An Untaxing ‘King’s Proposal’ at Seattle Musical Theatre (Review)

Aryn Nemiroff, Jacob Hutchison and Brennan Buhl in The King's Proposal (Photo: George Govier)

Seattle Music Theatre presents the world premiere of The King’s Proposal (or the Marriage of Princess Guido) (tickets available now through April 10) at the Magnuson Park Community Center Building. This is a fun little comedy that doesn’t tax your brain all that much (or really at all) and has some nice catchy tunes.

So you know how there is “smart silly,” like, say, MST3K…Python, Victor Borge, or even Phineas and Ferb? And then there is just “silly,” like, say, America’s Funniest Home Videos…Python (yes, I’m aware of that)…or Jerry Lewis (WTF, France?)?  The King’s Proposal would probably be a bit closer to AFHV. But that’s okay, especially if you like that sort of thing.

Although it nods to Into the Woods, The King’s Proposal has more in common with commedia dell’arte than Sondheim. The show is billed as “a Monty Python-like comedic musical that tells the story of an evil king who tries to marry his daughter to an unwanted suitor.” Evil King Edgar wants to marry his daughter Sylvia to Prince Basil who would would rather marry Roger. The marriage is a means to consolidated kingdoms and wealth for the evil King should anything, say, “happen,” to his daughter, her new husband, and his mother the queen. Yup, that’s evil. The princess is in love with an actor, and you see where all of this is going.

In the middle of it all, but way under-used is the King’s servant, Guido, played by Chicago actor Brennan Buhl in the classic “Arlecchino” role. While he doesn’t have much to do in the play that has his name in the title, you do appreciate it when he’s on the stage. Buhl is so effortlessly likable and at ease…you just want him to have a more meaningful role. His one big song, “Singing a Song,” is entertaining because Buhl is entertaining. I got the sense that it would be more tedious in less-skilled hands.

Some of the songs are witty (I guess there is some smart silly in here too), starting with the opening “Prologue Slash Back Story,” which of course gives you the context for play. Prince Basil’s “Two Good Newses” is charming, thanks to Nicholas Brownson’s spot-on timing. I could have done without “Execution Time” (“It’s exxxx-e-cution time…it’s execution time…there doesn’t have to be any reason or rhyme…”), the Act II opening song from King Edgar. Director Michael Govier (and author of the book and lyrics, with music by Curtis Williams) might have done better by not going for the whole top hat, tails and cane “putting on the ritz” thing. Sometimes, you just don’t have to go for cliche.

Vocally, some of the actors were stronger than others. Standouts were Aryn Nemiroff’s Princess Sylvia and Jonathan Wright’s Daniel–who had a great rock voice that I’d like to hear more of. Jessica Hendrickson as Bruce stood out for her Weekend at Bernie’s physicality.

Chicago-based playwright Govier chose Seattle as the place to premiere his new musical in part because Seattle is known as “a hot spot for musical debuts—just look at Hairspray, Young Frankenstein, Next to Normal… there are dozens of big guns that have started here.” It’s true; Seattle is getting quite experienced at musical theatre midwifery. While this play might not be the smartest kid in the nursery, it will likely grow up to be the lovable class clown.