Alice In Wonderland (Goulding)
Philip Goulding
Genre: Play with Music
Cast size: 4
Duration: 120 mins approx
By Philip Goulding | Play with Music | Full-length | 4m/f
Short synopsis
- Synopsis
- Characters
- Reviews
Alice is staying with Granny for the holidays. To break the monotony, she agrees to tidy the attic, which is chock-a-block with confusing rubbish. Granny’s surprised to see some of it; sometimes she thinks, things grow legs and wander off by themselves. Here’s a tin of coronation biscuits, mouldy now; a chamber pot; a pack of playing cards; a doll’s house Alice’s grandad built; and an old book bearing the unlikely name of Lewis Carroll.
Left to her own devices, Alice reads a few lines out loud, then everything gets surreal. A White Rabbit rushes through. Cake appears from nowhere, Alice eats it, then begins to grow… Alice’s tears of distress - according to a passing duck, lory and dodo - almost flood the entire world. To dry out, they engage in a caucus race.
Alice encounters an analytical caterpillar, who counsels her to simply seem to simply be. A Duchess and a Potter appear, with a pig (or is it baby), and then a Cheshire Cat. Next come a Mad Hatter, a March Hare, and a sleepy Dormouse. A tea party ensues, where the Dormouse is implored to read an extremely inferior poem.
Alice finds herself playing the Queen at croquet; but with the rules being made up on the spot, only the Queen can win. When the Cheshire Cat, now merely a head, intervenes, the Queen demands its execution. But is it possible to behead a head, given that there’s nobody from which to lop it off?
A Gryphon and a Mock Turtle teach Alice the Lobster Quadrille, but that’s a mere distraction before the Queen puts Alice on trial. Alice starts to grow again, accidentally overturning the jury. Though Alice argues rationally, the Queen insists she lose her head. Then it starts raining playing cards and Granny’s footsteps can be heard on the steps.
Granny can’t believe the mess Alice has made; she was supposed to be tidying the attic up. But with Alice anxious to tell her about the exciting adventures she’s been on through the afternoon, Granny’s simply relieved that the girl’s no longer bored.
Applying for and paying royalties
To apply for royalties, please complete the form on our apply for royalties page.
To pay for fixed fee royalties having received your Quotation from us, please go to this payment form.
More information
If you require any additional information regarding this script, please don’t hesitate to contact us here.
Frequently asked questions
Can we try before we buy?
Of course! All our plays and pantomimes have a free Preview Script available for download as an A4 pdf file that contains 60-75% of the full script. If you like what you read then you can buy an inexpensive e-script of the entire play (typically less than half the cost of a traditional printed script) which is licensed to you for your personal use. Purchasing a script copying licence allows you to make just enough copies to support rehearsals and performances.
All our musicals are included in our perusal service. Through this, representatives of producing organisations can request a USB Stick of perusal material which comprise the script/libretto and piano/vocal score as PDF files; a Cast (or Studio) Recording as MP3 files and (where available) an MP4 file video of either the premiere production or of a subsequent production.
Some titles have the facility to read the entire script online on our website.
Do we need a Licence To Perform?
The simple answer is, yes.
Under the international laws of copyright, you must be in possession of a valid, unexpired licence before performing any piece of theatre unless the owner or managers of the copyright has waived their rights.
Why do you insist on providing a formal royalties quotation?
When you request a quotation, it is logged in our system, it forms part of an orderly queue and protects your place in that queue should multiple licensing requests occur for the same show.
Need help?
Contact us
If you need help with our scripts, please contact our customer service team, we would be more than happy to help.
Established for over 25 years
Unearthing future talent
Stagescripts is a trusted licensing company run by theatre professionals with decades of experience on and off stage. Our curated catalogue includes over 1,000 carefully selected plays, musicals, and pantomimes — from fresh, undiscovered writing to well-loved classics.
We’re passionate about helping theatre-makers at every level discover scripts that inspire, challenge, and connect with audiences. Whether you're staging a village hall production or leading a professional company, our team offers expert advice, flexible support, and a responsive, personal service to help your next performance shine.
