Millions have read Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s book ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, but have you ever wondered what Alice’s life was like after the book ended?
BRILLIG, a new fantasy web series set to debut on March 1st, written and created by Linda Goetz (who also stars as Alice), and inspired by Carroll’s books, imagines Alice in her adult years. Alice, after returning to England after the sudden death of her husband, is forced into an arranged marriage with Lord Dudley (played by Chuck Schwager) in order for her to save her family from the dire financial situation caused by her brother, Robert (played by Dave Rich), only to have the Mad Hatter (Jim Fitzpatrick) try to upset the balance of the “polite” society Alice now inhabits. Together, both Alice and the Mad Hatter end up having to face their biggest challenge: overcoming their inner demons.
The large cast also includes Henry Vumbaca (George, Alice’s son), Marley Malloy (Jane), Stephen Cooper (Azrael), and Adam Schroeder (Mr. Dodgeson), as well as characters of various sorts, including Brian Casey as the Soul Collector, and Grace Butler (Madame Death), among others. The series is a unique twist on the fantasy genre, a show “set in Edwardian times, with a slice of sci-fi thrown in,” says Goetz, and should attract not only fans of popular period drama series like DOWNTON ABBEY, but also sci-fi series including DOCTOR WHO, the early episodes of STAR TREK, and BUFFY: THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, among others.
Goetz developed BRILLIG (a word meaning tea time, taken from the Jabberwocky poem in THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS) after re-reading both of Carroll’s books. She was fascinated with Carroll’s unique perspective on what’s considered “right” and “correct” in the world, but the true inspiration for the show came from a personal struggle.
“As I was writing this, my sister was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. She fought for her life, but three months later, she died. I spent a lot of time with her going to, and from, treatments. It was then that I wrote the later episodes, where the adventures become darker and more terrifying.”
The series, which has completed filming its first season, was produced “with very, very, and did I say, very, little money,” says Goetz, but the production process itself proved to be an incredible experience, given the various challenges that came with a next-to-nothing budget. “Basically we chased the light, not having lighting equipment. We would shot scenes in the early part of the day. and then drag halogen lamps around to try and light the actors as best we could. The actors and production teams really added their ideas and expertise to make it a collaborative experience,” says Goetz.
Goetz surrounded herself with familiar friends and colleagues both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. The large cast contains actors Goetz has worked with in theater, and the production crew also comes from another web series Goetz has worked on, DEVINE INTERVENTION (which also featured Goetz, Rich, Cooper and Malloy in its cast), a crew she personally recruited to work on BRILLIG. Like Carroll’s classic novel entertained those who read it, Goetz hopes to entertain those who watch the show, but also to teach an important lesson about life itself: “(The) theme of BRILLIG is that life never ceases to hold adventure, whether it be exciting or menacing, and to bravely meet it head on.”
A trailer for BRILLIG can be seen here:
ON THE WEB: www.brilligwebseries.weebly.com
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/hattertea
TWITTER: @Brilligweb
The series’ Youtube page will be launched soon.