ALICE
OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!
With one powerful thrust, she cuts off the Jabberwocky’s head.
Both Alice and the head fall at once, the Jabberwocky’s jaws
still snapping at her in its death throes.
Alice hits the ground hard. The Jabberwock’s head rolls a few
feet away. Silence descends in the clearing. Alice lays on
the ground, breathing heavily. Finally, she stands up and
picks up the Jabberwocky’s head. She carries it to the Red
Queen and drops it at her feet. The Queen stares it, then up
to Alice with a furious glare.
RED QUEEN
Kill her!
The nearest Red Knight throws down his weapon.
RED KNIGHT
We follow you no more…bloody
big head.
RED QUEEN
How dare you! Of f with his head!
But no one is listening. The others throw their weapons down.
Suddenly, the crown lifts off the Red Queen’s head. She
snatches for it as it floats over to the White Queen where it
gently lowers to her head. The Chesire Cat materializes next
to her.
WHITE QUEEN
Iracebeth of Crims, your crimes
against Underland are worthy of
death. But that is against my
vows. Therefore, you are
banished to the Outlands. No one
is to show you any kindness or
ever speak a word to you. You will
will have no one to speak to…
not a friend in the world.
Stayn bows unctiously to the White Queen.
KNAVE OF HEARTS
Majesty, I hope you bear me no
ill will.
WHITE QUEEN
Except this one. Ilosovic Stayn you
will join Iracebeth in banishment
in the Outlands from this day until
the end of Underland.
She motions to her White Guards who grab Stayn and chain him
to Iracebeth.
RED QUEEN
At least, we have each other.
In a last panic, Stayn pulls a knife and tries to stab her.
She screams. The Hatter knocks the knife away. Stayn drops to
his knees and begs.
KNAVE OF HEARTS
(to the White Queen)
Kill me…please.
WHITE QUEEN
But I do not owe you a kindness.
Take them!
The White Guards drag them off.
RED QUEEN
You tried to kill me! YOU TRIED
TO KILL ME!
ON ALICE AND THE HATTER
MAD HATTER
Oh Frabjous Day! Callou! Callayl
He bursts into an enthusiastic dance of unbridled joy.
ALICE
What’s he doing?
CHESHIRE CAT
Futterwacken.
At the end of his dance, the Hatter grabs Alice and kisses her
passionately.
Chessur puts a comforting arm around the disappointed
Mallymkun.
The White Queen leans down to the still bleeding neck to catch
a drop of its blood into a vial.
WHITE QUEEN
And blood of the Jabberwocky.
She approaches Alice.
WHITE QUEEN
Alice. You have our everlasting
gratitude. And for your efforts
on our behalf.
The Queen hands the vial to her. Alice takes it.
ALICE
Is this the way home?
WHITE QUEEN
Drink.
Alice lifts the vial to her lips.
MAD HATTER
Don’ t.
ALICE
What?
MAD HATTER
Stay with us.
She gasps at the idea…the crazy mad idea. She looks at him and
her gaze travels to the strange and wonderful beings she’s met
in this strange and wonderful place. But then, thoughts of her
mother and sister and unfinished business intrude on her
fantasy.
ALICE
I wish I could. But there are
questions I have to answer.
She glances at the White Rabbit.
ALICE (cont.)
And things I’m late for doing.
She drinks the potion, shuddering at the taste.
MAD HATTER
You won’t remember me.
ALICE
I will!
He abruptly kisses her one last time. He whispers.
MAD HATTER
Fairfarren, Alice.
ALICE
Fairfarren, Tarrant.
She lifts a hand to the others, struggling with her emotions.
ALICE
Fairfarren all.
Their faces and the world itself starts to shimmer and then
dissolve into…
CUT TO:
INT. THE RABBIT HOLE
Grass. Alice finds herself face down in the field, clinging to
the edge of the Rabbit hole, legs dangling precariously.
EXT. THE MEADOW – DAY
Alice pulls herself up and looks around, blinking in the
bright sun. She shakes her head…all memory of Underland gone
once again. She looks down at her clothes, confused by their
ragged, torn, filthy condition. She looks down at the rabbit
hole.
ALICE
…must have fallen in…
EXT. THE ASCOT ESTATE — THE GARDEN PARTY
The party is still going on although a bit subdued. Hamish
speaks to the confused guests.
HANI S H
She ran off and left me standing
there without an answer.
F I ONA
A case of nerves, no doubt.
People fall silent as Alice wanders back onto the lawn,
looking like she’s been through a war.
HAN I SN
Alice?
LORD ASCOT
Good Lord. Are you all right?
ALICE’S MOTHER
What happened to you?
ALICE
I think I fell down a hole and
hit my head.
LADY ASCOT
You look a frightful mess.
Alice turns to Hamish. Her adventure, although unremembered,
has given Alice unwavering confidence and self-awareness.
ALICE
I’m sorry Hamish, I can’t
marry you. You’re not the
right man for me.
(to her sister)
You shouldn’t act so smug,
Margaret. Your life may not
be as perfect as you think
it is.
She whispers the truth about her husband in Margaret’s ear.
Margaret gasps and glares at the suddenly sheepish Lowell.
ALICE
(gently to Aunt Imogene)
There is no prince, Aunt Imogene.
You need to talk to someone
about these delusions.
(to Lady Ascot)
I happen to love white roses,
Lady Ascot, as well as rabbits.
She turns to her mother.
ALICE (cont.)
Don’t worry, Mother. I won’t be
a burden. I’ll find something
useful to do with my life.
(to the Chatterly’s mother)
Your daughters swim naked in
the Havershim’s pond.
(to the sisters)
Sorry, girls.
She looks around.
ALICE (cont.)
Is that everyone?
Lord Ascot lifts a finger.
LORD ASCOT
You’ve left me out.
ALICE
No, I haven’t. You and I have
business to discuss, sir.
They’re all surprised to hear the word coming out of a young
woman’s mouth.
LADY ASCOT
Impertience!
LORD ASCOT
I’d like to hear what she
has to say.
ALICE
May we speak in the study?
INT. ASCOT MANSION – THE STUDY
A map of the world is been laid out on the table. Alice
studies it carefully.
ALICE
My father told me he planned to
expand his trade route to
include Bombay.
LORD ASCOT
Bombay.
ALICE
But I don’t think he was looking
far enough.
LORD ASCOT
You don’t?
ALICE
No. Why stop in India? Why not
expand the company’s trade route
all the way to China? It’s vast,
the culture is rich and we have a
ALICE (CONT.)
foothold in Hong Kong. Imagine
the possibilities.
Lord Ascot sees the spark of genius in her eye, the same spark
he saw in Charles Kingsley’s.
LORD ASCOT
I’m very sorry you’re not going
to marry my son, Alice. But I
may have a way to keep you in
the family.
She’s intrigued.
ALICE
Go on.
CUT TO:
EXT. A SAILING SHIP – SEVERAL MONTHS LATER
A crowd has gathered to see the China Trading Company’s maiden
ship off to distant lands. Alice stands on the deck, waving
to her mother, sister and Lord Ascot. As the ship pulls away
from the dock, a beautiful Monarch butterly with blue tinged
wings lands on Alice’s shoulder. She smiles.
ALICE
Hello, Absolem.
The butterly takes wing. As Alice watches it soar skyward we:
FADE OUT.
THE END.
