Fractured fairy tale
Prince Trevor Amongst the
Elephants
Written and
Directed by Duncan Pflaster
Midtown
International Theatre Festival (www.midtownfestival.org)
June Havoc Theatre,
312 West 36th St., 1st floor
Equity showcase (through
Review by Michael
D. Jackson
The description that follows
the title on the program sums it up pretty well: “A big epic naked ridiculous
Shakespearean fairy tale play for adults.”
This is the kind of insanity that Charles Busch used to do. The genre
that writer and director Duncan Pflaster is sending up this time seems to be
children’s theatre. The ensemble is not unlike a troupe hopping from one cafitorium to another, pulling their odd collection of
Elizabethan-meets-storybook costumes and fake crowns out of a trunk to
assimilate the world of kings and queens and a little magic. This time,
however, it’s not for the kids, but would best be suited on a cabaret stage in
a gay bar where this kind of camp is most welcome.
More importance is laid upon
the style of the piece than the telling of a good story, but what story there
is harks back to the world of Restoration Comedy. The plot concerns King Kartoffelpuffen (Eric
C. Bailey), who gives up this kingdom to his oldest of three sons, Tater (Jon Crefeld).
Another son, Tonsure (Chris C. Cariker),
is sent off to a monastery, while the youngest son, Trevor (Carlos Rafael Fernandez) is sent off to
marry Queen Bluebella (Paula Galloway). Trevor is very unhappy about this - for he is in
love with the stable boy, Toby (Jess
Cassidy White). Trevor’s solution to the problem is to trade places with
his manservant, the very heterosexually hungry Grumbelino (Luke Strandquist). There is also a Princess Lana (Clara Barton Green) who is blinded when
she is forced to marry King Soignée of the Blind Sybarites (Keith Patrick Dunn), while pining for
her true love, a subject of her father’s court, Geoffrey (Jason Alan Griffen). In and out go the little trials and
tribulations, intrigues, and dalliances of the quirky group of characters until
all wrongs are set right and the proper mates are finally together in love.
The production is filled with
silly humor, sexual jokes, and glittery nudity. There is no big message past a
theme of the little guy winning for what is right and just. But since none of
the shenanigans can be taken seriously, or even as a parable of our modern day
lives, it is all pretty meaningless. The idea is to have a vapid good time,
with a little titillation as the cherry on top of a clown sundae, complete with
rainbow sprinkles. The success of such an adventure depends on the right venue
populated by the right audience and a couple of cocktails. Anyone looking for
substance in their theatre going experience won’t find it with Prince Trevor. The play isn’t even truly funny, but there is
a kind of ridiculousness that makes it somehow jolly, and the cast seems
enthusiastic and devoted enough to the material to make many embarrassing
scenes work in their favor.
David Withrow
has pulled together a colorful mix of storybook costumes mixing period with
modern elements and the effect works well for the piece. Kevin B. Ploth’s lighting was effective although limited by
festival restraints. Chris C. Cariker’s
fight choreography wouldn’t pass at the Delacorte Theatre, but it makes for
some fun swordplay that works within the ballooned world of this production. Original
music by Adam Rabin gave the
production some elegance, but could have been broadened to enhance even more. Great
creativity was shown with Alexandra
Finger’s terrific elephant puppet heads adorning a pair of glitter-painted
naked bodies moving like Balinese dancers. Clearly, Duncan Pflaster had a blast
pulling all of the zaniness together and means to give his audience a good
time, but it is only to particular tastes (or lack thereof), that this
entertainment will actually appeal.
Writing: 1
Directing: 1
Acting: 2
Sets: 0
Costumes: 2
Lighting/Sound: 2
Copyright 2008 by Michael D.
Jackson
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