Molly O’Connor/Winonan
Winona State University’s theatre and dance department performed a classic fairy tale with slight modifications on April 5-6.
“Straw into Gold: the Classic Tale of Rumpelstiltskin”, a play written by author and playwright Sally Netzel, is an adaptation of the tale collected by the Grimm brothers, written for family and children’s theatre in a one-hour performance.
The original fairy tale, as told by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in their 1812 collection of household stories, is a brief tale of how a poor miller lies to a king about how his daughter can spin straw into gold.
Out of greed, the king demands that the girl must spin the straw into gold, with her life on the line. As the girl sits and tries to figure out how she could possibly spin the straw into gold, a hobgoblin visits her to help her, but only after bargaining for his own profit.
After the third bundle is converted to gold, a promise is made that the man will receive the child of the girl when she is made queen.
While Netzel’s version is the same tale, there were many modifications made that make it slightly different.
Directed by Vivian Fusillo, “Straw into Gold” was performed on the main stage in the Performing Arts Center on Winona State’s main campus. The play opened with the cast playing a group of energetic actors gathering at a playground and deciding to perform the play of Rumpelstiltskin, determining which roles each actor will portray.
“Straw into Gold” focuses on the queen of Myopia, a hard and serious woman who is struggling to deal with financial disadvantages in her kingdom. After discovering that her kingdom treasury is empty, the queen’s need for profit increases and is shown as a discussion between herself and her son Philip takes places.
As Philip describes the girl who he has fallen in love with, Melinda, he accidentally lets slip that she can spin the straw into gold. With this, the queen demands that she spins for the kingdom.
The troll, Rumpelstiltskin comes to assist Melinda, sticking to the classic tale by the Grimm brothers. Never introducing himself to Melinda, Rumpelstiltskin assists three times, and after the third, Melinda is allowed to marry Philip and is made queen.
A twist of fate appears that the prince hears Rumpelstiltskin’s name, and for that, the troll removes his ability to speak. A year later, Rumpelstiltskin reappears to take the princess for himself, and the only way to get the princess back is for Melinda to guess his name in one try.
Unlike the classic, Melinda is given one chance while the original tale gives the queen three days to guess. Melinda’s guess in “Straw into Gold” is successful only after the game of charades that is played between herself and Philip. Upon the announcement of his name, the troll’s powers are destroyed and he vanishes.
The Netzel’s play is a modern variation on a classic tale, full of humor and wit. An enjoyable play for adults and children alike, “Straw into Gold” successfully filled the seating in the main stage, and provided laughter for everyone.
Contact Molly at [email protected]
