagined, he appeared to be surrounded by rings of fire, extreme weathers and vibrant illuminations, a world where he was in control.
The dancing was fun and exciting to watch, with a diverse range of music and dance genres. The performance was silly while also being technical and precise. Having to appear to move fluidly with and master the projections, Hatter’s expressive dance was the perfect storytelling tool.
The animation element that was projected as the set produced a uniquely cinematic visual experience; it almost felt like watching an alternative scene from Disney’s original 1951 Alice in Wonderland.
With a dream-like quality, the play took us into another world and, alongside the beautifully emotive and original soundtrack, was an exceptionally immersive visual and audio adventure.
With a joyful ending sure to bring a smile to your face, this production was a resounding hit. Funny, whimsical and (very almost) tear-jerking, Meet the Hatter paid homage to a classic tale by combining digital technology with imaginative storytelling.
Meet The Hatter is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Commissioned by Lincoln Arts Centre. Supported by the Abderrahim Crickmay Charitable Settlement, Northern Ballet, Z-arts, University of Salford, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Children’s Capital of Culture, The Golsoncott Foundation and Unity Theatre Trust.
Tour Dates
Mansfield Palace Theatre (1 & 2 Oct)
Barnsley Civic (29 & 30 Oct),
Lincoln Arts Centre (31 Oct & 1 Nov)
Bradford Arts Centre (12 & 13 Dec)
Darlington Hippodrome (11 Feb)
Z-arts, Manchester (13 & 15 Feb)
Heywood Civic Theatre, Rochdale (20 & 21 Feb).
www.jossarnottdance.com/meet-the-hatter
Photography by Josh Hawkins.
