Alice in Wonderland

Alice Prendergast is not a household name – yet. But you heard it here first, this is probably the best Irish actor of her generation. I was fortunate enough to catch her one woman show last night in a small, intimate setting. It was truly remarkable and I feel privileged to have stumbled across this major talent by complete chance.

Alice began the hour long performance with a stunning portrait of a young woman embarking on a journey of self-discovery. Initially shy and lacking confidence, this character had just arrived in ‘the big smoke’ for the first time, having been abandoned by her feckless older sister. The girls’ parents weren’t mentioned in the 20 minute monologue and it was clear that the protagonist idolised her also unnamed sibling. It was also apparent, although never explicitly stated, that the abandonment by her sister, though temporary, was sudden and related in no small part to the attentions of an attractive young man. Informed by her own lack of interest in men and by her low self esteem, Alice’s character dissected and ridiculed the courtship charade. “I can’t see what that one sees in men, but her head is always turned by some young buck who’ll only go on to break her heart’, Alice observed with wisdom beyond her years. Although you clearly got the sense that these were someone else’s words.

The mood changed dramatically after a brief pause for breath. We were now in the Spar shop on Merrion Row, a busy and bustling enterprise that showcased all Dublin’s rich and colourful tapestry. Alice assumed first the role of a non-national worker with very poor English whose only function seemed to be to mop a precious 3 square foot of floor just inside the shop door and re-arrange the Ballygown water bottles into neat and even rows. An absent minded civil servant from the Dept of Finance arrived every day for his Guardian newspaper and a packet of polo mints. An earnest young business woman busily blackberried as she waited to be served. Every day Charlo Hughes delivered Cuisine de France produce to the store, piping hot from a Gallic patisserie somewhere west of Cherrywood.

We learned about these, and countless other characters though Alice’s accurate portrayal of Nina, the cashier who bantered with the customers and repeatedly made informative asides to the audience. Nina had the air of a vibrant young woman of Eastern European origin who was being woren down by the passive aggressive time-poor Celtic Tiger cubs. In one abrupt word, “Next!”, accompanied by a weary sigh, Alice caught the essence of what passes for customer service in our latte-fuelled, SSIA-financed world. Her accent momentarily drop from the distinctive clipped Baltic delivery to the throaty, careladened intonations of an older woman, born and raised in the Liberties. “Are you all roight der, luv?”

Those of us enthralled by the performance were indeed alright. And I travelled home convinced that I’d seen a sharp observer of society at her brilliant best. I fully expect to read an article in tomorrow’s Irish Times telling me that Alice has been recruited to play opposite Cillian Murphy in the latest Neil Jordan movie. If Alice Prendergast is the new face of L’Oreal within 4 months, I won’t be a bit surprised. Or if she appears in the Abbey’s next major Synge performance, it will be very good casting. Although, I am reliably informed that the State, Alice’s mother and child protection legislation take a dim view of a four year old being lumbered with such expectations so early in her career.