This year's Alden Theatre's children's production of "A Little Princess" achieves sophistication on many levels.
Even hair.
"Is my hair supposed to be that curly?" Brynn Doherty (Ermengarde) asked before last Wednesday's dress rehearsal.
"I have naturally curly hair," Rachel Marzen (Lottie) explained.
"Don't worry," Lauren Bomgardner (Violet) said, holding a hot curling iron. "I watch my mom, and she does this every day."
Rachel O'Connell (Rosalind) did not look completely assured.
But by Sunday, with two performances under their belts, the 13 girls in Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies had their curls under control and calmly took the stage to deliver a true sense of Victorian style, most impressively displayed by a first-act dance sequence.
Adapted from Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel, the play tells the story of Sara Crewe (Amandine Thomas), who is sent from India to the seminary by her father (Jake Sammis) after her mother dies. When news arrives of her father's death and loss of fortune, Miss Minchin (Lauren Jones) takes Sara out of class and puts her to work as a servant who must live in the garret. Through strength and imagination Sara perseveres, always displaying the character of a princess and transcending the barriers of class.
Thomas delivers a beautiful and natural performance as Sara, with a sincere sense of dignity. She accomplishes this by being vulnerable enough for the audience to empathize with, strong enough for the audience to admire, and humble enough for her generosity not to appear holier than thou.
This task is significantly aided by the story's theme of imagination, especially shown through the character and concept of Emily, Sara's doll (Maddie Wise).
In a dream-like sequence, Emily comes to life and dances in Sara's room.
THIS BLURRING OF fantasy and reality not only gives the audience childhood nostalgia but cleverly portrays the disassociation necessary for a child in Sara's situation to bear the trauma of losing both parents and survive Miss Minchin's abuse.
Sara's psychological profile gains a further depth during a technically difficult narration/soliloquy exchange. Sara confesses her hatred of Miss Minchin and a self-satisfaction in emotionally distancing herself from "the enemy."
Bryce Niculescu's portrayal of Ram Dass and narration also add a depth to Sara's internal world and produce a sense of fantasy. His on-point timing with cues helps the scenes flow together and keeps the audience's attention.
Also noteworthy is Nicole Davidow's performance as Becky, a scullery maid. Davidow gives an animated and reactive performance while maintaining an impressive, low-class English accent.
The logic and continuity of the characters' accents spare the audience from distracting, self-indulgent imitations so frequent in amateur productions.
INTRICATE COSTUMES and a two-story set create a visual aesthetic, which matches and highlights the detail, care and sophistication of the performances.
The show will conclude this weekend with a 7:30 p.m. performance Friday and 3 p.m. performances Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $6.50/$4.50 for McLean residents and can be purchased at the Alden Box Office or charged by telephone through Ticketmaster at 202-432-SEAT. For more information, call 703-790-9223, or visit www.mcleancenter.org.