From the outside, the Hudson on Broadway looks like any other historic theater in Midtown Manhattan. But buy a ticket to the revival of Once upon a time there was a mattressthat is currently running here, and you hold the key to a kingdom of happiness in your hands.
The classic comedy is popular in school and community theaters, and for good reason: it’s sweet and entertaining, has a simple plot, and because of the relatively small number of characters, the cast is light.
Although it is not one of the greats in the canon of musical theatre, it has survived – and it is an important piece simply because all of the music was composed by Mary Rodgers. It is notable not only for the fact that a woman left her mark on Broadway in a male-dominated environment in 1959, but also because the daughter of Broadway star Richard Rodgers proved that she was an incredibly talented composer in her own right.
Several versions based on the fable by Hans Christian Andersen The Princess and the Peahave occurred since its Broadway premiere, including two television adaptations and a Broadway revival in 1996 starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Jane Krakowski.
Now one of the theatre world’s most beloved stars, Sutton Foster, has returned in a role originally created by one of the world’s greatest comedians, Carol Burnett.
The role is Princess Winnifred the Wretched, a brave, irreverent soul so desperate for true love that she won’t wait for a drawbridge, but instead throws herself into the moat of Prince Ferox the Grey (a deliberately flamboyant Michael Urie), a down-on-his-luck 15th-century king who can’t find the right woman to marry.
His mother, Queen Aggravain (Ana Gasteyer), insists that no woman is right for her son. Every potential partner that falls into his hands is put through her paces, and even an all-powerful clairvoyant would fail.
Enter Winnifred, a charming soul who might just win the hearts of not just the Dauntless, but everyone in the kingdom, including King Sextimus the Silent (David Patrick Kelly), Aggravain’s husband who has fallen silent after being cast a spell.
Broadway favorites Will Chase and Nikki Renee Daniels round out the cast as Sir Harry and Lady Larken, two lovers in a race against time. If Dauntless can’t get married, no one else in town can either. The problem is, Larken is pregnant.
Foster, one of the hardest-working actors in the theater, takes center stage with joy. Winnifred is a role that seems tailor-made for Foster. In a recent televised interview with Burnett and Foster, the comedy legend praised the Tony Award winner, saying, “When I heard they cast you, I wondered what took them so long. You’re perfect.”
“Perfect” is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration. Foster sometimes goes overboard here, cutting too many scenes and coming across as forced rather than funny. However, she is such a lovable character that the over-acting can be overlooked.
Gasteyer is a constant delight and an absolute delight. Her performance – which includes plenty of rapid-fire dialogue – is why evil characters are so entertaining. Urie, a stalwart of Broadway comedy, delivers an endearingly neurotic prince with boyish charm and good looks.
Director Lear de Bessonet brings most of her cast from the New York City Center Encores! production, which premiered to great acclaim in early 2024. One just wants a little more pizzazz inside this austere castle, which offers as much maximalism as a Japanese Zen garden.
Unless these Renaissance kings are facing foreclosure, set designer David Zinn should provide the necessary bling, especially since audiences pay a lot more for the Broadway hype today than they did when it was a more modest production at City Center.
Still, Amy Sherman-Palladino’s slightly revised book is full of joy. While profound dramas and socially critical works have their rightful place in the theatrical landscape, it’s perfectly fine to crave a snack of frivolous babble and froth every now and then. Once upon a time there was a mattress more than satisfies this urge.
Once upon a time there was a mattress (★★★★☆) runs through November 30 at the Hudson Theatre, 141 West 44th St. Tickets range from $63 to $337. Visit www.onceuponamattressnyc.com.
