The voice artist today announced the Wonderland Challenge in which 65 actors and voice artists have come together to record Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
With each performer reading one minute of the novel, this newly announced challenge will help to raise money for the NHS, with over £3000 of the £10,000 target raised so far.
In self isolation himself due to having stage 3 melanoma, Brad Shaw created the Wonderland Challenge also as a way to bring actors and voice artists together for a creative project.
Those involved in the challenge include: Gyles Brandreth, Ruth Jones, Juliet Stevenson, Michael Palin and Harriet Walter. Also reading extracts are Christopher Biggins, John Challis, Henry Goodman, Angela Griffin, Patricia Hodge, Alex Jennings, Griff Rhys Jones, Phyllis Logan, Kevin McNally, and eight cast members of The Archers.
Five one minute recordings will be released each day via the website until the novel is made available. The first ten minutes were released today and features readings from Hayley-Marie Axe, Claudie Barba, Sarah Borges, Ellie Darvill, Brenda Longman, Julie Love, Catherine Millsom, Brad Shaw, Helen Suzanne, and Ferha Syed.
Talking about the news, Brad Shaw said: “As someone with ‘underlying health conditions’, I’m one of the twelve-week isolators. To stop myself going mad I learnt basic web design and launched isomeet.co.uk as a social and information hub during isolation. I also wanted to do something joyful to get me through, and having been a voice actor for many years I wondered if I could persuade other pro voice artists to record a minute of Alice in Wonderland and donate a tenner to the NHS. Within days, I had filled all 165 slots and a host of wonderfully talented high-profile actors also agreed to join. Each time I listen to a recording, I fill up a bit, they are all wonderful. It’s been a fabulous life-affirming project. I can’t wait for the public to hear it.”
To hear the recordings and donate, please visit www.wonderlandchallenge.com