"'Mattress' has its charms, but they do wear thin…This production is never quite smooth enough, on the one hand, or wild enough, on the other, to consistently hold the attention. That is, except when Ms. Hoffman is blushing and belting or Mr. Epperson is doing Lypsinka doing Aggravain...More surprisingly, Ms. Hoffman’s Winnifred is genuinely affecting...That turns out to be quite enough to win the hearts of a prince, and an audience."
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"The chief pleasure of this small-budget but zestfully acted production is to see a ham like Hoffman wax girlish, as well as deliver the slapstick—vocal and physical—the role requires...No wonder the piece has become a staple of community theaters and TV specials since the 1960s...If you’re priced out of Broadway’s biggest attractions and welcome a night of old-fashioned fun served up with style, 'Mattress' has plenty of bounce."
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"The freewheeling new 'Once Upon a Mattress' comes with a concept: Belt loudly and carry a big shtick. The plan works for this musical riff on 'The Princess and the Pea' that made a Broadway star out of Carol Burnett in 1959...At nearly 2 1/2 hours, it takes too long to get to the happily ever after. But when it comes, Hoffman is there for another zinger."
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"It's a thin, silly story to fuel a two-and-a-half hour musical, and the antic book features more than a few groan-worthy gags. The score, too, is unmemorable...But assuming you're in the right mood, the show is fun nonetheless, and this production, exuberantly directed by Jack Cummings III, is ultimately hard to resist. Hoffman is a deliciously daffy Winnifred. She uses her expert comic timing and nasal vocal delivery to make her character's desperation hilariously palpable."
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"An offbeat, joyful, absolutely triumphant production...It combines an affection for old-fashioned musical comedy with a downtown vibe and pumped-up hormonal spirit. Feeling scrappy but actually quite elaborate, it features a full-size orchestra, big vocals and jaunty dance choreography. Hoffman is looney, sincere and truly hilarious...The revival is dedicated to the memory of its composer, Mary Rodgers, who passed away last year. She would have loved it."
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"With jazz-infused music by Mary Rodgers and the dramatic heft of a cocktail party joke, 'Once Upon a Mattress' feels straight out of the waning days of Broadway's Golden Age. The show still sparkles with glitz. Beware, however: Nostalgia can be deceiving...Unfortunately, the book has not aged as gracefully. Many scenes feel like amusing diversions rather than crucial plot points."
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"There's no shortage of big laughs when one of Broadway's funniest supporting clowns gets the full leading lady treatment in director Jack Cummings III's deliciously raucous production… 'Once Upon a Mattress' is bursting at the seams with performers loaded with showbiz pizzazz...Transport Group's 'Once Upon a Mattress' may be the best reason to venture down to the Lower East Side since Yonah Schimmel learned how to make a knish."
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"'Once Upon a Mattress' is an old-fashioned clown show; even in its expanded version, it has the feel of something cribbed from a mid-century television variety show...Cummings' production is a collection of hits and misses...The cold truth is, Hoffman inhabits one show and Epperson is in another one altogether...As it happens, it's not enough to cast a clown show with clowns - you need the right kind of clowns."
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