Mayer, Lauren. Cool Suit. Meriwether Publishing Ltd, 2002. ISBN NA. Contact publisher regarding price. 30 p.
Reviewer: Mark Bell
Reading Level: Intermediate, Young adult
Rating: Cannot recommend
Genre: Musicals; Fairy tale plays; Humorous plays;
Subject: Drama--Reviews; Peer pressure--Juvenile drama; Fairy tales--Juvenile drama;
Theme: Don't follow the crowd; think for yourself.
Production Requirements: The stage can be a simple/black box. All costume pieces should come from a single large trunk in the center of the stage. The play is a musical requiring a sound system/boom box if not full accompaniment.
Acts: 1
Run Time: 25–45 min (Song lengths unknown)
Characters: 6+
Cast: One Male and One Female required, the rest are universal
Time Period: Contemporary
An imbecilic emperor is supposed to be ruling a nation but is instead obsessed with clothing. Rebels plot to discredit and humiliate him by convincing him to hold a parade to show off a new set of clothes they make. Only the smartest and best people in the land can see these clothes. The emperor falls for it, walking about the town nearly naked (save for his crown and teddy bear print boxers). He flees the country once a child points out how he's wearing almost nothing at all. This version of Hans Christenson's classic tale has a positive theme; however, compared to the masterful original, this play falls short. There is some low brow humor that detracts from its appropriateness in all settings, but overall there is little to be offended about, as far as content. To its credit, this piece could be performed with ease: the music is provided so with a group of actors, a place to perform, and an electrical outlet, the show can go on.
Volume 29, no. 2 (November/December 2008)
