The Prince and the Pauper

(Paperback)

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Description

You are a Prince, not a pauper. And before too long the whole of England will be in your hands... Jemma Kennedys stage adaptation of The Prince and the Pauper is a dynamic and fast-paced adaptation of Mark Twains 1881 classic novel of confused identities. Set in a gritty, vibrant Tudor London, the poverty-stricken Tom Canty has a chance meeting with the young heir to the throne, Prince Edward, and by pure coincidence they find they look almost identical. The Prince and the Pauper tells the story of what happens when one person is mistaken for the other and what happens to them in the long-term: Tom Canty is forced into the world of the court and power, while Edward is cast down into a world of poverty and thieves, from which he must fight his way back to the court. First produced at the Unicorn Theatre, the UK's leading theatre for young audiences aged 2 21 from the 25th November 2012 to the 13 January 2013.

Reviews

Perfectly timeless ... a postmodern morality tale -- Laura Thompson * Telegraph *
Remains as appealing for 21st-century children as it was for those who first read the novel on its publication in 1882 Kennedy's sturdy adaptation, which cleverly plays up the fun of the role-swapping scenario and offers a bit of Tudor-style cross-dressing, Horrible Histories-esque jokes, and even an unlikely little spoof of Les Misrables humour and intelligence prevail -- Lyn Gardner * Guardian *
The children in the audience whooped and laughed -- Libby Purves * The Times *
You cant fault this version of The Prince and the Pauper for originality it is both fast and funny. -- Susan Elkin * Stage *

Author Bio

Jemma Kennedy is a playwright, novelist and screenwriter. She was Pearson Playwright at the National Theatre in 2010/11 and became part of the inaugural Soho 6 writing scheme with the Soho Theatre Company in 2012.