A new musical inspired by Lewis Carroll’s iconic Alice in Wonderland, with music by former Blur frontman Damon Albarn is the latest offering to be announced for this year’s Manchester International Festival.

wonder.land with and book and lyrics by Moira Buffini and directed by the National Theatre’s incoming Director Rufus Norris tells the story of twelve year old Aly who loves this extraordinary virtual world.

Bullied at school and unhappy at home, wonder.land lets her escape from her parents, from teachers, from herself.

Online, Aly becomes Alice: brave, beautiful and in control. But some of the people she meets the weird Dum and Dee, the creepy Cheshire Cat, the terrifying Red Queen seem strangely familiar.

As hard as Aly tries to keep them apart, real life and wonder.land begin to collide in ever more curious and dangerous ways.

Damon Albarn and Rufus Norris return to the International Festival, four years after their acclaimed opera Dr Dee.

“I’m fascinated by the idea of going down a rabbit hole, the otherworldliness and what that might mean.” says Albarn

“Alice aside, The Queen of Hearts, The Duchess, White Rabbit, Caterpillar were the most threatening characters of my childhood. I was genuinely very frightened of them as a kid, which is probably why I was interested when Alex Poots suggested a reworking.’

Alex Poots, CEO and Artistic Director, Manchester International Festival: “In Alice in Wonderland we have found something I have been looking for for some time: an inspiration that is both curiously and eccentrically English and yet has a universal currency. It is the perfect combination for this fantastic creative team and for Manchester International Festival.”

PALACE THEATRE, OXFORD STREET, MANCHESTER, M1 6FT

2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 JULY, 7.30PM
5, 8, 10, 12 JULY 2.30PM

Tickets on public sale 11.30am Thu 22 Jan, to MIF members 11.30am Wed 21 Jan
Tickets £45 – £18 (no per ticket booking fee; transaction fee applies)
Concessions available
Box Office: www.mif.co.uk | 0844 817 7654

£12 tickets for Greater Manchester residents on a lower wage, available on a first come first served honesty basis

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