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First edition (publ. Hamish Hamilton 1954)

The Sleeping Prince: An Occasional Fairy Tale is a 1953 play by Terence Rattigan, conceived to coincide with the coronation of Elizabeth II in the same year.^[1] Set in London in 1911, it tells the story of Mary Morgan, a young actress, who meets and ultimately captivates Prince Charles of Carpathia,^[2] considered to be inspired by Carol II of Romania.^[3]

Original production

Laurence Olivier directed the original production at the Phoenix Theatre in London's West End on November 5, 1953, with the following cast:^[4]

• Mary - Vivien Leigh
  


• The Regent - Laurence Olivier
  


• The Grand Duchess - Martita Hunt
  


• The Butler - Peter Barkworth
  


• The Major-Domo - Paul Hardwick
  


• The Archduchess - Elaine Inescourt


• The First Footman - Angus Mackay
  


• Northbrook - Richard Wattis
  


• The Baroness - Daphne Newton


• The King - Jeremy Spenser
  


• The Princess - Nicola Delman


• The Second Footman - Terence Owen


• The Countess - Rosamund Greenwood
  

The production ran for 274 performances.^[5]

Critical reception

Kenneth Tynan wrote in the Daily Sketch:

"Once upon a time there was an actor called gruff Laurence Olivier, whose wife was an actress called pert Vivien Leigh, and a playwright called clever Terence Rattigan wrote a play for them, called The Sleeping Prince, with a gruff part for him and a pert part for her, and to nobody's surprise it ran happily ever after, with twice-weekly matinées."^[6]

The Spectator however, called it "the very best of its kind";^[5]

Original Broadway production

Michael Redgrave directed the play on Broadway at the Coronet Theatre in November and December 1956, with the following cast:^[7]

• Mary - Barbara Bel Geddes
  


• The Regent - Michael Redgrave
  


• The Grand Duchess - Cathleen Nesbitt
  


• The Butler - Sorrell Booke
  


• The Major Domo - Ronald Dawson


• The Archduchess - Margaret Neff Jerome


• The First Footman - William Major


• Northbrook - Rex O'Malley
  


• The Baroness - Betty Sinclair


• The King - Johnny Stewart


• The Princess - Elwin Stock


• The Second Footman - Martin Waldron


• The Countess - Nydia Westman
  

The production ran for 60 performances.^[7]

Adaptations

Film

Marilyn Monroe bought the rights to the play and subsequently produced The Prince and the Showgirl (1957), with Rattigan also writing the screen adaptation.^[8] The film was directed by and costarred Olivier, who reprised his role as Prince Charles.^[9] Although a box office disaster in its day, the New York Times credits Olivier with extracting a "delightful, comic performance" from Monroe.^[10]

Stage

In 1963 the play was also adapted into a musical as The Girl Who Came to Supper, with music and lyrics by Noël Coward.^[11]

Awards and honors

Original Broadway production

References

External links

• 
  The Sleeping Prince at the Internet Broadway Database
  

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