Curiouser and Curiouser — How We Fell Into Wonderland (And Found Ourselves There)
Welcome to Wonderland
"DSP" - What are the first thoughts that come to your mind? Black Clothing, embarrassing Warm-Ups and overdramatic expressions... well that's what most people think. Like Alice, we didn't quite know what we were getting into when the DSP class began. What started as a regular course, with people you have barely ever talked to, quickly turned into a creative adventure full of surprises, various scripts, discussions and multiple Sunday's - it was like falling headfirst into Wonderland. On the 15th and 16th of July 2025 we had our Performances. These days were filled with Nervousness and Excitement at the same time. For the first time, we allowed others to see what we have been working on for an entire year and gave them a crazy glance into the Wonderland we managed to create.
What was the play about? - A world turned upside down
Alice in wonderland is not just a story about a girl who finds herself lost in a different world - it's a journey through identity, chaos and change. In our version, it's Alices' Birthday. She is eager to celebrate with her family but is greeted with rudeness and ignorance. Her emotions guide to her encounter with a rabbit, who leads her into the intriguing world of Wonderland. There, she stumbles upon different entities, which make her question reality. After a long adventure and eventually defeating the cruel, authoritarian queen of Wonderland, she returns to her home. Not only is she a changed person but she also brings with the life lessons she learned along the way and at last, manages to bring her family closer together!
We believe the play serves not just as a fairytale but as a mirror of growing up - confusing, exciting and slightly absurd.
The Class behind the Curtain
Like in the play, everyone had a special role in making the Wonderland come to life and everyone's role mattered, wether it was working on the scripts or crafting something for the stage. Group work was an essential part of our process and sometimes chaotic as the tea party and as unpredictable as the Cheshire Cat. Teamwork was the core of our project.
Rehearsals - the real journey
With time we learned that DSP is not just about performances. Similar to Alice, we learned the most by getting lost from time to time. Rehearsals were filled with experiments, breakdowns and of course lots of laughter (which we will definitely miss!). What we also realized is that confidence doesn't solely come from knowing all your lines perfectly but also from being able to trust the people on stage.
The Big Evening
When the curtains opened and we heard the audience’s laughter, gasping and clapping, we switched off our usual student-selves and became the creatures of Wonderland. Wonderland, Wonderland - Welcome to Wonderland! While the craziness on stage was carefully planned and (hopefully) entertaining, the madness backstage wasn't as intentional. During the show props mysteriously disappeared and costumes were all over the place. But thanks to quick thinking and teamwork, we managed to keep the chaos behind the curtain.
Final thoughts - What we took with us from Wonderland
While we sadly no longer have DSP, we take the lessons we learned with us. We learned to take risks, be brave, work in teams, to speak up and express ourselves. DSP was less about the final performance but more about the process and who we became on the way.
And to Mrs. Kreyenberg: Thank you for being our White Rabbit and leading us through the process, for guiding us but simultaneously giving us freedom. Thank you for always being patient with us and most importantly; believing in us in times we didn't.
Nele Ilse and Fatima Imran, Q2a
