Lamb’s Players Theatre playwright/director Kerry Meads has done it once again she has created yet another stellar holiday production with this season’s Festival of Christmas play, “Once Upon A Time.”
This year’s festival travels back to the days of old, when warring kingdoms were put to peace by the union of a prince and princess from each. It’s Christmas Eve and the night before the royal wedding when Princess Linnae (Bettina Warren) decides to have one last adventure before she marries the prince, a man she has yet to meet. What ensues for the princess and her ladies in waiting is a festive and unforgettable holiday night.
The production is bound to captivate audience members from the start with the immediate introduction of Elsebethe (Sara Tobin) and Greta (Barbara Williams), the two ladies in waiting. Elsebethe, who lives by the royal handbook, is quite the opposite of Greta, a daydreamer who interprets everything with a fairy tale meaning.
And it’s Greta’s twisted imagination which provides much of the humor throughout the play, as she continually gets carried away with romanticizing the princess’ arranged marriage. Williams has successfully developed her character into the real funny bone of the play, and Meads’ writing just lets her run with it.
Other notable performances include actress Devlin as Hilder. Her accent, seemingly hailing from somewhere in the Netherlands, is enough to make a person chuckle no matter how funny her lines are. But the chemistry between her character and her husband, Otto (Paul Maley), adds even further to the amusement, especially during the play’s “finale.”
The set design for “Once Upon A Time” also deserves some mention. Scenic designer Mike Buckley has truly outdone himself this time, combining utterly simple yet intriguing pieces which make the set a real eye pleaser. The versatility of it all even garnered applause on opening night, as audience members watched it magically change in front of their eyes.
Once again, Lamb’s Players Theatre has created a holiday production, steeped in traditionalism, yet spewing with originality. One certainly need not be a theater aficionado to enjoy “Once Upon A Time.”
The production runs through December 29. Tickets range from $18-$28. For information on performance times or to purchase tickets, call 437-0600.
