46 pgs. 3 female, 5 male (characters interchange)
Originally produced in CTC's 2002-2003 season
Audience Recommendation: 6+
Run Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
The fairy tales in Once Upon A Forest come to us in parts, like a puzzle slowly coming together piece by piece. First there’s a piece of one, then another, another piece of the first, a piece or two of a new one, and so forth, as we go along. Bordering that puzzle is a dragon, which we first see in a sequence of running feet - only feet! The dragon is chasing a group of children. One falls behind and, whoosh, is gone. The dragon runs on.
Story by story we meet the primary characters. First Snow White, lovely and poetic, introduces herself. Her attempts to survive her wicked stepmother's murder scheme will take her into the woods. The Tailor who kills seven flies in one blow announces his intention to go through the forest in search of fame and fortune. Hans, My Hedgehog, a half-boy, half-hedgehog with a face even his mother can't love, removes himself to the woods. Three brothers are off to the forest to seek the water of life. The youngest bears the name Dummy which is an awful name and a contrast to his kind heart. Each brother intends to set off on his own, to try and top the others.
In a set of three scenes the brothers display their true colors as follows: In the forest each in turn meets a dwarf, who asks for a place to sit in the snow, and to share the traveler's food. Each of the first two brothers selfishly refuses the requests. The dwarf turns them each into stone. Only the youngest boy is kind and shares his seat and his simple food. He's rewarded with a magical loaf of bread, a sword, and a map that leads to the water of life.
In another part of the forest Snow White finds the cottage of the seven dwarfs and falls fast asleep. When they find her they convince her to stay, and all is well until the next day. While the little men are away at work the stepmother comes to the door disguised as a hag, and offers the maiden a pretty sash. Pleased, Snow White ties it around herself and the stepmother pulls it tight, strangling the girl. The dwarfs loosen the sash in time to revive her and warn Snow White not to let anyone in the next day while they're at work. She does though. She lets in the same old woman, who this time has a poison comb. Once again the dwarfs save her and issue their warning. Once again she ignores them and admits the old woman, who gives her a luscious red apple. She takes one bite and falls fast asleep. This time it is not the dwarfs that revive her, it's a prince! Apples come rolling across the stage and suddenly there are several pairs of sweethearts. Each girl gets a kiss from her “prince,” is awakened, and everyone begins happily ever after-ing.
The tailor by this time is deep in the woods and runs into a giant who would like the tailor for his servant, but the tailor outsmarts him and runs away...smack dab into two more giants. With cleverness, pluck, and more than a little talent for mimicry, the Tailor tricks the giants into fighting each other while he escapes.
Still deeper in the forest, Hans my Hedgehog has found a little home in a tree. He is very lonely there, passing his time singing and wishing for a companion. When a princess passes by, desperately lost, Hans offers to show her the way home if she will promise to come back once she has told her father. At first she is repulsed by the idea, but finally she agrees... thinking she’ll weasel out of the deal. Hans is thrilled - we may wonder why, after all the girl’s not exactly sweetness and light - but he’s not picky (prickly perhaps, but that’s another point entirely). He helps her, and instead of abiding by the terms of their deal, the princess’ father sends the miller’s daughter to Hans in his daughter’s place. She’s a fine girl, and a good baker, but she won’t do, and Hans sends her home. Next the king sends the swineherd’s daughter. Again, she’s fine, and comes with pigs, but Hans sends her away. At last the princess herself returns. She hears Hans singing and likes his song, and as they spend time together, bit by bit, she softens toward him. Finally the princess shows genuine affection for Hans. She simply says, “Goodnight,” but that makes all the difference. By morning Hans has shed his hedgehog skin and is a handsome young man. He and the princess begin their own happily ever after.
At last we see Dummy once more as he makes his way through the woods. When he hears a princess crying for help, he rushes to the rescue with the aid of his dwarf-given sword. The girl is about to serve as a sacrificial supper to the dragon we met earlier trying to lunch on some children. Suddenly all the characters that have been wandering through the woods congregate and unite against the fiery foe. They slay the dragon and each gets to wish for their heart's desire. The princess rewards Dummy with the water of life, which runs through her kingdom, and the youth shares it with one and all. The final image of the play centers around a glowing box, which seems to hold mystical, transforming magic.
“Moniek Merkx makes the game of engaging in her dip into the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales in Once Upon a Forest irresistible.” –TalkinBroadway.com
