“Interests Aren’t Gendered” message from The Damsel in Distress saves the day for NB elementary schools

by Miguel Roy

Children’s theatre can go one of two ways. It can be one hundred percent for the kids, or it can be “for all ages.” The Damsel in Distress Who Saved Herself clearly falls under the latter category.

Written by Fredericton’s Kira Smith and presented by TNB’s Young Company under the direction of Tania Breen, the show revolves around three central characters—Princess Cordelia (Rachel Hastings), Prince Colby (Jean-Michel Cliche), and the Witch (Freitzen Kenter)—who make up the cast of this grand adventure through the perilous towers that hide the princess.

The adventure takes place as Princess Cordelia, who much prefers the name Corrie, is getting fed up with living in a cursed tower guarded by a Witch who just wants the best for her. The handsome prince Colby comes to the rescue as the duo makes their way through challenges both dangerous and puzzling. As the tale unfolds, we find out that these two characters aren’t your traditional fairytale Prince and Princess. Corrie happens to enjoy archery and adventure, while Colby much prefers cooking, poetry, and musical theatre. All this is represented by the show’s clearest message: “Interests aren’t gendered.”

The show sports a powerful message for boys and girls of all ages: they can be brave heroes no matter what they like to do. And the message is reinforced with a message of friendship and cooperation. Not only do the characters exist outside the preconceived gender norms of most fairytales, they do away with the common love story and allow the characters to exist as their own people, rather than two halves of a couple.

Despite the playwright’s best efforts, however, the comedy distracts from some of the message. In some moments where Colby’s interests are meant to shine through as being just as valid as Corrie’s, it is played for humour rather than a celebration of his skills. While these moments are few and far between, they still give the sense that Colby’s interests in cooking and singing aren’t necessarily as “cool” as Corrie’s interests.

As for the performances themselves, all three actors give a phenomenal show. Not only is their acting fantastic and funny, but their physicality is mind blowing. Major moments in the show are mimed so convincingly that you’ll believe every glass wall they get trapped behind. Mix this with Michael Doherty’s stellar sound design and you’ve got yourself a killer act.

The actors move the set around themselves, but this is never done outside of the story. Rather, the actors are constantly in character and performing while they move the large set pieces, giving every change a feeling of continuity and cutting down on silent air. It gives the entire thing a smooth, fluid movement that is greatly appreciated.

The audience at the Black Box performance on the 6th of April consisted mostly of adults, a departure from their usual elementary school performances, and yet every one of us was giggling along and loving the silliness of the whole thing.

Kira Smith’s The Damsel in Distress Who Saved Herself played to over 15,000 New Brunswick students on a two month TNB Young Company tour before its penultimate showing at STU’s Black Box Theatre April 6, 2017.