‘The Little Mermaid’ review
‘breathtaking both in its heartfelt performance and stunning atmosphere, and in the sense that you’ll have no breath left from laughing too much!’
Hild Bede Theatre’s The Little Mermaid is a magical journey into the fathoms below! Enchanting lighting and set design transport us under the sea, whilst the music from the band creates a whimsical and magical atmosphere that perfectly complements the array of talent on the stage. This musical is a charming tale of love portrayed in a gentle and comedic manner.
Upon entry to the venue, audience members are given glow sticks to use in the ‘Under the Sea’ number which is a lovely touch to increase audience engagement, and the use of a bubble machine is a similarly brilliant idea! It is at once evident that a huge amount of dedication has been poured into this production by the creative and production teams behind the scenes.
The Little Mermaid is such a timeless and well-loved tale, and its whimsical wonder is brought to life through a heartfelt performance directed by Jacob Vellucci (assisted by Grace Grady and Rebekah Hart). The direction creates comedic moments through strategic stage positioning and movement, which most notably shines through in the scene in which Chef Louis tries to catch Sebastian!
Set design by Sarah Johnston creates magical scenes for the performance ensuring an enticing production throughout. Ursula’s cavern is a stand-out set creating an image of intrigue and dark power. These designs are aided perfectly by the show’s outstanding lighting (designed by James Stevenson, programmed by Theo Nellis, and operated by Sophia Amaro) which creates ripples on the stage and shadows of coral to bring us under the sea. Similarly, the sound (designed by Oliver Fitzgerald, and operated by Izzy Broxis, Amy Rettke-Grover and Louis Nangle) is wonderfully atmospheric, and truly transports the audience with excellent timing and quality - perhaps the most captivating use of sound is Ariel’s voice being stolen and echoed around the venue. Scene changes appear smooth and effortless. On the whole, the production value of this show is incredible, for which the production team (led by Henry Flack and assisted by Carlos Davies) should be extremely proud!
The band performs excellently, conducted by Kyle Ludlow, and shines specifically in ‘Kiss the Girl’ a piece which requires both a gentle, romantic atmosphere, and comedic timing. The live band make this production of The Little Mermaid absolutely magical! Musical Director Alice Towle has done a fantastic job which is evident in the way the cast’s vocals have been perfected and the band’s music seamlessly complementing the singing on stage.
The cast brings wonderful characterisation and life into each and every role. Lucy Atkinson delivers a beautiful depiction of Ariel and shines in the lead role with a show-stopping rendition of the classic ‘Part of Your World’. Together with Will Simpson as Prince Eric, the two portray a sweet and heartfelt relationship that comes through in their dance scene together. Simpson delivers a fantastic vocal performance in the role of the Prince. Midun Odunaiya gives a stand-out performance as Sebastian, constantly eliciting laughs from the audience. Similarly, Poppy Harvey-Woods as Scuttle and Lucy Rogers as Flounder both have impeccable comedic timing! Charlotte Field captures Ursula’s villainy in a deep and velvety voice that is truly stunning. Connie Richardson gives a memorable performance as Chef Louis that has the audience rapt with laughter. Special mentions must go to Lucy Paget, for stepping in to deliver a fantastic understudy performance as Jetsam, and Estelle Pollard-Cox for her flexibility in performing with someone else in a role that is very much a duo - the pair work fabulously together.
Overall this entire cast displays an impressive range of talent, taking on difficult songs and impressive choreography by (Lucy Paget and Freya Rogers). The song ‘Under the Sea’ most perfectly highlights (literally highlights - with glowsticks!) all the elements of the show which shine perfectly together: choreography, acting, music, costumes, comedy and more, alongside efforts from the production team that consistently ensure this all goes swimmingly!
A further mention must go to Producer Dylan Morales (assisted by Julia Panova and Henry Skinner) as the publicity for this show is gorgeous and no doubt plays a role in drawing in such a full audience.
This production of The Little Mermaid is breathtaking both in its heartfelt performance and stunning atmosphere, and in the sense that you’ll have no breath left from laughing too much!
By Bee Wilkes.