How to Survive a Fairy Tale | Theater review

 

Known for its adaptations of children’s tales, Lifeline’s KidSeries presents an original story this time around: How to Survive a Fairy Tale, a whimsical, metafictional look at fables. Ensemble member and playwright James E. Grote serves up a cute story about a kid named Jack, whose childhood is bereft of fairy tales. What’s more, Jack doesn’t even know what he’s missing; his dad reads to him from manuals at bedtime. (Among funny touches that help keep adults engaged: Jack is especially fond of a how-to-assemble instruction booklet from IKEA.) Young Jack is a bit suspicious of his parents, however, as well he should be: His mom is a princess, and Dad’s a giant frog.

Therein lies the crux of this family’s problem: Jack’s parents were cursed by a witch but they can’t figure out how to undo the spell. Meanwhile, Jack is whisked off to a magical land of talking wolves and bears and billy goats gruff when a strange book bonks him on the head.

Whaddya know: It’s a book of fables! Which gives Jack an advantage—he can read ahead to find out what’s about to happen—as he tries to navigate this dangerous new world, filled with wink-wink updates on classic characters. Little Red Riding Hood, for example, can’t be bothered to take off her headphones and stop watching TV. If she did, then she’d realize that Granny’s in Big Bad Wolf–related danger.

Director Shole Milos and his game cast of five, all playing multiple roles except Nathaniel Niemi, precocious as Jack, have fun with Grote’s script, adding exaggerated accents for extra helpings of silly. Goldilocks is a Southerner; Hansel and Gretel are German.

Best of all, Fairy Tale tosses a few clever curveballs to its younger audience members by twisting the stories that they already know, to embed little life lessons. Thanks to Jack’s help, Goldilocks learns a thing or three about hospitality. The Witch relinquishes her diet of Child Stew to become a vegetarian. Jack discovers that the troll is actually a good guy, and that the goats gruff are jerks who torment him for no good reason. The troll’s name is Gurblet, and actor Jacquis Neal plays him with hilarious, Redd Foxx–esque verve.

If you’ve never been to one of Lifeline’s KidSeries shows before, Fairy Tale offers a fine introduction. While not a big-budget production, it emphasizes imagination and enthusiasm. The show features some great lighting and sound effects, and costumes by Jana Anderson. Alone worth the reasonable price of admission is a madcap chase sequence for Little Red, Granny, the Wolf and Jack, which brings the energy of Looney Tunes cartoons to life before your very eyes.

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KidSeries world premiere How to Survive a Fairy Tale continues Saturday and Sunday matinees through February 26 at Lifeline Theatre (6912 N Glenwood Ave, 773-761-4477, lifelinetheatre.com). Tickets are $15, with group rates and discounts available a half-hour before showtime.