Raise the Hammer
Like most Generation Y girls, we were raised watching Disney movies that promote the idea of finding your "one true love" in the form of Prince Charming. Then reality steps in and I'm often wondering why I bothered to shave my legs for another bad date.
I found playwright Kelly Aija Zemnickis's work "Prince Charming: Missing Person" to be a fresh and modern take on the cliché idea of fairy tale romance.
In the land of Ikea, Prince Charming leaves the Princess distraught after ending their five year relationship. As he hands back her key (her Allen key in true Ikea form) the Princess is left reeling in her misery.
She does what most broken-hearted do: takes to the bottle.
Laura Kyswaty plays the Princess (and an adorable drunk I might add) in a bubble-gum pink dress lamenting her stories of woe to the bartender of the local watering hole. The bartender asks the age old question: why do girls always go for the jerks?
The handmaiden to the Princess (Jennifer Wren) is the comedic star of the show, as she is able to walk the fine line of ditzy-sidekick and honest-modern girl with ease.
Watching her attempt her testosterone-hungry magic while hitting on the uninterested bartender culminates in the great line "Mmmm, you smell like stability."
The conversation between her and the Princess as they talk dating and men could have been any conversation I've had with my own girlfriends over the last ten years. As a 20 (ok, 20 +10)-something, I found the honesty about bathroom-bangs and online dating sites refreshing.
Zeminickis doesn't gloss over the fact that sometimes, dating just sucks.
The best part for me about the show is when Charming comes begging for another chance. Going against the norm, the Princess sticks up for herself and decides she deserves better.
You can almost hear Beyoncé in your head singing, "If you liked it then you shoulda' put a ring on it".
A simple set with modern props and a cool soundtrack all contribute to a great show that teaches just because you're a Princess doesn't mean you have to end up with Prince Charming ... thankfully.
By BobbyR35 (anonymous) | Posted July 28, 2014 at 15:56:05
I had to give this production two thumbs down.
If corny puns aren't enough to win you over, I'm afraid the only other way one could appreciate this show is in experiencing a sense of community and understanding if one share's the writer's own perspective; if you are lamenting the loss of your 'Prince Charming' but would rather accept a fairy tale life without the fairy tale ending rather than break the silly paradigm altogether, you might like this show. Otherwise, steer clear.
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