A chance meeting between a child and a diplomat leads to a lifeline that saves thousands.
The Warrior and the Princess is an extraordinary story of courage about the sacrifice of one for the lives of many. Set during the Second World War, this highly innovative work is a story of hope that shatters preconceived stereotypes.
The Warrior and the Princess is an immersive theatrical experience blending live action with shadow play, puppetry, and live piano accompaniment.
1939: Kiyoshi Yoshida begins his post as the Japanese vice-consul in Lithuania. Nazi Germany invades Poland. World War II begins.
In the wake of the Nazi invasion, Jewish refugees, Anna and her uncle Jakub, flee Poland for Lithuania. As the war progresses and the Allied forces strike back, the Soviet Union and Germany threaten to invade Lithuania. With borders closing, the refugees are desperate; their future looks dire whichever force may invade.
The Warrior and the Princess is a unique re-imagining of true events, showing us that even in times of war there is no black and white and that each person must be judged on their character and nothing else.”
This project was originally supported by The Blue Room Theatre
Credits
- Director
- Monica Main
- Writer
- Shirley Van Sanden
- Composer
- Marty Laing
- Lighting Designer
- Joe Lui
- Puppet Construction
- Shirley Van Sanden
- Props
- Shirley Van Sanden
History
2013 Nominated 2013 AWGIE Award
Reviews & Media
"A fascinating story, presented in spellbinding fashion, The Warrior and the Princess brings a message from the past for those with ears to hear"
"Shirley Van Sanden has taken the story of Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese diplomat who saved thousands of Jews in World War II Lithuania, and fashioned an inventively told and moving tale of universal human sympathy and courage."