More Theater Monday - Once Upon a Mattress

We were given free tickets to Once Upon a Mattress for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: Once Upon a Mattress

Where: The Gallery Players
             199 14th St.
             Brooklyn, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 13 and Up

When: Through March 17, 2019

Me - Once Upon a Mattress was a good show. It was a very unique version of the Princess and the Pea. I had never seen the show before but I enjoyed it a lot. The plot of the show was interesting. The songs were fun to listen to. I don't remember them much now, but I definitely would want to listen to them again. I do remember the song, Shy. It was a really funny song. It is one of my favorites from the show. The characters  in the show were amusing. I especially liked the character of Winifred, the princess. She was a good role model for young girls because she wasn't afraid to be herself. The acting in the show was good. The actress who played Winifred was really perfect for the role and did a good job in it.  However, all of the actors were good. All in all, it was a very fun show.

Mom - Once Upon a Mattress is basically a quirky reimagining of the story of The Princess and the Pea. The Princess in this version, although she begs to differ is definitely no shrinking violet but instead is one of the fiestiest heroines to ever grace the stage. She was originally played on Broadway in 1950's by the brilliant Carol Burnett making her Broadway debut. In the Gallery Players production of the show, Alyson Leigh Rosenfeld is more than fit to carry on in Ms. Burnett shoes. Her take on the role is both charming and hilarious. Another standout in the show is Luisa Boyaggi who plays the role of Queen Aggravain mother of the Prince. Her portrayal is just enough to show what a commanding and forceful presence the queen is without being so over the top scary as to frighten the young children in the audience. There were qute a few children in the audience at the performance which we attended and while none were frightened by the queen, some of the younger ones had trouble sitting through the show's two hour plus running time. Accordingly, we would recommend the show for at least 7 or 8 or up. It should be noted that there are some references in the show which may be considered inappropriate including a reference to an out of wedlock pregnancy. However, those seemed to go right over the head of the children in the audience, ando hey really seemed to enjoy the show as did the adults in attendance. It is definitely a fun show for all and worth seeing.

And that's our view. Tips for Tuesday will be closed this week. Tune in Wednesday for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

Photo credits: All Once Upon a Mattress production photos by Steven Pisano