Review: (Toronto) The Hatter (Fringe)

Mad About You
by Lisa McKeown
@lisammckeown

From the moment you walk into the theatre Andrew Wade is The Hatter, offering you tea as well as ‘bits of Tim’, engaging each audience member as they enter, and filling the entire room with a sense of occasion. We are at a tea party. And not just any tea party – we are now in the presence of the infamous Hatter. Alas, no longer the ‘Mad’ Hatter, this tale is about a man who has been exiled from his paradise: Wonderland. He’s back in our world, unsure of why he’s here and pretty sure that he doesn’t belong. Will we help him get back down the rabbit hole? 

The Hatter is a kind of sad clown – trying to befriend the audience but clearly suffering from some kind of internal conflict that he’s attempting to avoid. The writing is clever and Andrew Wade’s performance is comedic but containing a depth that allows the audience to identify with him despite the clownish façade. Layer by layer the mask comes off, revealing things about a character who is not at all what he first seems. Definitely a good one to catch, especially if you’re feeling whimsical or are in the mood for a little audience participation. 

The Hatter is at the Toronto Fringe, subsequently it will be appearing at the Saksatoon Fringe
Read Andrew Wade on touring the show
Also Read Andrew Wade's first-person piece on the creation of the show