THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 30, 1994 TAG: 9409280112
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Theater Review
SOURCE: BY MONTAGUE GAMMON III, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
Lively, cheerful musical scripts such as ``Once Upon A Mattress,'' are the meat and potatoes of community theaters, and the Little Theatre of Portsmouth will please local fans with the current production.
Nerve and spirit count for more than superficial polish here, where theatrical novices can take some early steps on the boards in the company of seasoned troupers.
From adolescents making their first stage appearances outside of school to stalwarts of the Portsmouth stage, all offer their wide range of talents with unfailing enthusiasm.
Though the main plot of ``Mattress'' concerns the naive Prince Dauntless and the tomboyish Princess Winnifred, a romantic subplot about one Sir Harry and his Lady Larken dominates a sizeable portion of the show.
In this wry version of the familiar princess and the pea fable, the prince's hopes for marriage are thwarted by his domineering and possessive mother. Each time an eligible lass appears at the castle, Queen Aggravain puts her to some impossibly difficult test. She claims her purpose is to assure that her son's spouse is of sufficiently high and royal quality.
An edict bans all marriage until the royal heir finds a bride, so widespread disappointment greets each candidate's failure.
That command has not prevented Sir Harry and Lady Larken from consummating their relationship. Since the consequences of their ardor are soon to become apparent, he is strongly motivated to find his prince a wife.
From some swampy bordering kingdom, he brings back a vivacious, brash and distinctly unsophisticated woman who is perfectly happy shortening her given name to Fred.
Bryan Bender, as Harry, and Eileen Donis-Forster, as Lady Larken, are two vocalists of note in this show. Bender's rich baritone voice would stand out in almost any company. Donis-Forster, who moved from understudy to lead, has a sweet, true sound that is less flashy than Bender's but quite appealing.
The other memorable singer is a high school student, Wendy Scott. She warbles a brief, wordless and lovely tune as the nightingale, in which part her voice is especially appropriate.
Jamie Bender brings an earthy heartiness to her role as Winnifred. She sells her number shy with lots of zest and irony, for shy is one thing Fred isn't. It's always fun to watch her in this part written for an uninhibited clown.
Alice Everhart manages to make her Queen Aggravain remarkably like the Queen of Hearts from Lewis Carroll's stories. She and Tom Falls, who looks imposing but doesn't have much to say as the wizard, suggest without ever a word that there's something special going on between their characters.
Garry Stewart as Price Dauntless, Carl Hansen as King Sextimus the Silent, S.J. MacBeth as the Jester and Larry Patterson as the Minstrel all add to the show.
``Once Upon A Matress'' can justifiably boast that is was choreographed by Gwen Spear Meng, whose name has been associated with many of the best dancing in Hampton Roads for quite some time. No small part of the show's energy can be credited to her efforts. ILLUSTRATION: AT A GLANCE
The show will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Oct.
7 and 8 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 9. Performances will be held at Wilson
High School, 1401 Elmhurst Lane. Tickets are $8 for adults and $7
for senior citizens, students and enlisted military. Group rates are
available. Call the theater at 488-7866.
by CNB