‘It’s Alice in Wonderland,” exclaimed a small boy as a girl dressed in white skipped across the Radcliffe Square cobblestones. And he was right. “I’ve escaped from my garden,” Alice (Bryony Neilson) explained. But in spite of its title, Mapping Wonderland isn’t primarily about Alice. This Under Construction theatre company production takes its audiences on a gentle stroll for an hour and a quarter, and introduces diverse characters along the way.

First, you are taken past the Radcliffe Camera by architect Sir Christopher Wren (Lee Woodward, pictured). He didn’t design the Camera, of course, but Kamran Zeb and Jeremy Allen’s script has him praising the building, give or take some details. Sharp comment is reserved for All Souls College: “They moved my sundial so it doesn’t tell the time properly any more,” he alleges.

Next, across High Street to encounter Wren’s rather creepy sister Sue (Jodana Van Vuuren), who dispenses potions from a handcart in Kybald Street. One of the plus points of this show for locals is the chance to look at familiar areas afresh. I’d never noticed this architecturally varied cul-de-sac before. Then it was on to meet balloonist James Sadler (Gavin Moore), hyper-excited about his forthcoming ascent from Christ Church Meadow. He certainly didn’t need his squeak-prone modern megaphone.

Attracting the most attention from passing tourists was expert in poisonous gas John Scott Haldane (Jeremy Allen), as he led us up Rose Lane on the end of a rope before passing us on to High Street inventor Theophilus Carter (Marcus Davis-Orrom). Finally you meet Haldane’s ethereal novelist daughter Naomi Mitchison (Elsa Petit).

The excellent cast, directed by Lizzy McBain, puts the entertaining script over with aplomb, and takes audience interaction in its stride. “Are you going to be sick?” asked our resident small boy hopefully as Haldane wheezed into his gas mask.

Further shows on July 23, 24, 30 and 31.

Details: underconstructiontheatre.com