The Canadian Jewish News, Friday, September 14, 1973 - Page 9
Arts
The Student Prince should be put somewhere for safekeeping
Sigmund Romberg's operetta, The Shident Prince, has been around for so long (at least 45 years), that it should be renamed The Graduate King. But whatever the title, the current edition of this effort, now at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, receives failing marks.
It's true that Romberg's music was quite revolutionary for its day, but its day was 45 years ago. Romberg's compositions have a certain romanticism, but they can't compare with the universality of the compositions of
Frederick Loewe, Richard Rpdgers, or more recently,^ Stephen Schwartz of God-spell and Pippin fame, or Stephen Sondheirti of Company, Follies and A Little Night Music fame.
Dorothy Donnelly's book ■ and lyrics are so trite and witless that they are not worth comparing with any other work.
And so the question arises: where does this frilly, pver-long, rather vacuous work fit in with today's musical? The answer seems to be, no where. It is by no means contemporary, and it is not nostalgic as Irene is, for as bad as Irene is, it still has a timeless, universal story behind it - the Cinderella story. Can The Student Prince say the same thing? I'm afraid not.
The story concerns a prince who comes to Heidelberg to forget about princely duties and enjOy the gay.
free life of a student. He sings, drinks, and falls in love, but all too soon he has to leave this idyllic life fO|r the rigors of being a king. Is an audience really supposed to identify with a couple who woiild forsake their love because it's for the good of the country? Hardly.
While the score and book have virtually no redeeming qualities, the production, as a whole, fares a little better, but not by much.
Harry Danner's Prince Karl Franz is young and infantile, instead of young and unsophisticated. His voice would be pleasant if it didn't have such a violent vibrato.
Bonnie Hamilton, as Katie, has a lovely voice, but a rather stiff acting style.
Ed Dixon, as Count Hugo Detlef, has a wildly quivering voice that cracks at times, and a constant smug, unwarranted self - assured air about him, that makes his
performance just about intolerable. . -
But there are a few redeeming qualities, and thank goodne.ss for them! Ray Wal-ston as Liitz has the best part and he makes the most of it. He is the sophisticated buffoon. Walston's timing is impeccable; he can throw a leer and always get a laugh. "Robert Rounseville'sDr;
Engel has great humility, dignity and sensitivity, and he has a, rich, deep; clear ydice/which makes his performance a pleasure.
Although she is on for a short time, Sandra Thornton as Princess Margaret leaves one with a good impression. Her princess is coy, confident and properly regal. She tops this off with a lovely.
lyrical voice.
But try as they do, those few.good performances can^t change what The Student Prince is, namely, a very old, very dusty museum
piece, and as such should be put away somewhere for. safe k€!eping, not dragged put on such stages: as the Royal Alexandra Theatre at $12 a ticket.
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