Review: Your Princess is in Another Castle

Brought to you by Wes Babcock and fringe darling of Roller Derby Saved by Soul fame, Nancy Kenny, Your Princess is in Another Castle brings together the absurd trappings of a Miss Universe pageant or American-Idol style popularity contest with the tarrying implications of an episode of Black Mirror. Throw in some self-indulgent, self-aware “contemporary” theatre conventions and hit “blend”-you’ve got yourself a show. What Your Princess is in Another Castle lacks in subtlety it makes up for in spectacle and creative world-building. Princess Polly is a disgruntled would-be change maker and bee savior in a post (or pre?) apocalyptic world where a significant portion of the population are sentient department store mannequins and the “leader of the free world” is chosen by popular vote on reality TV. Kenny’s highly energetic performance contrasts starkly against Babcock’s deadpan delivery and slightly creepy portrayal of her campaign manager, who is mostly in it to get laid. After all, Polly is a public figure and there’s no such thing as bad press. Their battle of ideals (or lack thereof) culminates in absurd yet unfulfilling scene involving a support pole from the corpse of one of those department store mannequins. Despite the many laughs it delivers, Your Princess is in Another Castle can at times heavy-handed with its message, but for those looking for a little bit of strangeness in their social commentary it delivers in classic fringe festival fashion. Your Princess is in Anther Castle plays until September 16th at Studio 1398 as part of the Vancouver Fringe Festival. For ticket information visit https://tickets.vancouverfringe.com/