Susan Granger’s review of “The Little Prince” (Broadway Theatre)
French aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s “The Little Prince” is a children’s classic. But if you’re thinking of buying tickets to the Broadway show, read on…
This simple fable relates the story of a child who travels the universe gaining wisdom. His tale begins as a pilot (Aurelien Bednarek) crash-lands in the desert, where he encounters a young boy (spiky-haired Lionel Zalachas) who asks him to draw a sheep. Obliging, the narrator conjures up gymnastic dancers.
The androgynous narrator (Chris Mouron), who calls the lad ‘The Little Prince,’ learns that the boy comes from a very small asteroid with three tiny volcanos- and where he lovingly tended a single flower, a red rose (Laurisse Sulty).
Then The Little Prince began travelling to other planets. That’s where he encounters a king (Joan Bertrand), a vain man (Antony Cesar), drunkard (Marie Menuge), businessman (Adrien Picaut), lamplighter (Marcin Janiak) , and snake (Srilata Ray).
But it’s an astute fox (Dylan Barone), who passes on the most profound wisdom: “What is essential is invisible to the eye; it is only visible to the heart.”
These interludes are punctuated by aerial acrobatics, bathed in color and sound, in front of Marie Jumelin’s video designs, which lamely attempt to duplicate Saint-Exupery’s fanciful illustrations, projected on an upstage cyclorama.
Problem is: these vignettes are excruciatingly confusing and, ultimately, boring. Children were squirming in their seats as their equally perplexed parents tried to explain what was happening on-stage. Many, understandably, left at intermission.
After premiering in Paris in 2019, this musical has, apparently, toured extensively, including ‘sold out’ runs in Sydney and Dubai – leading one to wonder if, perhaps, some essential ingredient was lost en route.
Directed and choreographed by Anne Tournie, it’s adapted and co-directed by Chris Mouron with recorded music by Terry Truck. Peggy Housset designed the costumes, while the lighting is by Stephane Fritsch and sound by Tristan Viscogliosi.
Whatever this version of “The Little Prince” intended to be – it isn’t. If you want to delight your children, find another family-friendly show or watch Stanley Donen’s 1974 musical with Richard Kiley, Bob Fosse and Gene Wilder or Mark Osborne’s 2015 animated version with Jeff Bridges and Rachel McAdams.