‘Once Upon a Mattress’ is a Sleeper Hit (Review)
A musical comedy theater classic is remounted with Sutton Foster, Michael Urie, Ana Gasteyer and a regal ensemble.
From the outside, Broadway’s Hudson looks like every other historic theater in midtown Manhattan. But purchase a ticket for the new revival of Once Upon a Mattress, currently running here, and you’ll hold the key to a kingdom of happiness.
The classic comedy has become a favorite among high school and community theaters, and for good reasons: It’s cute, it’s wholesome, it has a simple plot, and its relatively modest number of characters makes it easy to cast.
Although one might not consider it one of the greats in the canon of musical theater, it has certainly endured — and it’s also an important show for the sole reason that the entire score was composed by Mary Rodgers, not only noteworthy for the fact that a woman made her mark on Broadway in a male-dominated 1959 environment, but also because the daughter of Broadway royalty Richard Rodgers proved that she was an incredibly talented composer in her own right.
Several versions, based on the Hans Christian Andersen fable The Princess and the Pea, have transpired since its original Broadway opening, including two filmed-for-television adaptations and a Broadway revival in 1996 starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Jane Krakowski.
Now, one of the theater world’s favorite stars, Sutton Foster, has returned in a role originated by one of the world’s greatest comedians, Carol Burnett.
The role is Princess Winnifred the Woebegone, a plucky, irreverent soul who is so eager to find true love she refuses to wait for a drawbridge. Instead, she dives into the castle moat of Prince Dauntless the Drab (an intentionally flamboyant Michael Urie), a down-on-his-luck 15th-century royal who can’t find the right woman to marry.
His mother, Queen Aggravain (Ana Gasteyer), insists that no woman is right for her son. Every potential mate who comes into view is put through the wringer with a test that even an omnipotent clairvoyant would fail.
Enter Winnifred, a charming soul who just might win the heart — not only of Dauntless, but of everyone in the kingdom, including King Sextimus the Silent (David Patrick Kelly), Aggravain’s husband who was turned mute after a spell was cast upon him.
Broadway favorites Will Chase and Nikki Renee Daniels round out the cast as Sir Harry and Lady Larken, two lovers caught in a race against time. If Dauntless can’t get married, no one else in the town can either. The trouble is, Larken is pregnant.
Foster, one of the hardest-working actors in theater, gleefully takes center stage. Winnifred is a role seemingly tailor-made for Foster. In a recent televised interview with Burnett and Foster, the comic legend lavished praise on the Tony Award winner stating, “When I heard that they had cast you, I wondered what took them so long. You’re perfect.”
Perfect may be slightly hyperbolic. Foster sometimes overshoots the runway here with too many scene-chewing antics that are more forced than funny. Still, she is such a loveable personality that you’re willing to overlook the overacting.
Gasteyer is a constant delight and total treat. Her performance — which includes a mouthful of rapid-fire dialogue — is the reason bad characters are so good to watch. Urie, a stalwart favorite for Broadway comedy, delivers an endearingly neurotic prince with boyish charm and good looks.
Director Lear de Bessonet brings most of her cast over from the New York City Center Encores! Production, which played to raves at the start of 2024. One only wishes for a little more interior pizazz to this sparse castle, which has as much maximalism as a Japanese Zen Garden.
Unless these Renaissance royals are facing foreclosure, set designer David Zinn should bring the bling, especially since audiences are paying much more to see the razzle-dazzle of Broadway than they did when it was a modest staging at City Center.
Still, there is abundant joy to be found in Amy Sherman-Palladino’s slightly updated book. While deeply profound dramas and socially conscious works have their rightful place in the theatrical landscape, it’s perfectly fine to crave an occasional snack of frivolous fluff and froth. Once Upon a Mattress more than satisfies that urge.
Once Upon A Mattress (★★★★☆) is playing through Nov. 30 at the Hudson Theatre, 141 West 44th St. Tickets are $63 to $337. Visit www.onceuponamattressnyc.com.
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