The Island Princess

Synopsis

Beautifully lyrical and poetic, Fletcher's work shows him at the height of his dramatic power in this thrilling adventure. Partly based on true events, five men compete for the hand of Princess Quisara on the Indonesian island of Tidore. She vows to marry the man who can free her brother, who has been imprisoned by the villainous governor of Ternata. But she soon faces a conflict of faith and terrible moral dilemma as her idealism and beliefs are challenged beyond her expectations.

Our Review:

12 December 2002

Timing is everything. When this production was first conceived, John Fletcher's (writing without his usual collaborator Francis Beaumont) long-forgotten exotic swashbuckler was probably thought as just the thing to brighten up a winter evening. But, since October, the story of Western colonialism within Indonesia (complete with an Osama bin Laden look-alike, railing against foreigners) has more sinister overtones that Gregory Doran's production doesn't really deal with.

The princess Quisara has promise to marry the person who can save her brother, imprisoned by a wicked governor. Though she's in love with Portugese soldier, Ruy Dias, his indecisive delays leave the field clear for dashing Armusia to save the day - and win the girl. It doesn't sound too far from a pantomime and, indeed, Paul Bhattacharjee plays the wicked governor in appropriate stage villain mode: he doesn't quite twirl a moustache but he does twang a beard.

The uncertainty with Fletcher's play is...

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