By Chuck Graham, Tucsonstage.com
photo by Tim Fuller
Untroubled by gravity, the Princess (Grace Otto) seems to float above the stage.
Although floating babies never became a popular curse in the annals of folklore and fairy tales, program credits for “The Light Princess” at the Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre lists George MacDonald as the Victorian author of a fantasy tale about the teen years of just such a child of perpetual levitation.
And, this being from the Victorian period with propriety making so many proper demands, anyone who seemed to be enjoying themselves would be suspected of always being up to something.
That would literally be the Princess (Grace Otto). She was always floating up, up and away. Her lack of gravity was also accompanied by a lack of gravitas.
The Witch of this tale is so evil she cursed the child to not only be lacking gravity but also every emotion – both the happy and the sad ones. Our unfortunate Princess had until her 16th birthday to find a way to break this spell.
Else she would remain free of gravity and gravitas forever and ever.
In the Scoundrel & Scamp production of this mostly sung-through musical adapted from MacDonald's tale by Lila Rose Kaplan with music and lyrics by Mike Pettry, the director is Michelle Milne. She puts the emphasis on having lots of campy fun for the entire 70-minute performance.
Holding the music steadfast to the ground is solid piano accompaniment by veteran professional Lisa Otey. While there are no big pageant numbers, like you find in “Wicked” and those other fairy tales that made it to Broadway, “The Light Princess” is filled with brio. On opening night, this dedicated cast of 12 had its enthusiasm pumped sky high.
The show's first half is dedicated to setting up the direness of this royal situation. Except for the anti-gravity element, all the usual fairy tale components are in play.
The Queen (Gretchen Wirges) wants badly to have a child. The King (David Gunther) does, too. The Witch (Julia Balestracci), who is also the Queen's jealous sister, agrees to grant the Queen her wish, but adds, “There will be a price. Isn't there always?”
Sure enough, the Princess is born without gravity, or gravitas. Someone must constantly hold her down or she will go floating off like an escaped carnival balloon.
Later we learn the Princess won't float away if she stays in water, such as the local lake. The subsequent twists, turns and surprises include a few ambitious suitors stopping by the palace for a try at breaking the curse...and then we meet the Prince (Aubrey King).
In a bit of homespun theater acrobatics, the “floating princess” effect is maintained by having two cast members all in black lift up the Princess to move her around the stage. Not until the very end do her feet ever touch the floor.
This scheme fits perfectly into the play's own make-believe world of villagers gathering to tell a story important to the villagers' own beliefs. “The Light Princess” is offered by Scoundrel & Scamp as the next in its Scamp series, suitable for children age five and older.
As entry-level theater, the production is easily accessible, short enough not to need an intermission, with lots to offer particularly on the importance of being yourself rather than accepting the standards of someone else.
Performances continue through Feb. 28 with shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, in the Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre of the Historic Y, 738 N. Fifth Ave.
Tickets are $30 general admission, $28 seniors 55-plus, $15 students and teachers. For further details and reservations, 448-3300, or visit scoundrelandscamp.org
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