Becoming The Mad Hatter: Steven McRae on Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (The Royal Ballet)

[@RoyalBalletAndOpera]

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[@confusedwhale]

It really seems logical that the mad hatter would be different from the other characters, and his ability to tap allowed this difference to shine.

[@Noah-lo9vb]

Ironically enough it's because he's so illogical, but in a different way than the others.

[@amelies2303]

I love how his Australian accent is mixing with the British one

[@annamarriott7184]

Amelie Spring e

[@Nonyabuisness67788]

How is it doing that????

[@decodolly1535]

@@Nonyabuisness67788 Steven McRae has been living in the UK for several years - it happens with accents.

[@JordynNexus]

Amelie S I sound like this and I’ve never been to England 😂 I just watch so much english football and English KZbinrs that it just happened lmao

[@bee-ep9qz]

He's so talented! I love that there's not such a box on the dancers anymore, because adding bits and pieces from other dance styles gives more room for character expression, which is important in such a quirky story.

[@frostfang1]

Alice's AiW is like the perfect way to use that but the funny thing is The Nutcracker does that, but it's ballets interpretation of other dances rather than fusing those actual styles into ballet. So I really hope I see that one day (if it hasn't happened already!)

[@kayaa5359]

There is a reason this man created one of the only decent scenes in the Cats movie. You can tell he is a talented individual who puts his heart and soul into performing I'd love to watch him perform live, he is a treasure

[@chooseyourpoison5105]

It's really not surprising that the best dance scene in the movie happens to be the only one that was put together by an actual dancer. Steven McRae also insisted on using the original stage show backing track instead of the remixed garbage they used for the rest of it. I'll say this for Steven McRae, he knows his stuff; he knows exactly what a dance number should look and sound like.

[@hoshizawa.]

I didn't realize this was the same guy!!! Thank you!

[@blueturtle3623]

I mean, the dude is tapping his foot at one point to keep on beat for Skimbleshanks, because it's important to keep the beat. Something nobody else in that movie had any hope of doing.

[@GarrettWatts]

Found this video cause I googled "Skimble, where is Skimble?!" lol.

[@reignrain4042]

Oh garret, you watch ballet? Or was it all an accident 😂

[@DontDreamItBeIt98]

Well, you found him now the train can start.

[@sarahbunker4821]

Why do I keep finding you in the most random places

[@ghostoflarissa]

Garret!!! I can't believe I find you here 😂

[@KISSINGJUDAS]

Garrett I love you 😂😂😂

[@mikroraptor]

My dream is to see this show live in London some day!!

[@gl8282]

Mikayla Smith me too!!!! Oh gosh ...

[@mx_vibranium682]

I was in it I was a hedgehog last year

[@skwalka6372]

Yours is a realistic dream, mine is to see certain orange clown being run over by a train, no so realistic I am afraid.

[@staylucky4727]

@@skwalka6372you’re crazy 😂😂😂

[@carolinegalerie9173]

The marriage of tap and classical is such a performance! As daring as it is effective. The idea that brings perfection to his character.

[@deltaweathers]

Making the Mad Hatter a tap dancer just fits SO well. Everyone involved in this production is a genuis

[@katieparks5917]

I love how the hatter has both ballet and tap, especially cause fast (and loud) feet really does make sense for the character

[@haute03]

Well isn't Steven just absolutely adorable and ridiculously talented. :)

[@lindaharrison3240]

Steven McRae is wonderful. Through this role I discovered him. Such a great dancer.

[@lartpourlartana]

The way that this is choreographed and just perfectly complementing the composition it's danced to.... Sheer perfection. Also, could Stephen McRae be more of a perfect artist? -rhetorical question-

[@shinebrightlikeadoitsu1120]

That tap sound to be honest is so satisfying....

[@melaniewade4117]

As wonderful and clever as this entire ballet is, it is Steven Mcrae that stands out the most to me...execution and melding of both tap and ballet, wonderful facial expression, perfect technique. Just wow - cannot keep my eyes off of him when he's on the stage!

[@HB-by5tw]

I love his performance. The tap dancing enhences the character making the Mad hatter madder, turns him into an music instrument and makes the scene even more alive.

[@shizukagozen777]

He's such a cool addition to the show. Whoever got the idea got a REALLY good idea !

[@k_a_y_l_e_e]

he is the loveliest of people. and just soooooo incredibly talented it's ridiculous.

[@charlietrelawney6867]

When I went to see it I was so excited how they portrayed him. I was not disappointed at all, it was so gorgeous. I had an enormous smile on my face every time he came on stage.

[@hoowzah]

He's so marvelous!

[@johannaaoifeelliston8545]

He’s so humble! Really fantastic performance for Mad Hatter. Great tapping skills. ☺️

[@yangliu902]

Kudos to the behind-the-scene team who interview and document all these rehearsals!

[@WonderingTree]

One of my favourite male dancers! Amazing!!!

[@laurenjcoates]

His turns on taps are so amazing

[@Genethagenius]

Wish I could have seen this performance live! Every part is amazing! From the costumes, to the music, performances, sets, etc. Just flawless.

[@emilywong4601]

Hot ginger!!!

[@izzy367]

Emily Wong It’s not so rare you know!!!

[@JoMonty53]

Saw it at the Royal Opera House in London last year - it is absolutely amazing!

[@janedoex8345]

He is, definitely.

[@chloemajeske6189]

And he's buff.

[@johnsamonas5815]

U guys make me cringe

[@ahobbit1273]

It's such a cool idea, and he did an absolutely marvellous job with it

[@dsanchezbrett]

I love the Hatter but Seven take it to a superior level. Just gorgeous.

[@MSYNGWIE12]

I NEVER tire of this ballet and watching these superb dancers prepare...Brava!

[@Mani-pi3ou]

This is my favourite part of the ballet because it's so satisfying

[@user-wz8bw7dt5m]

i remember thinking the mad hatter was attractive af in this, just honestly.. he is 😽

[@nefwaenre]

It's like the Hatter was made for Steven!! ♥ Calvin had some really big shoes to fill. Both are perfect! ♥

[@nikimeihua]

I Love Steven MacRae as the Mad Hatter. 😍

[@indigodragon0613]

I hope that we get to see this version of the hatter here in America because omg we need a refresh. Our version is boring aesthetically and the characters don’t have the same depth as they do in the royal ballet’s and the Australian version.

[@haute03]

What American companies have Alice in their repertoire currently?

[@jenniferhiemstra5228]

Since discovering this about last year, and now knowing it’s filmed and available for purchase, I NEED it to transfer here to NYC Ballet...I’d see it in a split second!

[@ashareeoo]

FYI this version will be at the National Ballet of Canada in March! Just in case you're interested! 😊

[@eurekamreum5458]

I don't know why NYCB hasn't done it yet, they work a lot with Wheeldon

[@azziebean4773]

A split second of panic when I first saw the lady, thought she was Sarah-Jane!

[@WeCanCos]

Buy the DVD copy of the show from the site. It's worth every cent. I rewatch it all the time A stunning ballet.

[@JoseGonzalez-bu6zj]

Wow he is so handsome and talented

[@catherinestephens8611]

Wow.This guy is insanely talented

[@kevinchaplin6600]

Brilliant ballet,seen it twice now,looking forward to the Nutcracker in December

[@ashwiersma]

Acting + Classical Ballet + Tap = Mad Hatter

[@emeraldsea28]

I NEED TO SEE THIS! Please release the full show! I’ll pay!

[@alexander.tetervak]

it is released on Blu-ray, sold on Amazon

[@cgygflkj]

Hes SO GOOD in this role

[@kit754]

This dude is Skimbleshanks in the 2019 Cats film. AKA BEST character in the entire film.

[@jnk5790]

3:22 - 3:35 Thats why I'm glad that I'm dancing ballet, Bollywood, tap, hip hop, jazz, modern dance and musical show dance. 😅

[@the_dancerjen1773]

Steven is such a talent!

[@edward311]

He's amazing in this production and also great in CATS.

[@krystathirteenth4904]

Gosh he's beautiful 😍 and extremely talented

[@micheledix2616]

And devilishly hard working to keep his technique

[@laurasapfir302]

Какой же Стивен невероятный, запредельный!!! Пластика кошки и супертехника!! Восторг!!!

[@ElizabethRasmussen562]

I want the sheet music for this song

[@irishrose2004]

I came here because this is my favorite dance in the whole show and because I thought the mad hatter was hot.

[@thatotherchannel7945]

You and me both

[@ionacmitchell]

3:39 A WILD MRS MCRAE APPEARS 😂

[@howtubeable]

????????????? Steven McRae's mother? What?

[@ionacmitchell]

Howard Wiggins wife!

[@selene13000]

Tap with the hatter is perfect

[@gentlemanjack25]

I would love to see more of the rehearsal pieces for the piece we see him rehearsing at the end.

[@carol891]

he’s purely artistic

[@junghoseok1478]

To mutch talent in this man , respect 😱😱💞

[@chloemajeske6189]

Right so, I saw Cats (don't judge) and I knew I recognized the train cat! It was this guy. I recognized that tap dancing from watching this so often.

[@KatieCatWalker]

His character looks nothing like him, that make up is that good.

[@luma4902]

wish his role was bigger tho and he and alice had a duet(she had with the white rabbit and lewis carol i know is the same guy but i would argue the mad hattter figure would also be a symbol of author)

[@micheledix2616]

That sounds a very good assumption and analogy.

[@icarrus4u]

Genius and Finally infusing Ballet and Tap!

[@rachelglazar2939]

I would love to see the full show. Is there one on Netflix or on film somewhere?

[@hannah4107]

The full show is on vimeo for free ^^ You can also buy the DVD on Amazon

[@dnr2089]

I was always led to believe that you couldn’t do tap AND ballet. My old dance teacher said because the techniques were so different it was bad for your ankles to do both….🧐

[@chooseyourpoison5105]

Which might explain why Steven received his Achilles tendon injury

[@jane90186]

Fantastic and different, I bet the mother'sdancing this are not a patch. He is a phenomenon.

[@pianoplayrpiano99]

Steven is brilliant!

[@michaeladesimone7388]

That's so cool! It looks like an amazing performance!!👏🏼👏🏼💛💛

[@jeskvell3254]

He is brilliant ✨

[@サンバルカンコン]

i like this piano sound.

[@annetteknitter1113]

Tap dancers do “talk” with their feet.

[@TotallyMH729TsMH]

this man isjust !!! ♥

[@zshmt1]

Знаю, что вы искали характеры для балета по всему миру. И в том числе я видел вас в России. Знаю даже с кого вы взяли образ Шляпника. Великолепно! Сколько существует постановок "Алисы в стране чудес" ещё ни разу не видел такого четкого попадания в образ.

[@morganhernandez297]

T H A N X 4 THE ART !!!!!!

[@aldretaldret4310]

So wonderful work and show I saw. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🌹😘

[@annieluu8698]

OMG this is just perfect

[@ulnislechapelier3873]

Ballet-tap, ballet-tap, ballet-tap~

[@MissGeorgiex1]

This looks soooooo good

[@Michelle-xx5ye]

Are there any videos about the design of the costumes and sets?

[@wendynerd1199]

He's so cute!!! Like a ginger bunny.

[@StickingOutMyGyatt]

Why dose the mad hatter look the most attractive😅😅

[@Raeswizzy]

Love this.

[@reiss_mariana]

I'm a great fan!!!

[@gentlemanjack25]

Is there no more of him rehearsing the mad hatter interrupting the trial

[@gl8282]

OMG - so fun!!!!!!!!

[@nativevirginian8344]

The tapping is like the ticking of a clock. The Mad Hatter is stuck in time because he made the Queen of Hearts mad. It is always tea time. Maybe he is trying to get back into Time. Just my opinion. 😊

[@erinc129]

just thinking about how he went on to be in CATS 2019 makes me feel violently ill

[@thessie]

Everyone in Cats got mis-sold that job. :/

[@bisma1352]

Im so sad to hear that. Never watched it so don't know who else was sacrificed

[@InchonDM]

The thing is, his number in CATS 2019 as Skimbleshanks is a strong, strong contender for the best number in the entire movie. Like, it's a bizarre world where the best singing performances come from the dancers, but because he clearly went into it with the beat and the rhythm in mind, he didn't get caught up in improvising like so many of the other performances did, and it worked WONDERFULLY.

[@erinc129]

@@InchonDM I agree he was amazing and perfect for the role- his scenes almost made it bareable to watch (almost)

[@chooseyourpoison5105]

@@InchonDM I think it's because he was the only cast member who was an performer rather than a celebrity, if you get my meaning. He was basically the only person there who actually knew what he was doing and what a dance number should look like. As an example, Steven insisted on using the original backing track from the stage show rather than the movie's souped-up version, which explains why it's the only number that sticks to an actual beat and rhythm.

[@jesusbelmonteshotmailcom]

wonderfull!!!!

[@marianos.3975]

I want a top 🎩 sooooo much, just to have that mad hatter feeling

[@NickSheridanVids]

She's terrifying, I kept wanting to take a step backwards

[@gentlemanjack25]

Can I find more rehearsals of this play anywhere

[@marceline_witch]

My Roman Empire ❤

[@beafbuger]

shes so into him

[@renoloverxoxo]

Those leg muscles...

[@bellafovinci1121]

3:37 does anyone else think that that looks like Jordan fisher but with some facial hair and a little bit of a different hairstyle (Back left)

[@advicebear67]

Just coming through doing my research

[@magnolianoel1469]

Damn brother, you handsome

[@bluefishinoven7888]

May I know what's the name of the interviewer?

[@CatianaKeys]

Don't they normally have two people for each lead role, so they can rest in between shows? is there anyone who can do this like Steven does?

[@s02229]

Catiana Izabelle I believe Alexander Campbell does the Mad hatter too

[@CatianaKeys]

Thank you! But "normal" or also with tap? It's not really easy I'd suppose.

[@WildeCostumes]

Alex does tap as well, there's a video on the channel of him rehearsing it a few years ago. And they livestreamed rehearsals for Alice last month and had two other dancers practicing Hatter's scenes together (which was absolutely incredible)! The role itself is strictly tap.

[@CatianaKeys]

Wonderful! I wish I could see it, thank you.

[@yonandaadhitama7051]

At @3:36 you can see two guys (Calvin and Joseph) doing the same routine in the background. They are also doing the role of Mad Hatter. You can watch them rehearse the role in this video (Started at 38:00) kzbin.info/www/bejne/gaLNiIGeoslpftk

[@cirrusB612]

Wonder if he’ll get to tap dance in Cats, too...

[@SarahB1863]

He does!

[@chooseyourpoison5105]

Sure did

[@kaca2903]

I can't stand Darcey. She just seems so fake in her reactions. And Steven is the opposite.

[@funeralgiggle3771]

She is not terrible, I think she is thirsty to come across as the knowledgeable person because of her dancing career; sometimes forgets she is the interviewer, not the interviewee.

[@a.a.g.h.1679]

handsome

[@manueljuliomanobaptista2659]

jonasmaneis1966

[@one4sorrow]

I wish she'd just let him finish answering her questions and stop anticipating what he's going to say. It's bloody annoying.