Main image as seen on Kernersville Little Theatre.
Today marks Alice in Wonderland Day, one of the most charming yet totally bonkers holidays around that celebrates Lewis Caroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the story that changed children’s literature. On this day in 1862, Lewis Carroll shared the first telling of the famous story to his young inspiration, Alice Liddell, and every year the day is marked with picnics in the park, croquet on the lawn, storytelling and face painting. In fact, the Story Museum in Oxford has created an annual event named ‘Alice’s Day’ to commemorate the birthday of this most beloved children’s story which falls on Saturday 6th July, so get dusting off your pocket watches!
Fictional characters like Alice and The Mad Hatter have sparked children’s imaginations for years, and Alice in Wonderland day is not just the only day that children like to celebrate, just cast your mind back to World Book Day! Ever since its publication in 1865, we have seen a number of actors and actresses step into the weird and wonderful world of Wonderland in several film adaptations and TV programmes and as we’re feeling reminiscent today we’re taking you on a journey through time.
Alice in Wonderland (1903)
The first adaptation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was a 12 minute (eight of which survived) silent film short.
As seen on IMDb
Alice in Wonderland (1931)
With the run time of approximately an hour, this adaptation was the first to employ Lewis Carroll’s iconic language.
As seen on IMBd
Alice in Wonderland (1949)
A full-length French version of the story.
As seen on IMDb
Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Disney’s animated adaptation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is our all-time favourite.
Walt Disney Productions
Alice in Wonderland (1973)
BBC’s TV movie Alice Through the Looking Glass stars Sarah Sutton as Alice who was just 11 years old when she played the curious character. It also stars Brenda Bruce (White Queen), Richard Pearson (White King) and Judy Parfitt (Red Queen).
BBC
Fushigi no Kuni no Arisu (1983)
The anime adaption of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland brought the story to other parts of the world.
Nippon Animation
Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Fast forward to 2010 and Tim Burton has put his own quirky spin on the characters.
Walt Disney Pictures
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (2013)
If you’re familiar with the ABC series Once Upon a Time, then you will have heard of its spin-off show Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. The series is based around the Lewis Carroll novels Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass but with a different twist from the other adaptations and takes place in the same universe as Once Upon a Time in present-day Wonderland, with flashbacks to pre-Dark Curse Wonderland.
As seen on IMDb – Photo by Jack Rowland
Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)
Tim Burton has gone and done it again! In this film, a strong and independent Alice returns to the whimsical world of Wonderland and travels back in time to help the Mad Hatter.
Walt Disney Pictures
What’s your favourite film adaptation or TV series of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland? Let us know by commenting below.