Review: THE LITTLE PRINCE at Guthrie Theater

A downed aviator, miles of sand dunes, a beautiful flower, a charming fox, and a Little Prince fill the McGuire Proscenium Stage with a tale of love, loss, childhood wonder, and the strength to carry on when life seems to get rough.

The Guthrie has been known to produce masterful works of art by taking previously known material and transforming it into a fresh take and The Little Prince is no exception. The set may be bare bones, resembling an airplane hangar that our protagonist, Aviator, uses to tell his humble story but there is no shortage of magic that transpires in the, seemingly, solitary space. It is easy to create elaborate sets that inform the audience of what location we are currently visiting but the use of verbal imagery is truly profound within this production. Scenic designer, Rachel Hauck, has crafted a wonderful set that doesn't shy away from showing the audience the entire stage, wings and all.

With this choice, it is clear that Ms. Hauck is wanting us to know that there are not going to be tricks and gimmicks within the production to dazzle us. Instead, this is a story that works best when it focuses on the fantastical worlds created by the spoken word to elicit images in our minds and not what we can see with our eyes.

Although The Little Prince is classified as a children's story, it has certainly become a story that people of all ages have come to adore and relate to. Author, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry created a piece of literature that has lived on due to it's way of dealing with grief, forgiveness, adventure and the power of imagination. There is no shortage of heart within the story and this production never shies away from the beauty within the text, masterfully adapted by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar.

In case you are unfamiliar with the story of The Little Prince, a brief explanation may be needed: When an aviator's plane stalls in the Sahara desert miles from the nearest village. He is forced to try to fix his plane before running out of his small supply of food and water. Seemingly without explanation, a Little Prince appears to the aviator and over the course of many days, he recounts his tales of traveling through the galaxy to varies planets and the cast of colorful characters that he has met. As he shares his experiences, the aviator comes to understand that every planet seems to experience similar issues that we deal with here on Earth and through the shared experiences, a friendship begins to bloom.

It certainly takes a steady hand to direct a piece of theatre that, on the surface, is fantastical and filled with inter-galactic travel but deals with real issues that everyone in the audience will experience throughout their lives, children and adults alike.

Director, Dominique Serrand, demonstrates that he is the perfect steward of guiding the audience on this journey by coupling physical movement with the beautiful script to highlight the connections between the characters. Thereby making the audience more endeared to the characters, (small spoiler) so that when we are forced to see them separated, we are just as lost as the Little Prince is. Yes, it could be said that the story isn't a true "happy ending" kind of story but sometimes it is good to be reminded that life doesn't always end happily.

It would be a disservice to not mention the stellar cast that embodies the odd collection of characters that the audience has the pleasure of encountering on this fantastical journey. The cast may only have five members but they all work so harmoniously, especially considering that three of them play multiple characters to great effect.

It is always a joy to see an actor embody an adult who isn't afraid to embrace their inner child and leave it all on the stage. In this production, that honor goes to Steven Epp, who is brilliant as Aviator, our narrator and protagonist. Mr. Epp's range is on full display from the first few minutes of the production where he is so childlike, until the final moments where he is at his finest, while breaking our hearts into a million pieces.

I am sure there weren't many dry eyes in the house by the time the curtain fell due to the lasting impression that the final five minutes leave on the audience. I would suggest a tissue or two if you are an emotional person like me.

The Little Prince shines most when the audience is allowed to dream alongside with Aviator and the Little Prince while basking in the friendship that they form through their shared experiences, even if they come from completely different worlds.

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