Going to Prana’s production of A Little Princess today only to enjoy watching it, this theater buff had to praise the 28+ children who performed in it anyway. Sara Crewe was a book I loved as a child, and was later expanded in plot by author Frances Hodgson Burnett to be named A Little Princess. 

Telling the story of a motherless girl whose Papa must go to India and leaves Sara in the care of a boarding school in London, the actors gave this tragic then heartwarming story a fine showing. Claire Nielsen was outstanding as Sara, with a proper British accent and some excellent French as well. She brought life to this kindly girl who befriends a scullery maid her age, despite the jealousies and taunts of the other girls. Her pampered life comes to an abrupt end when word reaches London that her father has died and she is suddenly a pauper. The wicked headmistress of the school, Miss Minchin, was played with great panache by Aster Kris in the first act, and Lucia Pasquariello in the second. 

After fawning over Sara because her father left so much money for her care, Miss Minchin showed her true colors when the money was gone. Suddenly Sara can no longer attend school, must be a scullery maid herself, has hardly enough to eat, and has to sleep in the attic with rats. There was great satisfaction all around when Sara’s uncle, (Tim Condor, who spoke clearly and projected well) who had been looking for her all over Europe, finds her in the attic next door.  He was only trying to help out the poor scullery girls, not knowing one was Sara herself. This Crewe, decked out in velvets and waistcoats, gave the British snobbery a great tweak. 

Kudos to  Roberta Weiner for writing this timeless story into a play many times over for different sized groups of children, and all her teenage backstage hands for bringing triumphant justice in the end.