Review: THE LITTLE PRINCE Takes Flight at New Rep

Music by Rick Cummins; book and lyrics by John Scoullar; based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry; directed and choreographed by Ilyse Robbins; musical direction by Todd C. Gordon; scenic design, Matthew Lazure; costume design, Chelsea Kerl; lighting design, Karen Perlow; sound design, Michael Policare; stage manager, Anna Burnham

Cast in Alphabetical Order:

Andrew Barbato as Men of Planets, Fox; Wil Moser as The Little Prince; Nick Sulfaro as The Aviator; Laura Jo Trexler as Rose, Snake

Performances and Tickets:

Now through December 21, New Repertory Theatre, Charles Mosesian Theater, Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown, Mass.; tickets range from $30-$60 and are available online at www.newrep.org or by calling the Box Office at 617-923-8487.

The perennial favorite Peter Pan may tug at our hearts with the story of a boy who won't grow up, but THE LITTLE PRINCE, in a musical version now on stage at the New Rep in Watertown through December 21, is the tale of a man who grew up too fast. Based on the evergreen children's novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, THE LITTLE PRINCE is a fantastic fable in which a mysterious boy from a far-off planet brings childhood wonder back to a joyless adult.

When a daring Aviator (the handsome Nick Sulfaro) crash lands in the Sahara Desert while on a mission to deliver mail, he encounters an enigmatic Little Prince (Wil Moser) who turns out to be an interplanetary traveler. The Aviator is desperate to fix his plane and return home before he runs out of drinking water, but the strange "little man" entices the flyer to draw illustrations for him while he tells of his adventures across the galaxies. At first reluctant, The Aviator eventually becomes captivated by his odd companion, and soon they share a strange and wonderful journey in search of meaning and simple joys. By the time The Little Prince has discovered that the very fulfillment he seeks is back on the planet he left behind, The Aviator has found that his true happiness has been inside him all the time.

Sulfaro handles his transition from rigid pragmatism to spiritual awakening with a very appealing subtlety. He gradually loosens and becomes more animated with each new story that The Little Prince tells. By the end of Act I, when he realizes that he has lost but is now reconnecting with his childhood "boy who drew," he triumphs in song, determined to return to "Some Otherwhere."

As The Little Prince, Moser strikes a fascinating pose as the man/boy whose universal wisdom is packaged in youthful innocence. With his slender frame and shock of wavy blond hair that looks as if it had been frozen in place while traveling at warp speed through a wind tunnel, Moser exudes charm and gentle mystery simultaneously. His laugh is also a perfectly perplexing mix of knowing sarcasm and joyful abandon.

Laura Jo Trexler and Andrew Barbato ably enact all of the characters that The Little Prince encounters during his year-long travels. Trexler is suitably self-absorbed as the preening Rose whom The Little Prince leaves behind. Her warm soprano soars on "What a Beautiful" and "I Love You Goodbye." She also slithers enticingly as the dangerous desert Snake, demonstrating her dance moves to complement her pure vocals.

But it is Barbato who shines in a tour-de-force performance as six distinctively lonely men living in their own little worlds across the universe. First he is a hollowly harrumphing King who "rules over everything" but has no subjects. Next he wails "Admire Me" as a Conceited Man who has no friends. His Businessman has no time for idle dreaming since he pursues "important things" like money and possessions. As the kindly Lamplighter, he laments that "The Days Go So Quickly," forcing him into an endless loop of lighting and extinguishing the one street lamp on his tiny planet. Next he is a Geographer who doesn't explore the worlds he maps. Finally he cavorts delightfully as a not-so-wild desert Fox who wouldn't mind being tamed in order to enjoy The Little Prince's company. Barbato brings a fresh voice and unique physicality to each character. He is delicious to watch.

Countless words of wisdom are sprinkled throughout THE LITTLE PRINCE, some expressed directly while others are embedded in the subtext. Although the "lessons" are never overwrought, some judicious pruning of the lesser parables and songs might have helped to make the running time more manageable. One has to wonder if younger children can maintain focus through some of the more esoteric passages.

Director/choreographer Ilyse Robbins and her creative team have done a fine job creating a mythical and mystical world in which her characters can play. However, the fixed platforms and playing areas in the set restrict movement somewhat, making scenes and especially songs that should be transformative seem static. The whimsical costumes, fanciful sundials and dynamic projections are terrific, though. They transport us to a nondescript but magical time and place where imagination runs free.

The heart and soul of THE LITTLE PRINCE lies in the relationship between The Aviator and his alter-ego The Little Prince. As the one reconnects with his childhood spirit, the other matures into an unselfish man. In this New Rep production, Sulfaro and Moser achieve that synergy beautifully. It may take a while to get there, but in the end the inevitable denouement is very touching.

PHOTOS BY ANDREW BRILLIANT: Nick Sulfaro as The Aviator and Wil Moser as The Little Prince; Wil Moser; Wil Moser and Andrew Barbato as the Fox; Wil Moser, Laura Jo Trexler, and Andrew Barbato as the Lamplighter; Wil Moser and Nick Sulfaro

To post a comment, you must register and login.