Review: The Love of Three Oranges – ReAct Theatre Group

Thanks to ReAct, our Strath theatre group, I had an evening filled with laughter, a perfect way to start the holiday season. More than that, it brought back a fairy-tale story that, with its dark humour and surreal plot, was a brilliant distraction from the assignment pressure and pre-holiday stress. 

Performed in the Royal College Assembly Hall on the 28th and 29th of November, The Love of Three Oranges is a story like no other. And yet, familiar fairy-tale rules still apply: good versus evil, a good magician versus a witch. If you, like me, arrived knowing nothing about the plot, you were in for a very entertaining surprise. 

While the start may feel a little slow, with the first introduction running just a touch long, it quickly pays off. Why am I here at the show instead of watching Netflix? asks the narrator, a question that, in no time, makes it clear the audience is in for a treat like no other. 

The story centres on a cursed, hypochondriac prince who can only be saved if someone makes him laugh. It’s not an easy task, especially for the court jester Truffaldino. Sent on this mission by the prince’s father, the King of Hearts, the jester finds himself with the impossible responsibility of restoring the prince’s joy. 

Enter the show’s first brilliant twist: Fraser Brown, Strath Union President, appears as Truffaldino. He throws himself into the role with full comedic energy. While the room bursts into laughter, Prince Tartaglia, played by Jamie Woollam, remains stubbornly unimpressed, choosing to hide under blankets rather than give Truffaldino the satisfaction of a smile. Still, the chemistry between the two is unmistakable; their back-and-forth, timing, and contrast in energy make every exchange unexpectedly charming. 

Of course, the prince eventually breaks and bursts into laughter, at a moment so unexpected that even the jester seems shocked. 

But not everyone is pleased. Fata Morgana (a delightfully dramatic and mischievous Freya Quinn) and her ally Leonardo are furious. Their plans to seize the throne depend on the curse, so they strike again, tying the prince’s fate to three magical oranges. 

The prince and jester soon set off on a chaotic journey to find these oranges, dodging Morgana’s increasingly strange traps and meeting an array of oddball characters. They receive occasional help from a good magician – the narrator himself – played with charm and confidence by Ocean King. 

The fairy tale takes a darkly comic turn when two of the princesses (once freed from their oranges) don’t quite survive long enough to become potential brides. The audience laughed, winced, and laughed again. Only one princess remains: Princess Ninetta, played with warmth and grace by Mya-Mackenzie Viaene. Perhaps it’s fate, perhaps destiny, but the last surviving princess may just be the one the prince is meant to marry. 

The plot may be destined for a fairy-tale ending, but the path there is anything but predictable. Surreal humour, unexpected twists, and moments of pure theatrical chaos keep the audience on their toes. The prince’s happiness doesn’t last long, a reminder that even fairy tales enjoy complicating things before the final bow. 

What truly makes this show whole is not just the plot but the cast. Their chemistry, ensemble work, enthusiasm, and commitment keep the audience excited and wondering what could possibly happen next. 

By the time the prince and Princess Ninetta get their happy ending, you’re left wondering whose story this really was: the prince’s? The battle between a magician and a witch? Or perhaps Truffaldino’s, who steals the spotlight again and again. I’ll admit, I occasionally found myself rooting for Fata Morgana’s flair, only for the narrator-magician to win me back. 

One thing is certain: ReAct’s production turns a chaotic fairy tale into a joyful, imaginative night at the theatre, the kind of student show that reminds you why live performance is worth stepping away from your screen.