Once Upon A Mattress (Upstairs at the Gatehouse)

[stevej678]

Alces Productions, who brought the Gershwin musical Strike Up The Band to Upstairs at the Gatehouse earlier this year, return to Highgate in March 2020 with Once Upon A Mattress.

So begins Once Upon a Mattress, a magical musical comedy journey into the world of Hans Christian Anderson’s beloved story of the princess and the pea.

But this isn't your usual fairy tale, and princess Winnifred isn't your usual fairy-tale princess. The Kingdom in which she seeks her prince seethes with a very adult problem, which won’t end until a very stubborn Queen Aggravain allows her son to marry Alas, he is his mother’s prince, and is any princess really good enough?

The 1959 classic Tony-nominated hit from Mary Rodgers – daughter of legendary composer Richard Rodgers – returns to London for the first time in many moons!

Once Upon A Mattress runs from 4 to 29 March 2020.

www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com/once-upon-a-mattress

[oxfordsimon]

This is a show I have been intrigued about for a long time. Some good tunes in it.

Tempting

[ftfadia]

This is one I've known the music from for years but never seen, thanks for the tip!

[FrontroverPaul]

This is now opening on Thursday 5 March and tickets cost only £10 for the first two performances.

[tonyloco]

The original London production of this show at the Adelphi ran for just 24 performances from 20 September 1960 but I managed to see one of them and would have gone back for more had it not closed so quickly.

I remember enjoying it a great deal, with my favourite performer being Thelma Ruby although she is not mentioned in the bits about the production currently on the internet. I also vaguely remember Max Wall as being very good.

I have no idea why the production flopped. EMI thought it worthwhile to record a cast album on HMV but the public apparently wasn't interested.

I wish the new production lots of luck and hope the show finds favour this time around.

[sherriebythesea]

I remember watching this on TV with Carol Burnett in the early 70's and loving it. I would be so nice to see but it is opening after my Feb London trip.
I keep threatening my children I'm going to move to London and go to the theatre every night but they know I couldn't stay away from grandkids for very long.

[FrontroverPaul]

I saw the opening performance of this on Thursday evening. Disappointingly low attendance considering it was a £10 ticket night, though the weather was appalling.

It's a strange little comedy - musical and I can see why it hasn't achieved much commercial success. It's not quite a kids' show but possibly too "fairy-taleish" to attract an adequate weekday adult audience for quite a long run.

I enjoyed it a lot, especially Beth Burrows as a quirky American-accented Princess (Winni)Fred. She gets most of the best laughs but the whole cast give it their all. Some good songs but nothing outstanding.

I had my usual front row seat. The performers came VERY near during several frantic routines, as in 42nd Street, which is part of the fun for me but could be uncomfortable.

Running time 2 hours 15 minutes including interval.

[oxfordsimon]

I had no idea until last night that Disney made a version of this 15 years ago with Burnett as the Queen, Tracey Ullman as Fred.

It is a truncated version of the score but enjoyable if a little silly.

Burnett is in outfits by Bob Mackie and so looks like RuPaul most of the time.

It is currently on Disney+ if you fancy 90 mins of camp fun