ANDSOFORTH’s 10th anniversary production elevates their craft and vision to even greater heights.

When you’ve been working hard and the stress piles up, it can be hard to find a fresh source of escapism that takes your mind and body beyond the lethargy of endless doomscrolling or binge watching a show that’s streaming. There are times you simply need to experience something completely out of the ordinary to keep you inspired and see the world with new eyes, something that ANDSOFORTH just so happens to specialise in doing.

For years now, ANDSOFORTH has gained a reputation and accolades for curating and crafting unique experiences such as a series of workshops inspired by Jules Verne’s Around The World In 80 Days, pioneering the concept of ‘fun dining’ with Restaurant Absurdities, or bringing food from screen to real life with Nom Nom Cinema. But before all that, ANDSOFORTH was (and still is) the only company in Singapore daring enough to do a truly unique concept – the multi-room theatre-meets-dining experience that immerses audiences in a fantastical world born out of the wildest reaches of their imaginations, taking storytelling to new levels.

In their newest production, ANDSOFORTH is celebrating their tenth anniversary with a bang, with a return to that format with Wonderland Upside Down, an immersive, multi-room dining experience inspired by the classic novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. As is their modus operandi, the experience is located at a secret venue that will only be revealed to patrons closer to the date of their booking, while visitors are encouraged to dress up in theme (Victorian Steampunk) to truly feel like a part of the world ANDSOFORTH have concocted. In this particular experience, we’re taken on a trip back in time, to 1800s Victorian London, back when author Charles Dodgson, better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was still alive and found inspiration for his magnum opus.

ANDSOFORTH isn’t just fun and games though, with their work grounded in a degree of truth and almost always educational. In our very first room, we’re greeted by a whimsical hatter in his asylum, away from the chaos of the outside world. The room itself is a work of art, with so many details going into a variety of hats of all shapes and sizes, from the simple to the ornate adorning it, impressive with its dedication to realism. Doubling as a speakeasy, we’re treated to a welcome drink while we admire the countless varieties of hats all around us, while hatter Edward Hatterton, in a comically large top hat and crazed look in his eyes, tells us about the dangerous history of hatmaking, where mercury was once used in the felting process. The fumes, being toxic, would be inhaled hatters working on them, leading them to mercury poisoning and thus, ‘madness’ that displays itself in Carroll’s Mad Hatter. And it so happens that we ourselves get to do a little felting ourselves (thankfully, without mercury), allowing us to pick up a new skill in the process and take home a souvenir.

But it’s not long before the taxmen come knocking, and to evade being taxed for the alcohol, we’re quickly ushered into the next room via a secret exit that leads us into a curious, rounded room reminiscent of the inner parts of a clock with its wooden, gear-like design. A complete change from the asylum, this is the lair of watchmaker Wah Bai cosy in his workshop. Seated around him, we learn of how his job and his name might have inspired a character who also tends to obsess over the concept of time. In line with that, the dishes served are all about time, with clear Asian inspiration; there’s the cool sake-based drink served in a gourd bottle, poured out into a tea cup to sip from, impressive in its presentation. And then there is the Chinese-style herbal soup pressure cooked for 12 hours with goji berries, duck, and particularly tender mystery meat, served in an oriental tureen, fragrant from the moment we lift the lid and packing a powerful flavour punch in every spoonful. This then is the ‘Mock Turtle Soup’ of Wonderland lore, and in the same vein, we too share stories with each other, bringing the room that much closer. With smiles on our faces, our time is up, we must head to the next room to meet our next host.

In the next room, we’re greeted by an oasis of calm, with relaxing Arabic-inspired tunes welcoming us to this cosy hall. Each of the tables here are in rounded alcoves, as if we too are curling in on ourselves, and we’re greeted by the magnificently bearded Ustad Absolem in turban and grand, flowing robe. With a twinkle in his eye, it is at this point we begin to wonder if this really was someone Lewis Carroll had actually met, but these thoughts are quashed by the next dish – a hearty chicken Korma with basmati rice, paired with a very strong lassi-inspired, rum-based yogurt drink. While we eat, Absolem shows off his fortune telling skills, with some surprisingly accurate results, the room filled with laughs, and plenty of food for thought. But as always, all good things must come to an end, and we find ourselves winding through another twisty doorway to end up at…

…a cabaret. Specifically, one that is run by Miss Dinah Dodgeson, filled with lightbulbs and mirrors that make it seem far larger than it actually is. It’s sultry, it’s curious, and it’s altogether rather mind-bending. Working the crowd with finesse and sass, Dinah remains firmly in character by ensuring that any references to modernity are met with confusion, before we’re served our next dish – ‘Atas Cat Food’, with a cut of salmon sous vide in kombu and extra virgin olive oil, with crispy, flame-torched skin, served in a tin, alongside decadent thick cut fries with duck fat, paired perfectly (or ‘purrfectly’) with a martini.

But one thing that stands out is the massive cat behind Dinah. This couldn’t possibly have existed in the 1800s, or in fact, ever. As Dinah runs off to do some errands, that cat comes alive, and begins to speak to us, introducing himself as ‘Chester Seah’, a Singaporean cat. Could it be the drinks, or could it be that we’re not quite in London anymore, and have now firmly fallen down the rabbit hole into Wonderland itself? It doesn’t matter – we’re kept amused by Chester and his antics, and go along with whatever wild journey it seems we’re on, before Dinah returns, shooing us to our next room.

Our minds are almost certainly playing tricks on us at this point, as we meet the Queen of Hearts, dressed completely in white, and hidden behind a barrier of pristine white shelves, adorned with hand sanitizer and clean, immaculately-folded towels. In fact, the entire room itself is white, and as the Queen explains, is a result of the King of Hearts’ madness and obsession with cleanliness. This obsession has gone so far, we’re even served a tube of ‘toothpaste’ for our next meal. Thankfully, it contains delicious cream cheese, which we spread over crackers and top with ikura, caviar and chive, a decadent snack fit for a royal, before washing it down and cleansing our palate with a minty fresh drink in a mouthwash bottle.

It seems even the Queen is tired of this whole affair, and encourages us to rebel against the king, with hope lying in the young Red Princess to ascend the throne. Assigning us a covert mission, we bid farewell to her, and find ourselves in a dark void. Petals lead us down a path, and along the way, there are black doors with stars on them, each containing the name of a character we’ve previously met. How much is truth, and how much is it all just a show? It’s a juicy mind trick that tickles our brain, before we reach our final room – a drawing room filled with paint cans and portraits. This is the domain of the Red Princess, who sweeps into the room in royal red garb, and is ready to ascend the throne.

Our task of course, is to assist in her coronation, and as she instructs us on what to do, we’re served our dessert of peaches and cream, ice cream that is, with strawberry ‘paint’ dripped over them before our very eyes. Paired with an icy, spicy milk tea in an ornate cup, we end off with a glorious crowning, and dance party before coming to the end of our journey, exiting through the gift shop (merchandise such as cards, sanitizer and towels are available) and coming face to face with the real world again.

Wonderland Upside Down is in essence, a dream brought to life. There is so much detail that goes into each room that you feel completely transported to a new world each time, the food keeping us satisfied while we are more than willing to go along with these out of this world characters, thanks to the actors being so adept at improv and riffing off the audience’s energy. Everything flows smoothly, with plenty of entertainment to fill the time, alongside the sheer whimsy that is felt as we’re taken on this journey from reality to fantasy, never quite knowing where the line is drawn. It’s a beautiful, engaging way to mark ten years of ANDSOFORTH perfecting their formula, always going above and beyond and improving with each experience to deliver the best that immersive theatre and dining has to offer. You’ll want to book this mindblowing trip upside down, and leave full of wonder for the world once more.

Photo Credit: ANDSOFORTH

Wonderland Upside Down plays at a secret location near Farrer Park that will be revealed to ticketholders on the day of their booking. Tickets available here