Good morning, and welcome to Broadway News’ Broadway Review by Brittani Samuel — our overview of reactions, recommendations and information tied to last night’s Broadway opening of “Once Upon a Mattress.”
RUNDOWN
Princess idolization can be clichéd at best and problematic at worst, particularly for younger audiences. However, if there’s one royal worth glorifying, it’s Princess Winnifred — or, as her friends call her, “Fred” — the lovable swamp denizen at the center of the classic romantic comedy “Once Upon a Mattress.” The musical was first adapted in 1959 by writers Jay Thompson, Marshall Barer and Dean Fuller with lyrics by Barer and music by Mary Rodgers from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea.” Here, it’s been revived on Broadway with an updated script by television stalwart Amy Sherman-Palladino that aims to breathe new life into the beloved tale. In reality, the new take offers another exaltation of the show’s (and the musical theater genre’s) most traditional charms.
Take, for instance, the show’s leading lady, Sutton Foster. Her performance as Winnifred is the highlight, marked by memorable antics ranging from stuffing an exorbitant number of grapes in her mouth to a delightfully disturbing series of hip thrusts. It’s like a greatest-hits record of her physical comedy chops, honed over decades of standout performances in shows like “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” “Young Frankenstein,” and “Shrek the Musical.” Director Lear deBessonet’s cast boasts a laundry list of all-stars, including Michael Urie, Ana Gasteyer, Nikki Renée Daniels and David Patrick Kelly, but Foster remains the irrefutable force. Scenes without her quickly grow sleepy. Sherman-Palladino makes an effort to enhance the campy essence of the original musical with an anachronistic twist, scripting popular social media-like idioms that occasionally fall from these medieval mouths. Design follows suit: The style of certain props (like the suitcase a character uses while threatening to leave the kingdom) is clearly current, and there are even a few half-hearted aesthetic nods to indicate the show’s setting in Middle-Aged New York City (rats, roaches, hot dogs — our quintessential iconography). All of this is done with an intentionally light-hearted touch so the production remains as accessible as possible for people of all ages. (The children surrounding me, in particular, were frequently left in stitches by the onstage zaniness). Children were likely top of mind for designer Andrea Hood’s costumes, which pull from every color in a Crayola 24-pack. In her hands, the kingdom’s wardrobe is an amateur Candyland rendering of the medieval age — nonsensical but stimulating enough. Scenic designer David Zinn fully embraces the New York City Center Encores! concert origins of the show (deBassonet’s production debuted there this past winter), with a crowded stage and minimal set pieces. The onstage presence of conductor Annbritt duChateau and her orchestra effectively heightens the whimsical brassiness of Rodgers’ score but also crowds the performance space. Still, it’s ultimately easy to meet “Once Upon a Mattress” where it’s at and let the feel-good pageantry of the show sedate you. It’s perfectly charming with an inclusive spirit, snappy hooks and enough goofs to keep everyone in the family thrumming along.
