Thing of Beauty

Despite its PC cuddliness, Sleeping Beauty creates some genuinely fun villains.

by Mark Cofta

Sometimes adults forget that the most exciting characters in works for children are also the scariest. So it is with the Arden Theatre Co.'s Sleeping Beauty, which, despite its PC cuddliness, creates some genuinely fun villains.

Sleeping Beauty, aka Briar Rose (played with spunk by Nako Adodoadji), is a pawn in the struggle between evil Modron (Sally Mercer, who clearly enjoys the casting against type) and her good sister Branwen (Cathy Simpson). When Branwen offers the foundling to childless King Peredur (Paul Nolan) and Queen Guinevere (Mary Elizabeth Scallen), Modron curses the baby: On her 16th birthday, she'll prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die. Branwen can't reverse this, but alters it: Briar Rose will instead sleep for a century, until a kiss awakens her.

Charles Way's script stresses family bonds with some humorously realistic parent-child conflicts. "It's like everyone knows something about me except me," whines Briar Rose like any teen resisting parental control. Way also creates a believably awkward romance between Briar Rose and clumsy Prince Owain (David Raphaely), including the inevitable smooch, which will satisfy all those who say "awww" at such moments without betraying those likely to groan.

His most fun creation, though, is Branwen's sidekick, Gryff, a wisecracking half-dragon, half-man played with hyperactive acrobatics by Doug Hara. He becomes Briar Rose's invisible-to-all-but-her guardian, leading to fun antics as her "imaginary friend" plays tricks on her hapless parents.

Equally clever are the Tylwyth Teg, dangerously mischievous fairies "no taller than a hand, no wider than a smile" played by the cast's four women like giddy tweens at a Hannah Montana concert.

A large clock face looms over Kris Stone's abstract set, framed by pendulums representing the sun (for Branwen) and moon (Modron) on a thrust stage that keeps action close to the audience. Richard St. Clair's fantastical costumes set a high standard in the Arden's annual holiday children's play, and don't disappoint here, except for Nolan's unimposing Spider King, who inexplicably uses a walker. Director Whit MacLaughlin's production includes clever touches, like Gryff's green sandwich and the cello bow Branwen brandishes to cast spells.

The adventure builds to a scary showdown between Modron and Owain, with Briar Rose the prize; though she's a modern sword-fighting tomboy — and black, shattering the pervasive white-blond princess stereotype — she's still more object than person. That's still the story, but Way and this terrific production almost let us forget.

(m_cofta@citypaper.net)

Sleeping Beauty

Through Jan. 27Arden Theatre Co.40 N. Second St.215-922-1122, ardentheatre.org