Performance Poet Toby Thompson on The Little Prince

We spoke to award-winning performance poet and previous Glastonbury Poetry Slam Champion Toby Thompson about his brand-new adaptation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved tale The Little Prince, which is heading to The Egg at Theatre Royal Bath this Autumn. In a true celebration of life on Earth and what it means to be part of it, this new one-person adaptation blends the silly with the serious, where audiences are invited to join the Little Prince on a whimsical journey in search of the true meaning of friendship, encountering loneliness, love and real happiness along the way.

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

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. 

You can catch The Little Prince at The Egg at Theatre Royal Bath, 26 Sep - 6 Oct. More tickets and information here: https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/events/the-little-prince/