WONDERLAND might one day be wonderful, but you won’t know from the version of the UK premiere touring production of this Alice In Wonderland revamp that visits the Grand Opera House this week.

The Cumberland Street theatre may seat more than 1,000 but it is smaller than the likes of the Leeds Grand Theatre, the Bradford Alhambra and the Sunderland Empire. Producers of musicals, in particular, have to face the challenge of down-sizing accordingly.

What’s more, York is not seen as a player in commercial theatreland’s Premier League. Kerry Ellis, now as well known for making albums with Queen’s Brian May as for her musical theatre exploits, plays Alice in the bigger venues; Yorkshire singer Rachael Wooding, from Britain’s Got Talent, takes on the central role in venues such as the Grand Opera House.

The show’s set has had to be adjusted for the limitations of the theatre’s size, inevitably decreasing its potential impact, and, most notably, the opening scene takes place against a canvas of a towering block of flats, followed by a rudimentary entrance to Alice’s apartment. That said, no matter what size the stage is, that doesn’t account for why some costumes are underwhelming, in particular for Dominic Owen’s Cheshire Cat and Wendi Peters’ Queen of Hearts, which demands more spectacle. Indeed the show needs more hearts all round; what a contrast with the Easingwold On Our Turf production of Alice In Wonderland in 2015.

Wonderland no doubt aspires to be a variation on Wicked, The Musical, Stephen Schwartz’s witty, sophisticated “Untold Story of the Witches of Oz”. Alice, now mother to teenage daughter Ellie (Naomi Morris) is having a rotten 40th birthday: her car has been stolen; and late for work, she’s sacked from her job at a travel agency. Worse still, five years on from her divorce from turbulent husband Sebastian, she has learnt he is about to re-marry, scuppering her somewhat bizarre hopes of a reunion.

Up pops Dave Willetts’ Mad Hatter, overhearing her frustrations, and off down a rabbit hole they go to Wonderland, a place peopled with all Lewis Carroll’s familiar characters, and a Looking Glass that talks like Bill Nighy and offers the chance of transformation into who you want to be. Ellie becomes, like, a stroppy teenager, like. Alice’s shy neighbour with a crush, Jack (Stephen Webb), is emboldened to declare his love, leading a boy band. The Mad Hatter (now a woman, played by Natalie McQueen), tries out nastiness for size.

It might work if it were better scripted, but the dialogue lacks bite, the humour feels overstretched; everything perspires, rather than inspires in Lotte Wakeham’s laboured production. It is left to Frank Wildhorn’s songs to try to seal the deal, but even they have too few highlights, namely Kayi Ushe’s Caterpillar with his Caterpillar’s Legs backing singers and the closing Finding Wonderland. All in all, Wonderland never finds its own personality.

Wonderland runs at Grand Opera House, York, until Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm matinees today and Saturday. Box office: 0844 871 3024 or at atgtickets.com/york