Of Slippers and Spindles - Fairy Tale Retellings and Adaptations in Books, Film, and Theatre

Ep. 98: Once Upon A Mattress (1959 Musical)

"It wasn't the pea, it wasn't the pea, it wasn't the pea at all!"

For our final week of The Princess and the Pea Month, we are discussing the ultimate retelling of The Princess and the Pea: Once Upon A Mattress, the 1959 Broadway musical with music by Mary Rodgers, lyrics by Marshall Barer, and book by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. We focus our plot discussion on the 2005 TV film starring Tracy Ullman and Carol Burnett, but we also reference the changes made from the original musical and for the 1964 and 1972 TV adaptations, all of which also starred Carol Burnett.  We discuss Carol Burnett's comedic genius, the set and costume designs, the subversion of tropes, the minstrel's presence, our love for the song "Happily Ever After," the genius reveal at the end, and more! Plus, we reveal which fairy tale we'll be looking at next month!

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Music: Through The Woods by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com