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Adults Won't Sleep Through This 'Beauty'

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By KATHY L. GREENBERG

Tribune correspondent

Published: March 12, 2009

Updated:

When we think of "Sleeping Beauty," as so many of us often do, the 1959 Walt Disney film comes to mind. The beautiful princess is cursed, pricks her finger on an outlawed spindle, falls into a coma and awaits the handsome prince to save her with a kiss.

The animated movie is, in fact, one of several versions of the 17th century fairy tale. Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, Tchaikovsky, Anne Rice and even the Muppets all put original spins on the story.

In 1993, Welsh playwright Charles Way followed in those illustrious footsteps, turning the children's yarn into a play that appeals to all ages, without the biased gender roles.

This modern retelling is just the kind of high-quality, cutting-edge material that interests Eric Davis, artistic director of Tampa Bay's FreeFall Theatre Company. FreeFall's production of Way's adaptation opens tonight at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

"He contemporizes characters in a way that makes them accessible to modern audiences but retains the quality of a fairy tale. This version is not the kind of play where parents take the kids and the parents nap during the play," Davis said.

The princess here is called Briar Rose (a la the Brothers Grimm). Unlike Disney's wimpy Aurora, Way's girl is a powerful female character who knows how to use a sword.

Similarly, the prince is not a born hero. Rather, Owain is a gawky teenager who, Davis said, "has to learn to grow up and find his way in the world."

Modron, the Dark Witch, is bad for a good reason: She wasn't invited to Briar Rose's christening.

"Charles Way often doesn't have evil characters just to be evil. We learn things about Modron's experiences that lead us to understand why she reacts the way she does," Davis said.

Where the playwright's imagination shines is in his invention of characters based on newer storytelling devices and symbols from earlier interpretations. Gryff is the sidekick to both prince and princess - the anchor and uniting force in the story. Half man and half dragon, he is the result of the bumbling Bright Witch's botched spell.

In the second act, the Spider King appears as a sort of road sign for Owain.

"The story centers around thread and spinning. Way has taken the idea of a spider being a spinner and turned it into a character that the prince has to visit," Davis said.

Other funny and fantastical creatures emerge to lead the prince to his princess - the inevitable, classic conclusion. Thoughtful, action-packed and set in a magical Celtic world, this "Sleeping Beauty" is designed to delight and beguile everyone.

THEATER PREVIEW

Sleeping Beauty

WHEN: through March 29; 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, TECO Theater, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa

TICKETS: $18 to $24; call (813) 229-7827 or go to www.tbpac.org

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