Alice: Why July 7, 2012
Oxford, England’s historic city, and the surrounding area will be the great stage for considerably curious goings-on this July 7, 2012.
Why July 7, 2012?
“All in a summer’s afternoon full leisurely we glide; for both our oars, with little skill, by little hands are plied…” — Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
July 7, 2012 is the beginning of a weekend of Alice-related events celebrating the 150th anniversary of the first telling of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to Alice Liddell and her sisters. The Alice story begins at Christ Church, Oxford.
Why Christ Church in Oxford?
“And what is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “without pictures or conversations?”
— Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
It was at Christ Church, Oxford that Charles Dodgson (pen name Lewis Carroll) first met the children of then-Dean Henry Liddell (head of the College). Their names were Harry, Alice, Lorina and Edith. Dodgson was photographing the College Cathedral from the Deanery garden. While in the process, he was approached by Alice and her two sisters who wanted to be photographed. A friendship blossomed and they became regular visitors to his rooms, and Dodgson to their nursery. During the long process of sitting to have their photographs taken, Dodgson would tell the children stories to keep them entertained. He was inspired by familiar things and people in the surrounding town when telling these stories. Hence, Christ Church College and other parts Oxford played a very important part in the creation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Since 2008, the Story Museum of Oxford has produced Alice’s Day to celebrate Carroll’s famous stories. “This year being the 150th anniversary, we have some special events lined up to make the weekend extra special,” said The Story Museum’s Marketing and Communications Director, Cath Nightingale. Special events such as performances by Curious Company.
Why Curious Company?
“Every time I perform I am inspired by the encounters I have with complete strangers, privileged encounters allowed only by the rules of fantasy and the imagination.”
— Louise Rennie, producer/performer/owner of Curious Company.
My daughter Gabriella and I first experienced Curious Company in 2008. And if you come to our book signing at Waterstone’s in Oxford on July 7, you will discover why we featured them in our book, The Real Alice in Wonderland. On Alice’s Day, Curious Company will be staging another one of its now famously innovative Alice in Wonderland themed performances on the streets and in other public spaces around the city of Oxford. This gem of a theatrical organization revels in bringing something magical and memorable to each presentation that guarantees to take everyone down the rabbit hole and show him a really good time. “We are gatekeepers to Wonderland,” explains Louise Rennie. “We make theater that wraps itself around the audience; they stop being audience if they even ever thought they were in the first place.” On July 7, performances are built around the themes of Cards and Croquet.
Why the Cards?
“Why the fact is, you see, Miss, this here ought to have been a red rose-tree and we put a white one in by mistake; and if the Queen was to find out, we should all have our heads cut off.”
— Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
The Cards have a simple but important job to do in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and that is to paint the roses RED! The penalty for failure is fatal, so their motivation is strong. What can we expect from Curious Company’s 5-handed card game?
“Being cards as well as soldiers,” explains Louise, “they perform complex and seemingly pointless marching routines all prompted by the language of card games, such as ‘cut’, ‘split’ and ‘shuffle’, and offer up card tricks to order. With healthy doses of slapstick, acrobatics, clowning and contemporary dance, the Cards animate all manner of spaces and will amuse all kinds of audiences.”
The Cards will be dealt at The Story Museum in Oxford. All bids are raised as they split through the town to the Ashmolean Museum before shuffling across to the Museum of Natural History to play a game of Croquet with the Queen.
Why Croquet?
“The Queen! The Queen!” — Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
On Alice’s Day when the Queen barks, “You DO play croquet!” members of the audience need to say “Yes!” and give her their best curtsey or bow. You will already know if you are a hoop or a hedgehog, so it is just a matter of whose team you are on. Either way, be prepared to keep the Queen happy. And if the Queen is in one of her moods (which is more than likely), you need to do what she tells you. Remember, the Queen likes to be flattered. Presents are good too.
The Rules of the Game?
“Rules? What rules?” says Louise. “Alice doesn’t have a chance!”
Why July 8, 2012?
“What is a Caucus Race?” asked Alice. — Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
On Sunday, July 8, the day before the Olympic flame passes through Oxford, the organizers of Alice’s Day are turning convention on its head with their own eccentric forerunner to the Olympic Games. In the spirit of the original story, the Caucus Race is a…
“No room, No room!” cried the Editor.
Find out more about Alice’s Day in upcoming articles…
Photos courtesy of Curious Company.
C. M. Rubin is the author of two widely read online series for which she received a 2011 Upton Sinclair award, “The Global Search for Education” and “How Will We Read?” She is also the author of three bestselling books, including The Real Alice in Wonderland.
Follow C. M. Rubin on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@cmrubinworld
I Am One in a Million - RARE
Dr. PH and Dr. R in their twenties
I Am One in a Million - RARE is the personal story of Lisa Penry Hirons’ fight to live. The story is told with her friend, author C.M. Rubin, who lives in New York City. Lisa, who lives in Maidenhead, England, has Adrenal Cortical Cancer. She has had surgery, chemotherapy, mitotane (a derivative of DDT), and began taking an experimental drug OSI 906 in a trial beginning October 25, 2010. The drug failed to help Lisa. Please note that as with any trial, it is unclear whether Lisa was given the actual drug or the placebo.
There are approximately 600 new cases per year of Lisa’s Cancer in the U.S.(Adrenocortical Carcinoma: ACC), which developed in one of her adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are responsible for making steroid hormones (aldosterone, cortisol and adrenaline) that enable the body to respond to stress. Lisa’s cancer is both very rare and highly life threatening. It is most common in the first, fourth or fifth decade of life. Five-year survival rates in children are greater than 50 percent. Adults rarely have obvious symptoms, so they often are not diagnosed until the cancer is large and has spread. Although adrenal cancer can be treated in adults, it usually comes back. Once it recurs, it is almost always fatal.
Dr. Rubin:
Sorry I didn’t email. Was late back from Dr. Tan, the endocrinologist, last night. I’ve been exhausted – sleeping all day so far. She tested everything again (even for infections and hormones, etc.) and said all results will be back today. She reduced the cortisol reducing drug temporarily, to 3, 3x/day, from 4. She wants to look at my scans from Marsden.
She will be speaking with Prof Gore and Rosalie at the The Marsden today about a treatment called Radio Frequency Ablation for my liver.
She thinks it is most likely the trial drug or the tumour that is causing my liver to be deranged. She hasn’t heard of the cortisol reducing drug causing that before. She kept stressing how important it is for them to keep my Cushings under control.
I’m also going to send you (in a second) a link to an article on cancer that two friends sent to me today about a Clinical Trial in Oxford that sounds amazing (the address of the hospital has Churchill in the name!).
Dr.PHxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dr Penry-Hirons:
Called that hospital in Oxford (Oxford Radcliffe Hospital) you mentioned because I was curious. What a coincidence – it was opened in World War 2 and named after your number 1 fan - Sir Winston Churchill. It even has a Churchill drive and get this, a Roosevelt Drive too! However, dear colleague, I think your liver has to be functioning well before anyone will do anything. Remember, more treatments will affect your liver. We have to get your liver back in shape. Dr.Rxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dr. Rubin:
You’re right about the liver, Doc!
Just had a call from Hammersmith – they have my scans coming over from the Marsden to evaluate for Radio Frequency Ablation. They’ll be having a special meeting to discuss the procedure on me. My cortisol has gone up again, and so now they want me back on 4 tablets, 3 times a day – straight away! She thinks my tiredness is a combination of everything – the drugs, the tumour, etc. She wants me to try and take a little walk outside each day if I can. Cathy are you okay? Remember, I do not want you to get stressed out, my lovely.
Dr. PH xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dr. Penry-Hirons,
I will handle the stress – you’re tough enough for the both of us. You are my heroine! Dr. Rxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
