The Sleeping Prince (play)

The Sleeping Prince: An Occasional Fairy Tale is a 1953 play by Terence Rattigan, conceived to coincide with the coronation of Elizabeth II in the same year.[1] Set in London in 1911, it tells the story of Mary Morgan, a young actress, who meets and ultimately captivates Prince Charles of Carpathia,[2] considered to be inspired by Carol II of Romania.[3]

First edition (publ. Hamish Hamilton 1954)

Original production

Laurence Olivier directed the original production at the Phoenix Theatre in London's West End on 5 November 1953, with the following cast:[4]

The production ran for 274 performances.[5]

Critical reception

Kenneth Tynan wrote in the Daily Sketch:

"Once upon a time there was an actor called gruff Laurence Olivier, whose wife was an actress called pert Vivien Leigh, and a playwright called clever Terence Rattigan wrote a play for them, called The Sleeping Prince, with a gruff part for him and a pert part for her, and to nobody's surprise it ran happily ever after, with twice-weekly matinées."[6]

The Spectator however, called it "the very best of its kind";[5]

Original Broadway production

Michael Redgrave directed the play on Broadway at the Coronet Theatre in November and December 1956, with the following cast:[7]

The production ran for 60 performances.[7]

Adaptations
Film

Marilyn Monroe bought the rights to the play and subsequently produced The Prince and the Showgirl (1957), with Rattigan also writing the screen adaptation.[8] The film was directed by and costarred Olivier, who reprised his role as Prince Charles.[9] Although a box office disaster in its day, the New York Times credits Olivier with extracting a "delightful, comic performance" from Monroe.[10]

Stage

In 1963 the play was also adapted into a musical as The Girl Who Came to Supper, with music and lyrics by Noël Coward.[11]

Awards and honors

Original Broadway production
Year Award ceremony Category Nominee Result
1957 Tony Award Best Costume Design Alvin Colt Nominated

References
  1. Bertolini, John A. (17 November 2016). The Case for Terence Rattigan, Playwright. Springer. ISBN 9783319409979 – via Google Books.
  2. Gale, Steven H. (1 February 1996). Encyclopedia of British Humorists: Geoffrey Chaucer to John Cleese. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780824059903 – via Google Books.
  3. http://www.natura2000oltenita-chiciu.ro/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Vladimir-Toncea-Carpathia-from-fictional-country-to-nature-conservation.pdf
  4. "Production of The Sleeping Prince - Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
  5. Wearing, J. P. (16 September 2014). The London Stage 1950-1959: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780810893085 – via Google Books.
  6. Shellard, Dominic (3 October 2017). Kenneth Tynan: A Life. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300099195 – via Google Books.
  7. League, The Broadway. "The Sleeping Prince – Broadway Play – Original - IBDB". www.ibdb.com.
  8. "Detail view of Movies Page". www.afi.com.
  9. "The Prince and the Showgirl (1957) - Laurence Olivier - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie". AllMovie.
  10. New York Times, review of The Prince and the Showgirl. Retrieved January 11, 2006.
  11. "The Girl Who Came to Supper Broadway @ Broadway Theatre - Tickets and Discounts - Playbill". Playbill.
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