Dear Audience Member, 

I confess to struggling somewhat, much as the pilot struggles at the start of this show, to know quite where to begin. Perhaps I’ll begin where I am (as if I had a choice!) and see where that leads. It will be an adventure. Everything’s an adventure when you come right down to it. Nothing stays still in time and space, but I digress. Correction, therefore I digress.

Right now it is early in the morning of the 23rd of August 2024 and I am sitting looking out through the big bay windows of a cafe on George Street in Bath. Among the things my eyes can see are puddles and people and pigeons. Cars and bikes and busses come and go, come and go, here and then gone like moments. 

But what of The Little Prince and his adventure? I’m not going tell you what it’s all about. I may as well say that up front. I’m not going to tell you the meaning of the story, mostly because I haven’t got a clue. No! That’s not true, I have lots of clues, countless clues, clues coming out of my ears, so to speak. But the story of the Little Prince, crucially, is not a murder mystery. No crime has been committed. These clues I am speaking of are not the sorts of clues that lead to a closing down of all possibilities but one; quite the complete reverse!

Alright alright, I’m aware that so far in these programme notes the single contextualising insight the writer has offered is that ‘The Little Prince is not a murder mystery’, but bear with me, I think we may be onto something. For if The Little Prince is not a murder mystery, then what in fact is it? What genre are we in here? Children’s fiction? Pah. That’s just the name of a shelf in a shop. Better would perhaps be to call it a love mystery— on second thoughts that sounds a trifle salacious. A friendship mystery? Let’s go with that. The Little Prince is a friendship mystery. 

And the thing about friendships—whilst undoubtedly mysterious—is that they are in no way problems to be solved; they are flowerbeds to tend; they are sunsets to behold; they are silver river milky way liquids to dissolve in. They come and they go like the bikes and the busses, and when they go, what are you left with? What The Pilot in the story is left with is everything you’ll witness in the course of this show. The loneliness he feels is permeated with the essence of the friend he has lost, such that the loss has itself become something precious—something found. 

There’s a comment the Little Prince makes in the original; one of the many perfect lines by now imprinted on my heart which I am sure I’ll now be quoting for the rest of my life. The Little Prince observes: ‘it’s good to have had a friend, even if you’re going to die.’ 

I said I wasn’t going to tell you what the show’s about, and I’m not. I’m not. All I’m saying is that if you were to take that quote and look through it like a picture frame that hasn’t got a picture in or any kind of backboard; and if you were to hold such an empty picture frame up to a night sky all filled up with stars; then whatever you saw through it mightn’t be a bad blurb. 

Thanks so much for being here and I hope you enjoy the show. 

Toby Thompson

A Note from the Director

Adapting a story as iconic and well-loved as The Little Prince is a daunting challenge and, like the novella itself, we have taken a gentle, meandering route to get to where we find ourselves today. 

The primary challenge for us has been finding the right theatrical form for the story, one that justifies it as a stand alone piece of theatre, not just a retelling of a book. Merging Toby’s words, voice and artistry with the original has been key to distilling its essence into something we hope is somewhat more palatable than a boa constrictor digesting an elephant!

The Little Prince is both an epic tale, spanning Saharan sands to star-scattered skies, and a very simple ode to the power of the imagination. The Pilot’s recounting of his meeting with the Little Prince is an act of creative love that shows us how powerful, cathartic and intimately expansive stories can be. 

We have been carried on this journey by an (inter)stellar flock of extraordinary creative birds, who are named in this programme. We hope this story transports you, as it did us, and offers the space for your imagination soar. 

Nik Partridge

An interview with Toby Thompson

Your adaptation of The Little Prince mixes the silly with the serious. How do you make sure it connects with both children and adults?

The adaptation we’ve made is—how should I say this—not especially minimalistic! It has its quiet and reflective moments, to be sure; starlit pauses during which to take a breath and have your pulse quickened by the vastness of the universe. But our offering is essentially of the crammed-full-to-bursting-with-sensory-ingredients variety. The language is unabashedly rich; I have learned over the years that children are capable of revelling in more complexity than might be expected, provided the vibe is right. We have striven to concoct one such correct vibe!

What does The Little Prince mean to you, and how has that influenced your adaptation?

Speaking as an only child—and moreover as one who spent much of his toddlerhood solitarily roaming the    sprawling fields of a far flung farm—the themes of loneliness and love, and the lilting manner in which they dance together in The Little Prince, are to me endlessly pertinent and poignant. 

I also resonate strongly with the threads of the tale that have to do with seeing life in grown up vs childlike ways. I definitely have a Little Prince inside of me (probably we all do); innocent and open and ready to play at the drop of a hat. But I also have within me a Pilot fully grown: guarded and logical. Both of these occupants of my psyche have been invaluable friends and editors to me as I’ve gone about creating this show!

What is your favourite quote from The Little Prince?

“The stars are beautiful because of a flower that cannot be seen.”

If you were to sum up your adaptation in three words, what would they be?

Playful. Cosmic. Heartfelt.

You’ve performed in many places around the world. How do you adjust your storytelling and poetry for different audiences, especially children?

Good question. I want to say I just sort of feel it! But I realise that’s not much of answer. I suppose what I mean is that the changes I make are as much instinctive as conscious. Whenever I perform my work, I want it to be a       conversation. Everyone’s eyes and ears may be directed towards the stage, but the quality of the listening and of the watching, though silent, is itself profoundly communicative. So I listen to the listening of the audience and make adjustments as I go. It’s just about keeping the connection alive. 

What message do you want young audience members to take away from your show?

The universe is vast and mysterious. Life on earth is rare and miraculous. Sunsets are wonderful when you’re     feeling sad. And there’s nothing like making a friend. 

Creative & Production Team

Writer & Performer: Toby Thompson
Director:  Nik Partridge
Production Designer: Anisha Fields
Lighting Designer: George Seal
Video Designer & AV Engineer: Nick Laws
Composer & Sound Designer: Alex Heane
Composer & Sound Designer: Bethany Stenning
Composer & Sound Designer: Joseff Harris
Production Manager: Becky Vowles
Stage Manager: Chaz Webb 

The Little Prince is Produced by The Egg Theatre Royal Bath

The Egg at Theatre Royal Bath is the only theatre in the South West of England dedicated to producing and presenting work with exacting artistic standards for children and young people. A hub for creativity, learning and culture, the company presents a year-round programme of productions and engagement for people aged 0+.

The Egg advocates for beauty, joy and profound curiosity in its work. Toby's adaptation of The Little Prince embodies these values. With such a light touch he is able to offer audiences surprising insights into our very existence, transcending the noise of everyday life and getting right to the heart of what it means to be human. We're very excited to be sharing this meditative gem of a show with audiences of young people and their adults and hope it piques their interest in what live performance can offer.