Caffeine Theatre and Chicago Opera Vanguard are staging Boojum! Nonsense, Truth and Lewis Carroll, from November 16th through December 19th, at the DCA Storefront Theater in Chicago. Described as “part existential musical theater and part fantasy adventure story,” it was created by Australian play-writing and composing team Martin Wesley-Smith and Peter Wesley-Smith (whose identical last names are either an extraordinary coincidence, or else not a coincidence at all.)
A few reviews are out: Chicago Now’s Katy Walsh described it as a “nonsensical operetta that is all in its head,” and provided a nice description of the premise:
Reverend Charles Dodgson battles his pseudonym over the origins of his most famous literary masterpiece. The reserved Charles and the flamboyant Lewis deconstruct their lookingglass fame. Who better to help in the rediscovery process than Alice? Both of them! The child and adult version of Carroll’s inspiration challenge him on the intense connection and de-connection of their relationship. As Charles sorts out his Alice issues, his imagination unleashes the makings for his farcical poem, “The Hunting of the Snark”. Quirky characters fill Charles’ head with a jumble of demands for attention. BOOJUM! Nonsense, Truth and Lewis Carroll is a stay-cation to a world of the unexpected. What a head-trip!
Tickets cost $15 – $25. The play is directed by Jimmy McDermott. The winners of the Old Father William’s Frabjous and Curious Poetry Contest will be performed by the actors at a Lewis Carroll Coffeehouse on November 29th.
I’m a co-author of the piece and am delighted to say that this production is superb. It’s getting good houses and some very satisfied responses. Not all the Carroll cognoscenti will approve of everything in the play – they’re a frabjous crew, of course – but there’s a lot of Carrollian technique which ought to prove of interest: an acoustic acrostic, parody (of Jabberwocky), tunes derived from nursery rhymes played backward and upside down, fragments of verse developed into a full-blown lyric, and so on. No Carrollian anywhere near Chicago an afford to miss it!
Thanks Mr Wesley-Smith for your comment, it sounds like a grand show!