NEW YORK — In his allegorical 1943 French novella “The Little Prince,” Antoine de Saint-Exupery wrote, “One sees clearly only with the heart.” So why, one might reasonably ask, is the new family-oriented show at the Broadway Theatre such a cold and removed affair?
This is an especially bizarre experience because this stage adaptation of “The Little Prince,” which opened Monday night, employs circus artists, especially aerial strap specialists and gymnasts, and draws from a palette many people would associate with the Cirque du Soleil. In fact, the hugely talented Lionel Zacharas, who plays the title role, has appeared in several of Cirque’s Las Vegas shows.
Circus people invariably feed on an audience. They always know how to draw applause. They know how to ask people, especially children, to see with their heart. They’re fundamentally reactive artists, always present and conscious of what the audience sees and feels.
