This has the potential to be a first-rate way to spend a morning
The actors, who are all solid performers, play well off each other as well as with the young members of their audience. This all contributes to a general feel of the show as a storytelling session rather than a more traditional play, and allows you to relax and enjoy yourself in a cosy setting. The occasional ‘meta’ references to the constructions of the theatre such as the set and the tech box also contributed to a feel within the audience that you are in the same space as the actors, as by a fireside listening to a story. The show is very stripped-back, with the cast often filling in the roles of trees and other various objects and characters, giving the opportunity for children and adults alike to engage and use their imaginations.
However, there were a few scenes during the prince’s travels where more could have been done to embellish the storytelling, such as adding a few more sound effects or fully utilising all of the actors for each set piece. Likewise, occasionally the cultural references were a little outdated and therefore perhaps lost on the young audience. Some however were spot-on, such as Prince Charming’s posh-boy persona. This and some excellent choreographed pieces, such as Princess Verymean’s ball, make this a fun and entertaining show from which no-one will leave unhappy. An added bonus was the unexpectedly progressive angle of the show throughout, explored through various characters such as the bearded princess.
Despite a few issues with timing as well as the story lagging slightly in places, the energy of the performers demonstrates that this has the potential to be a first-rate way to spend a morning.