A new musical version of the classic tale The Little Prince will premiere in Port Elizabeth next week.
VR Theatrical is hoping to enchant children and those who have a sense of magic when it brings its mini-musical to the Pemads Little Theatre at the Athenaeum from Wednesday to Sunday, October 10 to 14.
This brand new 60-minute adaptation has been written and directed by Elizma Badenhorst, with a score by Wessel Odendaal.Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s tale of a pilot and a young alien prince has been delighting readers since it was first published in 1943.
It has since been translated from the original French into more than 250 languages, making it the most translated book outside of religious works. Even if you know The Little Prince – or Le Petit Prince in French – by heart, the creators of this version believe they have given it a new twist.
This family show tells the story of the Little Prince, who leaves the safety of his own tiny planet to travel the universe, learning the oddities of adult behaviour through a series of extraordinary encounters. His personal journey culminates in a voyage to Earth and further adventures. Exupéry illustrated his novel himself and decided to omit any sketches of what the Pilot may have looked like, so Badenhorst took her cue from the author and will feature the first female Pilot to portray the iconic role.
Featuring a cast of puppeteers and actors, this evergreen tale is told with the help and wonderment of shadow and Japanese Bunraku puppetry. Caitlin Salgado, Nieke Lombard and Christelle van Graan make up the cast.
The Little Prince will have its South African premiere in Port Elizabeth before heading for Johannesburg, where it will play at Pieter Toerien’s Montecasino Theatre.
Tickets are available through Computicket and range in price from R100 to R120. This is family-friendly entertainment and the production runs at 65mins without an interval.
Show times are: 7.30pm on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 11am on Friday and 3pm on Saturday and Sunday.
For more information or group discounts, contact Chireen Fereirra on 083-538-6628 or chireen73@yahoo.com.