Review: The Fruity Prince, The Space

It’s rare that I get a bra thrown at me at the theatre. I think this is a moment that sums up The Fruity Prince perfectly: it’s lively, enthusiastic and, most importantly, funny. The jokes immediately come thick and fast, and the ample material constantly entertains. The humour is often saucy and always fruity, but not once did I feel exhausted, with this production carrying enough energy and creativity to avoid ever coming across as tiresome or trite.

Our first point of contact with Toby France’s unique brand of humour is the production’s premise. Queen Liz I (Tandazani Sigauke) has a bastard son, Henry (France), who she trains as her potential successor. However, despite her best efforts, Henry chooses a different path for himself. He falls in with “Will” Shakespeare’s (Katie Driver) theatre company, and soon joins them at a wrap-party orgy that leaves him with fresh ideas about his sexuality and future, as well as a burgeoning relationship with actor Jonty Squires (Oscar Da Silva understudying for John Posnett). This new outlook throws a spanner in the works, and the drama unfolds as Queen Liz desperately tries to cajole Henry back onto the path to kingship.

This is a new, updated London production of The Fruity Prince, which I originally saw at The Vault during the Edinburgh Fringe. The Space is a much larger venue – a converted church which fits the Elizabethan setting well. The stage is very slim, using the back wall of the church, and filling the majority of the nave with seating. This is potentially a very dynamic venue, with five entrances and a large choir loft at one end, so it would have been nice to see the production explore this space more. However, the Pesky Players do make interesting use of staging, with doors at opposite ends creating the feeling of a carousel. This contributes to the production’s driving rhythm, maintaining a welcome flow between each of the wild scenes.

Such a constant pace is impressive considering the production is around 20 minutes longer than its Fringe counterpart, and now includes an interval. Additional scenes fit well and feel comprehensive, compounding the play’s absurdity: Henry’s banishment to a convent gives way to a hilarious dance sequence with nuns, whilst a scene that sees Shakespeare subject to a homophobic book-burning offers a darker change in tone that is impactful in its brevity.

This update also includes more characters, and the fact that these never become confusing or distract from the plot is a testament to excellent performances. Each is very tongue-in-cheek, un-serious but not amateur. Sigauke stands out as Queen Liz; with a delightfully drawling accent she draws out her character’s quirks and eccentricities, commanding every one of her scenes – “I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman,” snarls Liz, “but I have the heart and stomach of a total slag.”

The jokes are varied and frequent, with something for everyone. Puns like “serving Kent” might only resonate with a younger audience, but the more physical comedy will also leave older audience members cackling. An Elizabethan version of Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ is a real highlight, although the performance could benefit from microphones.

This production is a truly wild ride – musical, physical, and hilariously unpredictable. France’s ending monologue is brief but thought-provoking, moving the play into more serious territory by reminding us that the persecution the plot revolves around was, and is, all too real.

In the case of The Fruity Prince, bigger is definitely better. This production has clearly benefited from the longer runtime and larger space, providing a juicy story that is bound to entertain.

Written by: Toby France
Costume Design by: Tandazani Sigauke
Produced by: The Pesky Players

The Fruity Prince plays at The Space until 13 Janauary. A livestream recording will also be available on-demand for a further two weeks. Further information can be found here.