Clever `Mattress' puts possessive mother at head of kingdom
First the director got a part in the Rice Players play and opted to drop the WRC show. Next the female lead quit to be in another production, and then the second female lead/choreographer panicked and backed out.
But then, when all the directors and most of the leads had quit, a few valiant knights and ladies saved the day.
The 1959 musical, by Mary Rodgers and Marshall Bearer, was eventually directed at WRC by David Edelman and Nate Denney.
The story is one with which most of us are familiar. The overbearing queen of a vast kingdom is searching for a "genuine princess" for her barely pubescent son, the prince.
The mother in this dysfunctional royal family is unhappy with with her husband, the mute king, and is reluctant to see her son marry. For this reason, she shrewishly rejects every maiden through elaborately concocted tests.
Meanwhile, no one else in the kingdom is allowed to marry until the prince has done so, including a young couple who, thanks to a "foolish mistake," are expecting a baby.
The situation looks glum until an eccentric, energetic princess from a faraway land swims across the moat. Young Winnifred is instantly popular, but Queen Aggrivain sets out to defeat her with the help of 20 down mattresses and a single pea.
There are some clear stand-outs among the cast. Laura Gill, as Queen Aggravain, is perfect as this tightly wound character. Her every scene is laughable and a pleasure to watch.
Jessica Peterson, as Princess Winnifred, is a delightful actress who saves some scenes from mediocrity.
Deborah Lutes, as Lady Larken, has the prettiest voice in the musical. Her character is a silly, lovesick pre-feminist, but her singing is outstanding.
The chorus women are all good singers,but the men often sound as though they are talking in pitch rather than singing. This would not be a problem, except that these men all have solos. The pit band is small and could use some more practice.
The story, however, is both intelligent and cute, down to the characters' names -- Prince Dauntless the childish wimp, the Princess Winnifred (better known as "Fred"), Sir Harry the schmuck with delusions of grandeur, and the nagging Queen Aggrivain.
Scenes like the one in which King Sextimus the Silent uses charades to explain the birds and the bees to his son are also clever.
Despite the difficulties, Will Rice has pulled off a charming, entertaining production in less than three weeks, its areas of mediocrity offset by several outstanding performances.
This item appeared in the Arts & Entertainment section of the March 31, 1995 issue.
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