An Imperfect 'Princess Donkey-Head'

It's commendable that New World Repertory Theater opted not to trot out the same old "Christmas Carols" or "Nutcrackers" for the holiday season. Even more praise is due for commissioning and staging a world premiere by a Chicago-area playwright: M.E.H. Lewis' children's theater piece "Princess Donkey-Head: A Christmas Tale."

Now with a title like that, you can bet that you're in store for an unconventional fairy tale. Based upon the Scottish folk tale "Kate Krackernuts," "Princess Donkey-Head" features two princess step-sisters pitted as rivals, but who are actually the best of friends. Bonnie Kate (Jennifer Scriven) is pretty but insecure while Plain Kate (Stephanie Limesand) gets knocked for being a bookish tomboy uninterested in marrying a prince.

Where the donkey head comes in is with Plain Kate's mother, Mean Queen Malveen (an overly shrill Debbie DiVerde), who schemes with the witch Borgach (Jean Gottlieb doing a fabulous impersonation of Margaret Hamilton's "Wizard of Oz" witch with impressive facial make-up to boot). Malveen and Borgach cast a spell on Bonnie Kate so she has (what else?) a donkey head so Plain Kate won't have any competition for wealthy visiting princes

Through more twists and turns, the princesses learn about inner-beauty, how to be resourceful for themselves and other empowering messages. Lewis certainly has fun upending many of the tired cliches of fairy tales, but it's sometimes a slosh to get through it.

For one thing, Lewis overloads the play with too much exposition that is beyond the comic skills of Jennifer Inglis and Jeffrey H. Jones as gossipy servants. Lewis' comic blend of fairytale spoof and earnestness also isn't fully grasped in director Alison Henderson's so-so staging.

Henderson throws in some subtle comic touches (the princesses own Disney Princesses backpacks while the Fairy Queen dances to ABBA's "Dancing Queen"), but the show needs a more assured hand at speeding up the pace and playing up the comedy. The community-theater acting ranges from serviceable to just a tad too much (which can make Bob Ross' fine hard-of-hearing King Hamish feel overdone).

Of course the kids shouldn't mind these inconsistencies, especially with the fun fairytale costumes of Rocco Enda and the dance scenes led by Michael Kristula as the drowsy dancing Prince Murdoch. And for parents who need a break from forced Christmas cheer, the holiday setting is left largely in the background.

So kudos to New World Repertory Theater for eschewing holiday standbys for "Princess Donkey-Head." It's not perfect, but it is new and different.

"Princess Donkey-Head: A Christmas Tale"

Two and 1/2 stars out of four

Location: New World Repertory Theater, 923 Curtiss St., Downers Grove

Times: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; through Dec. 22

Running time: 95 minutes with intermission

Parking: Street parking and Metra garage

Tickets: $20; $15 students/seniors; $10 kids aged 10 and under

Box office: (630) 663-1489

Rating: Acceptable for all