Based on a Scottish fairy tale by George MacDonald, The Light Princess premiered at the Royal National Theatre’s Lyttleton Theatre in 2013, starring Rosalie Craig in the lead role.

The show follows the story of Princess Althea who is afflicted by a constant weightlessness, keeping her head in the clouds literally and metaphorically! When her mother dies, Althea rejects the nationwide sorrow and ends up floating high above the kingdom, weightless, away from the emotions down below. It follows the journey of Althea and Prince Digby as their two kingdoms, Lagobel and Sealand, go to war. 

Music and lyrics were written by Tori Amos who is an American singer-songwriter and classically trained pianist. Although tipped for a Broadway transfer, it was concluded that the show wasn’t commercial enough for American audiences, with Amos saying:

"It wasn't commercial theater, so from the top down they (the National Theatre) said to us, do not dumb this down. You be brave, you be bold, you be confrontational. Sam and I said, well, this is a feminist fairy tale, and not everyone will be comfortable with it. It's not always going to make everyone feel warm and fuzzy. It brings up confrontations between teenagers and their parents, that would resonate in the 21st century…”

However, it captured the hearts of British audiences and subsequently a concert was launched at the Cadogan Hall in 2018 starring Rosalie Craig, returning to the role of Althea. Playing the role of Prince Digby was Hadley Fraser, whom Craig had married in 2014. The cast included: Trevor Dion Nicholas as King Darius, Gabrielle Brooks as Piper, Louis Maskell as Llewelyn, Norman Bowman as King Ignacio, Anna-Jane Casey as Sergeant at Arms, Laura Pitt-Pulford as Falconer and David Langham as Mr Flowers. Tori Amos and Samuel Adamson both attended and it received a standing ovation. 

The musical received mixed reviews although mainly positive. The Independent, Time Out, What’s on Stage, and the Evening Standard all gave it four stars. Simon Edge of The Daily Express gave it five stars, calling it “a feast for the eyes”! At the other end of the spectrum, The Guardian gave it two stars, believe it to lack emotional punch. 

We would love a revival of this wonderful musical, Besties. For a feminist story, challenging archaic gender stereotypes, look no further than this musical. That’s without mentioning the glorious score from Amos and Rosalie Craig’s stunning vocals. You can find it on streaming platforms. 

Facts:

Music by Tori Amos

Lyrics by Tori Amos

Book by Samuel Adamson

Theatre: Royal National Theatre (Lyttleton Theatre)

Run: 25 September 2013 – 2 February 2014

Olivier Awards:

Nominated: Best Actress in a Musical (Rosalie Craig); Best Lighting Design (Paule Constable); Best Sound Design (Simon Baker); Best Costume Design (Rae Smith)