Stepping Out Theatre’s production of The Little Prince is a charming, inventive theatergoing experience. The play immerses viewers in a twinkling set full of flowers and Christmas lights and is performed in the round, with the action shifted constantly, meaning that Finkelstein’s “theater as installation art” concept for her show is a success.
The script for Little Prince is closely based on Antoine de Saint Exupéry’s beloved children’s book. Stepping Out Theatre’s pared-down staging leaves the production open to channel the spirit of the book.
The opening scene of the play follows the Aviator (Lindsay Matteson) as her plane crashes over the Sahara Desert. The Aviator’s plane is a simple chair, but the presence of the play’s three other actors humming, buzzing and making other plane-related sound effects in concert turns a low-budget set piece into a sort of statement of purpose: This is a play that relies equally on its content and on its audience’s imagination.
Matteson gives a believable performance, first as a frustrated pilot, then as an adult. Her transformation from selfish adult to caring friend is a joy to watch, as are her interactions with the Little Prince (Sage Pagnozzi).
9-year-old Pagnozzi truly carries the play, with a lion’s share of dialogue. He serves as a guide throughout the play, narrating his personal journey through outer space. He begins on his own planet, where he has painstakingly raised the beautiful Rose (Angela Bolaños) who has begun to suffocate him with her demands for attention. He quickly moves through a succession of planets, where he encounters foolish inhabitants such as a businessman, a king and a geographer (all played by Ilana Watson). These self-important people lay the foundation for the play’s condemnation of the selfishness that comes with adulthood.
As the Little Prince continues his journey, he encounters the Fox (Watson), whom he befriends, tames and learns to love. The Fox eventually makes him realize his love for the Rose back on his home planet. Earth is the Little Prince‘s final stop, and he befriends the crafty Snake (Bolaños) as well as the Aviator.
The casting of this production is truly inspired. Bolaños’ slight frame and expressive features make her a natural fit for the role of the smooth-talking Snake and the part of the temperamental Rose, which both call for beauty and grace. Watson has a comfortable, commanding stage presence that keeps the attention of the Little Prince and her audience. She has a clear understanding of the material, and a fantastic sense of humor, timing and delivery in her roles as Businessman, Geographer and King. As the Fox, she is, in turn, vulnerable and wise. Matteson’s Aviator delivers a satisfying closing scene that displays her full range as an actress.
Pagnozzi performs with a wisdom and skill beyond her years. Her role calls for perhaps the widest spectrum of performances seen in the play, and she performs consistently and convincingly, in a way that few adult actors can. She truly seems to channel the spirit of the play, and makes a case that love and enthusiasm just might trump “adulthood” and “professionalism.”
The Little Prince was directed by Anna Finklestein, a 19-year-old Portland State student, and her “theater as installation art” concept for her show was definitely a success.