Despite its shortcomings, Fallout 76 has garnered a unique community of players that have taken the game beyond its original design. One group, in particular, has created theatre performance art within the game. The Wasteland Theatre Company has previously tackled Shakespeare and A Christmas Carol, and now they are back with a post-apocalyptic adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, titled Alice in the Wasteland.
Alice in Wonderland is a classic children’s story that has been adapted many times. The Wasteland Theatre Company is specifically adapting Alice Gerstenberg’s 1915 stage version, rather than Lewis Carroll’s original books. Interestingly, Lewis Carroll was actually the pen name for Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a politically conservative mathematician. It’s amusing to imagine presenting Dodgson with a laptop playing Alice in Fallout 76 and watching his reaction.
The Fallout 76 performance follows Alice on her journey from the confines of her Vault into the Wasteland. The story remains true to the original, with Alice encountering strange and surreal situations. The production uses Fallout’s aesthetic, with Bottle and Cappy replacing Tweedle Dee and Dum, and the iconic Tea Party becoming the Chems Den.
The play retains the original’s weirdness, with Alice’s curiosity transforming into bloody confidence. The set design is full of bold colors, and some of the dialogue has a unique syntax, making it difficult to decipher. It’s unclear whether the dialogue is nonsense, or if it’s meant to be profound.
The Wasteland Theatre Company’s performance was streamed “live” in-game on the United Wastelanders Network Twitch account and is available to watch on YouTube. If you enjoyed their previous productions or are an Alice in Wonderland fan, it’s worth checking out. Fallout 76’s community proves that even a flawed game can inspire creativity and foster unique experiences.
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