Repertory Philippines reinvents one of our favorite fairy tales, Rapunzel into something whimsical and comical. I haven’t watched a REP show for a very long time, so when I found out about Rapunzel’s staging, I got so excited.

What to look forward to?

The twist. It has a different version than those we are accustomed to. Princess Rapunzel was kidnapped and trapped in the tower  in the deep, dark, dismal, and dreary forest by her evil aunt Lady Zaza (Lady Gaga?) who wants to takeover the whole kingdom. Sir Roderick, who is on the quest on finding another battle to win, and his hair stylist friend, Edgar, who is on the quest to find another the perfect head of hair, learns about Lady Zaza’s plot. They rescue Princess Rapunzel with the help of a Gypsy Woman and Socrates, the old and not scary dragon who takes good care of Rapunzel.

Interactive. Rapunzel and the rest were talking to the audience, asking questions and suggestions. It was my first time to experience something like that from REP. The cast which includes Lady Zaza run around the audience at one point as they were trying to capture her. The kids and adults alike were cheering and pointing where Lady Zaza was hiding. Moments like this are what kept the show even more livelier and may have made us feel like we, the audience, is part of the story.

Not a damsel in distress. We’d always remember the prince saving the princess in most fairy tales. But with this, Rapunzel joins Socrates, Sir Roderick and Edgar to think of a way on how to save herself from the tower in the deep, dark, dismal and dreary forest.

Updated. Rapunzel knows the Disney Princesses. As well as references to Beyoncé and Princess Leia.

REP’s Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale is heart warming, hair-larious and is perfect for kids and kids-at-heart. It’s fun, entertaining and engaging. Definitely, recommending you to bring your kids and let them experience the magic of Rapunzel’s story by REP.

Rapunzel! Rapunzel! runs from September 15, 2018 to January 27, 2019 at the Onstage Theater, Greenbelt 1. For tickets call REP at 843-3570 or Ticketworld at 891-9999.

Ps. Thank you so much Theater Fans Manila for the tickets, as well as the resched, since there was a typhoon on our first sched!