 ONCE ON THIS ISLAND
Book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens Music by Stephen Flaherty: Based upon
the novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy
Friday Playwrights Horizons (Off-Broadway) - May 6, 1990 (60 perfs)
Booth Theatre, Broadway - October 18, 1990 (487 perfs)
Royalty Theatre, London - September 28, 1994 (145 perfs)
Once On This Island is a captivating legend of
romance between a peasant girl and a rich city boy whom she saves from
death. This calypso-flavoured re-telling of The Little Mermaid opens
on a Caribbean island where villagers comfort a little girl with the story
of the orphan Ti Moune, destined to love too much for the human heart
to bear. Staged with minimal props, sets and costumes, Once On This
Island delivers melody, love and joy in tropical abundance.
Duration: 90 minutes (one act).
Synopsis
There is a violent storm raging around the small Caribbean
island. A frightened child is being comforted by the storytellers. The
island is inhabited by light skinned people who are the rich landowners
and the darks skinned people who are the poor peasants who have to scrape
for a living. Ti Moune is an orphan girl chosen by the gods for a special
fate and saved for a special destiny by Asaka, mother of the Earth.
Now a grown-up, Ti Moune sees the handsome Daniel Beauxhomme passing
by in his fine car. In the storm the car crashes and Ti Moune rushes to
his rescue. By cheating the Demon of Death, Papa Ge, Ti Moune saves Daniel's
life but at a terrible price - her soul. In the past, in the 19th century,
Armand, a Frenchman, has a son, the original Beauxhomme. It is he who
rises up and expels his father and his compatriots from the island - but
he and his future descendants are cursed by Armand.
Ti Moune wants to marry Daniel but Euralie, who raised her, points out
the impossibility of this as they are from different social class. Nevertheless,
the pair become lovers. As Daniel recovers, he realises his responsibilities;
his bride-to-be is the rich Andrea Devereaux and the announcement of their
engagement is made at a grand ball.
Papa Ge arrives to claim Ti Moune. It is only by killing Daniel herself
that can save her from her part in the Devil's bargain. Of course, she
is unable to do the only thing that can save her.
After the wedding of Daniel and Andrea, the newly married couple come
to the front of the hotel and throw coins to the peasants. Daniel gives
a coin to Ti Moune but she is dying. Her life and untimely death leave
a positive ending to the story - the power of love conquers the fear of
death. |
