Alice In Wonderland

1 9 8 6 (UK)
4 x 30 minute episodes

This four-part BBC1 musical dramatisation of the Lewis Carroll classic starred Kate Dorning in the title role and debuted on Sunday 5 January 1986.

It’s a straightforward but faithful adaptation and stays true to Lewis Carroll’s original dialogue and doesn’t omit any major episodes, as some adaptations have. It’s clear. though, that the production was made on a children’s television budget and the green-screen work is frequently glaringly obvious.

Each episode began with a sepia-toned scene showing Carroll (David Leonard) himself reading the story to Alice and her sisters.

Dorning was too old for Alice really but gave a winsome and spirited performance, supported ably by a large cast, particularly Michael Wisher as a quietly menacing but suave Cheshire Cat, Pip Donaghy’s appropriately weird Mad Hatter, Jonathan Cecil as a nervous White Rabbit and Janet Henfrey’s intimidating Queen of Hearts. Elizabeth Sladen (Doctor Who‘s Sarah Jane) was Dormouse.

Director Barry Letts and producer Terrance Dicks were also mainly known for their involvement with Doctor Who.

Alice
Kate Dorning
White Rabbit
Jonathan Cecil
Duckworth
Philip Trewinnard
Lewis Carroll
David Leonard
Duck
Jill Goldston
The Robin
Simon J. Williamson
Monkey
Frank McGregor
Frog
Stephanie Simm
Dormouse
Elisabeth Sladen
Cheshire Cat
Michael Wisher
Queen of Hearts
Janet Henfrey
King of Hearts
Brian Oulton
Knave of Hearts
Mark Bassenger
Cook
Freda Dowie
Duchess
Claire Davenport
March Hare
Neil Fitzwiliam
Mad Hatter
Pip Donaghy
Executioner
Andrew Dunford
Parrots
Barry Stearn
Colin Gallacher
Monkey
Tessa Crockett
Bill Lizard
Stuart Fell
Mother Canary
Jo Kendall
Gryphon
Brian Miller
Mock Turtle
Roy Skelton
Duck
Crispin Letts
Seven of Spades
Michael Segal
Five of Spades
Graham Cull
Two of Spades
Terence Lodge
Mouse
Ysanne Churchman
Pat Guinea Pig
James Berwick
Frog footman
Neal Swettenham
Child Canary
Bernadette Windsor
Dodo
Ian Wallace
Caterpillar
Roy Macready
Fish footman
John Baker
Old Magpie
Alex Johnston
Father William
Terry Williams
Father William’s son
Ian Gant
Alice’s sisters
Sarah Jane Curran
Alison Neil
Joanne Rolfe