The woman behind some of the National's biggest hits of recent years, Marianne Elliott directs with Rae Smith designing, and between them they create a visually striking adult fairytale that has all of the resources of the National at its disposal but uses them wisely, opting for creative staging choices as often as it does spectacle.
So obviously having a gravity-defying lead is the show's big challenge, and while wire-work does feature, Craig is more likely to be lifted off the stage by a quartet of acrobats (Owain Glynn, Tommy Luther, Emma Norin and Nuno Silva) holding her up with their feet, suspending her from trees and, in her memorable first entrance, one of them climbing down a bookcase with her strapped to his back. Elliott and choreographer Steven Hoggett have really thought through the way movement works in this universe, so as much effort is put into making it look like walking normally on the ground is unnatural to Althea, when her father (Clive Rowe) attempts to bring her back down to earth before she's ready.
Rosalie Craig is a real star as Althea, full of personality and strong of voice even when she's got an acrobat's foot up her crotch. Hendrix is charming as Digby learns to break through his sadness and embrace life, and proves his talents extend beyond taking his clothes off, to singing too. Although obviously he does take (most of) his clothes off as well. I mean why would you cast him if you're going to waste him? The leading pair are also well-served in their sidekicks, Althea by her best friend Piper (Amy Booth-Steel,) Digby by his brother Llewelyn (Kane Oliver Parry) and the pet falcon Zephyrus (Ben Thompson) who provides the initial link between him and the gravitationally-challenged Althea. Laura Pitt-Pulford as the falconer and Malinda Parris as Lagobel's Serjeant-at-Arms also get to play a significant role as the show goes on and the warring nations start to look past the kings' enmity and get behind their princes' friendlier alternative. And the puppetry used to bring Zephyrus to life also populates the fantasy kingdoms with dragons, cute rats, shagging frogs and - a huge hit with tonight's audience every time they appeared - King Ignacio's (Hal Fowler) rabid devil-dogs.
As a musical, The Light Princess' success probably depends on what you're looking for from it. You're unlikely to come out humming any of the tunes, and many of the songs are samey and go on for too long; but then that's not unusual in through-sung shows. Amos' first venture into musical theatre has succeeded in making the songs tell the story, which is surely the key thing. I've seen people wonder whether the musical is strong enough in itself to have a life in years to come with revivals after Elliott's production. Only time will tell of course; I don't think any of the individual songs are destined to become enduring favourites but the overall package, for the most part, works. And for the time being it's this production that matters, and on its own terms it's rather special, a charming and different night at the theatre.
The Light Princess by Tori Amos and Samuel Adamson, based on a story by George MacDonald, is booking in repertory until the 9th of January at the National Theatre's Lyttelton.
Running time: 2 hours 50 minutes including interval.
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