What I liked
A musical lives and dies on its songs and these numbers were so good! The Rabbit Queen was playing in my head for hours afterward (and the production of that particular song during the show was spectacular). Props to the composers and lyricists! The characters were interesting and well-rounded, with Margaret (Mary’s sister) and the Prince giving some standout performances. The rapport between Mary, her mother, and her sister was superb. Bettina Bresnan also did a great job carrying the show as Mary Toft, a woman yearning to be remembered in a time where women were so often disregarded. I enjoyed all the fun nods to modern day culture with the medieval-style anachronisms included in the show, like the Prince’s assistant, Alexa, and Face Board… a physical town board that acted like a precursor to Facebook.
What I didn't like
I was a little confused by Dr. Nathaniel St. Andre’s introduction. It soon became clear he was an unethical doctor that partied with the Prince, but his costume felt out of place (the one he wore at the trial seemed more fitting) and I wasn’t always clear on his relationship to other characters. For example, is he just the Prince’s personal physician? If so, how has he been allowed to keep his position when the King is upset over the Prince’s partying and he enables it? There were some questions I had about his character throughout the show. The actor who portrayed him was great though.
I also really wish there was some comeuppance for the terrible men, like both villainous doctors (and the Prince a bit as well), but the ending definitely made sense in the context of the story.
My overall impression
The Rabbit Queen was a well-crafted musical depicting an odd historical event, where a woman fooled much of England into thinking she had given birth to rabbits. The songs and choreography were great, the cast had good chemistry, and everyone was a strong singer.
