Photos by Jenna Whitnall
Have we reached the age where we no longer see the boa constrictor eating an elephant? Are you saying “huh?” to my question or do you get warm fuzzy feeling in recalling the ‘little prince’ from Asteroid B-612?
Before I go on any further, I have a confession. I am quite obsessed with The Little Prince. It’s to the point that I have multiple copies of it in languages that I can’t even remotely pronounce the title in. So I hope you can picture my excitement when I saw the poster for the play adaptation happening right here in Montreal. Geordie Productions is having a remount of The Little Prince starting October 13th and running until the 23rd at the Centaur Theatre located in Old Montreal. It’s time to let the boa constrictor swallow the elephant once again.
I don’t know about you but I love any excuse to be in Old Montreal, with or without a purpose. It’s the old charm thing that gets to me every time. So the fact that this play is taking place in Old Montreal is just another plus in my books. Centaur Theatre is quaint and classy. The nice big columns outside calls for a new artsy facebook profile picture, one of those where you casually lean on old architecture looking quite cultural.
The title character – the little prince – is being played by Daniel Brochu. He might appear a tad older than the sketch provided by Saint Exupery in the original, but he wouldn’t let you down with his charms and the giggle. Brochu’s spirit embodies this beloved prince quite well and his silver hair along with the green costume is rather adorable. The innocent and childish attitude of the little prince leaves a smile lingering on your face.
The stage background is simple but adequate. It really is the dialogue that makes this play, which, in my opinion, makes the book quite unique. The universal message that allows anyone of any age to enjoy this book is translated right into this play. Basically, it’s a play for you, your little brother, your mom and your grandmother, and your friends. It has the unique ability to translate lots of option for you to decide who to see it with.
Also not to sound like a thesis or anything but the embedded message within The Little Prince is to not lose your ability to see the world as a child. Seems like a good enough reason to go see it, right? Most of us in university (or at least myself) struggle to make the world realize that we are not actually adults… yet. We are in that weird limbo in becoming a “real person”. This play is kind of a celebration towards not fully being an adult, with a slightly more philosophical tweak to it. So go ahead and meet the little prince, let him bedazzle and remind you to allow a giggle out every so often and remember it really is not a hat but a dangerous boa constrictor.
The Little Prince
Centaur Theatre (453 St. Francois-Xavier)
Old Montreal
October 13th to 23rd, 2011
$16 for Students