The Light Princess review, Lyttelton Theatre

Every now and then you see something so unexpected it knocks your socks off. The new Tori Amos musical - yes, she of From The Choirgirl Hotel - has so knocked them off I am metaphorically bare footed. The Light Princess is the story of Princess Althea and Prince Digby whose kingdoms are separated by a wilderness. Althea is defying gravity. Her inability to cry after her mother's death has left her so light inside, she floats: literally.  Digby can't smile. His pain after his mother's death has robbed him of joy. When they both run away to a magic lake to escape their power-mad fathers, sparks fly...

Crown Princess

Nothing is simple in this musical. From the crammed, computer generated, storyboard at the beginning to fun and frolics in a woodland lake with live flowers and hopping frogs, it is a rich and sumptuous watch. The floating princess sings while held and moved through the air on the feet of acrobats, and carried up and down shelf stacks on their backs. Ribbons are used to represent entrapment, vomit and pure eroticism. Marianne Elliot's direction is inspiring and action-packed: no space on the vast stage is left unfilled. The visuals match densely written songs which offer few interludes for the action to unfold organically. As a result the story really is too busy, and the music never gets a chance to breathe until it finally bursts its stays in the last twenty minutes. But it's more than the sum of its parts. It's fantastic.

The draw was Clive Rowe as Althea's father. He sings an absolute show stopper in the second half. The discoveries were the two leads. Rosalie Craig as Althea beautifully executes a part that has her singing while prone, while floating, while upside down, and while balancing precariously on the acrobats' bodies. Nick Hendrix as Digby has an angelic voice and his melodic wooing in the first half is spine tingling. Fabulous singing too from Amy Booth-Steel, Malinda Parris and Laura Pitt-Pulford. The acrobats are Owain Gwynn, Tommy Luther, Emma Norin and Nuno Silva.

In conclusion: The Lyttelton is one of the few theatres in London that is a) reasonably priced and b) has subsidised child and student tickets.  The Light Princess brings Tori Amos back with a bang. Rae Smith's set is a delight. Martin Lowe conducts an excellent orchestra.  Take your kids, take your partner, take yourself. It's great fun: an early Christmas treat.

Reference
Lyttelton Theatre, Tickets

National Theatre, South Bank, London SE1 9PX.   Previews to Oct 9, run ends 9 January 2014.