Fabulous wonder.land was inspired by wonder.land, the National Theatre’s new musical created by Damon Albarn, Moira Buffini and Rufus Norris, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s iconic Alice in Wonderland. It is the first Virtual Reality experience the National has ever offered its audiences.
Wearing an Oculus Rift, users tumble down the rabbit hole and land in wonder.land’s Sunshine Garden – a vibrant world with a unique soundscape. As the full multicolour brilliance of wonder.land is revealed, the Cheshire Cat hovers above, serenading you to fabulous, an original composition by Damon Albarn with lyrics by Moira Buffini.
Fabulous wonder.land was selected for the prestigious New Frontier section at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, which champions storytelling at the crossroads of film, art and new media technologies. It is a first of its kind collaboration between the National Theatre, 59 Productions and Play Nicely with Production Partner Mahdi Yahya, Managing Director of Room One.
Fabulous wonder.land also represents a prime example of how theatre and new advances in VR have the potential to form a symbiotic relationship that allows audiences a new perspective on art and performance.