A NEW production written by a Paddington playwright will premier at the Liverpool Write Now Festival later this month.

Alice, by Natalie Hickman and directed by Russell Tennant, is a comedy based on Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.

But it contains a contemporary twist that will help Alice re-evaluate herself and see things from a different perspective.

Natalie says her main inspiration for the play came from a lack of female characters on stage compared to the music industry makign her want to introduce a play focusing on a strong women.

Natalie, aged 27, of Birchdale Road, said: “I feel that in the music industry at the moment there are a lot of strong female role models, such as Jessie J.

“However I don’t think there are enough on stage and therefore I like to include female characters around the same age as me. It’s all about girl power.”

She first became interested in drama when studying at Woolston High School before moving on to Kingston University.

Following her degree Natalie won the chance to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe festival in The Intruder.

As well as Alice she has written Monkey Nuts, a production that was nominated for best play of 2011 in the Write Now Festival Awards.

Monkey Nuts also focused on Natalie’s idea of girl power with an all female cast.

Write Now is a festival based in Liverpool made up of a number of different plays, which offers a platform for writers, performers and directors. It runs until April 7.

Alice is performed on Saturday, March 31 at 5pm, Tuesday, April 3 at 9.30pm and Friday, April 6 at 8pm at the Liverpool Actor’s Studio.

For more information visit wix.com/alicetheplay/theatre or writenowfestival.co.uk