The Dollar Princess
date. June 2022
The Dollar Princess is a speculative project, set in the Coliseum ( London). As part of my last project of University, I was interested in exploring a forgotten musical and set it on one of London's biggest stage. The Dollar Princess opened on the 25th of September1909 and hasn't been performed since the 1930s.
The Dollar Princess contains a lot of still contemporary themes and concerns. It explores the opposition between old aristocratie and nouveau riche and how society revolves around them and the battle of power between these two groups. It questions the reader about the status nowadays of aristocratie in our modern society and the fact that 'Gold is now the God on Earth'. It is hard to believe that this play is more than a century old when so much still resonate today. One of the main character who earned his money through oil business takes the fancy of only getting his servants from European nobles. There is a sort of war of philosophy between Europe and America, and communism is described as a threat to capitalism.
One of the most surprising aspect of the play is the representation of women in the show. They are strong minded female characters and are really complex. They don't wait around for a husband but are the ones picking the men they will mary. They are the ones in charge of their lives and negotiating their future. And for a play from that era it is a refreshing take.
