“Alice
By Heart”: The History Behind the Story
Molly Stasieluk (Bachelor’s in History Education)
World War II (1939-1945)
“Alice By Heart” is set in London, England 1941, months into London’s Blitz
Axis Powers (Germany, Italy, Japan) vs. Allied Powers (UK, US, Soviet Union)
8 month bombing campaign by Nazi Germany across the UK at night to force surrender and destroy supply production (unsuccessful)
Deadliest conflict in human history (~70M casualties)
The Blitz
London hit hardest: 57 nights in a row
30,000 civilians dead Mass destruction, fires
Much of “Alice by Heart” takes place in a London Tube station shelter
Tube Station Shelters
London’s Underground “The Tube”
272 stations as makeshift bomb shelters (150,000+ people)
sense of community: support & entertainment (music, games, stories)
The radio voice at the beginning of the show is a real clip from a London wartime broadcast read by American journalist & WW2 correspondent Quentin Reynolds
Tuberculosis
The disease that Alfred, Alice’s best friend, is severely sick with in “Alice by Heart”
Deadliest disease in human history
shaped history, art & culture more than any other disease
Tuberculosis (TB, Consumption), infectious disease: “Mycobacterium Tuberculosis” bacteria attacks lungs causes a variety of painful symptoms
10& increase in TB during London Blitz due to overcrowding, poor ventilatation, malnutrition & hospital evacuations
No cure until after WW2 (1950s)
Despite a cure today, every 20 seconds someone dies from TB
In “Alice by Heart” Alice recites the stories & brings to life the characters from Lewis Carroll’s classic books
The Books Characters You Might Recognize!
Jabberwock
Song:
“Brillig Braelig”
Terrifying, large, winged creature that uses made up words with no meaning (ex: uffishness)
Mock Turtle
Song:
“Your Shell of Grief”
Hybrid creature of turtle/cow
Sorrowful remembering his life before as a regular sea turtle
Hybrid of the actual ingredients that are Mock Turtle soup (popular dish in 1800s England)
Lobsters
Song:
“Those Long Eyes”
Sea lobster partner dancers that take part in a chaotic shoreline dance They show Alice the nonsensical side of Wonderland
Duchess Song:
“Manage Your Flamingo”
The Queen of Hearts’ blunt and sometimes harsh cousin Raises a pig as if it were a human child
Teaches Alice life lessons
SOURCES
“About Tuberculosis.” About Tuberculosis | Texas DSHS, www.dshs.texas.gov/tuberculosis-tb/abouttuberculosis#:~:text=What%20is%20Tuberculosis,infection%20can%20become%20TB%20disease. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Carroll, Lewis. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. 1865.
Carroll, Lewis. Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. 1871.
“Casualties of World War II: Military History and Science: Research Starters: EBSCO Research.” EBSCO, www.ebsco.com/research-starters/military-history-and-science/casualties-world-war-ii. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Kevindupuy. “The Allies of World War II.” The National WWII Museum | New Orleans, The National World War II Museum, 28 Aug. 2024, www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/allies-world-war-ii.
“London’s Blitz: A City at War.” London Museum, www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/londonstories/londons-blitz-a-city-at-war/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Murray, John F., and Robert Loddenkemper. Tuberculosis and War: Lessons Learned from World War II. Karger, 2018.
“TB Is the Deadliest Infectious Disease. so Why Haven’t You Heard of It?” Partners In Health, www.pih.org/article/tb-deadliest-infectious-disease-so-why-havent-you-heardit#:~:text=So%20Why%20Haven’t%20You%20Heard%20of%20It?,The%20neglected%20disease&text=Dr.,little%2Dknown%20in%20the%20West? Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
“World War II.” World War II | High Point, NC, www.highpointnc.gov/2111/World-War-II. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
PICTURES
“7 Photos of London’s Underground during Wwii Blitz.” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, 25 June 2025, www.history.com/articles/londonunderground-blitz-world-war-ii-photos.
“London’s Blitz: A City at War.” London Museum, www.londonmuseum.org.uk/collections/london-stories/londons-blitz-a-city-at-war/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Rhp. “Haunting Pictures of Londoners Sheltering in the Underground during World War II, 1940-1941.” Rare Historical Photos, 21 Sept. 2025, rarehistoricalphotos.com/london-blitz-underground-photos/.
Seeing It through: 10 London Transport Posters of the Second World War | London Transport Museum, www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/stories/war/seeing-it-through-10-london-transport-posters-second-world-war. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
“World War II Photos.” National Archives and Records Administration, National Archives and Records Administration, www.archives.gov/research/military/ww2/photos. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.