The Little Mermaid

Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale The Little Mermaid was written 188 years ago! Like many of his stories, it ends sadly. Fortunately, as we all know, Disney’s 2007 musical interpretation does not! There the little mermaid’s dreams of wanting to venture beyond the shore not only come true, but she finds her prince, her voice is restored, the wicked sea witch disappears – and it’s all told in songs that have become “part of this world”.

PACA’s production of The Little Mermaid merges music, movement and technological effects in a lively production that captures all that fairy tale magic … as well as reminding us about “preserving the beauty of our seas”. Like others in the arts, director Rodrigo Medina Noël and his team have a commitment to sustainability. To that end, almost all of the set is made from recycled materials, and the collection of “human stuff” in Ariel’s grotto “mirrors real world concerns about ocean pollution”.

Enough of the serious stuff! What about the colour and magic! Projections and multiple flies transform the wide stage from the calm of “under the sea” to the rolling waves of a storm above and the columned halls of Eric’s castle. Changes like this can be a coordination nightmare, especially if there are only a few days to “bump in”, but it’s amazing what PACA’s busy backstage crew have achieved!

In these scenes, a cast of thirty-three performers bring sea and shore together in a production that is moving and funny – and musically exciting.

As Ariel, Faith Sherwood charms the audience with the range and purity of her voice and her gentle, wistful interpretation of Triton’s favourite daughter. She establishes her character and her relationships clearly, laughing with Scuttle, pleading with her father and Sebastian, reluctantly giving her voice to Ursula – and reaching out silently and sadly to Eric.

Cameron Mayhew is a melancholy Prince Eric, unwillingly to take on the responsibilities of his kingdom – and haunted by Ariel’s voice when she saved him from the storm. Mayhew has a fresh, clear voice that finds the longing and earnestness of his character.

Sebastian is a much-loved musical theatre character and his “Under the Sea” with its clever, funny double rhymes is almost as popular as “Part of Your World”. Andrew Reed obviously relishes the exuberance of a character like Sebastian, giving the crab a cheeky energy and engaging audience appeal, especially in a game of hide-and-seek with the crazy chef, played by Mercurius Yousif.

Alexander Billett is the mischievous seagull, Scuttle, charming Ariel with a “positoovely” hilarious series of mispronunciations and “yaddle laddle”. Billett uses fine comic timing to establish the Scuttle’s quirkiness – and though he sings of an apparent lack of “style and savoir faire” he certainly finds some “zam” and “zow” in a marvellous tap routine that conjures memories of a young Donald O’Connor.

The wicked sea witch Ursula (Jordan Berry) arrives on stage in a ghostly shipwreck castle accompanied by her sinuous electric eels Flotsam (Laura Cole) and Jetsam (Fay Mancuso). Jordan oozes malice as she offers a deal to Ariel in “Poor Unfortunate Souls” while Cole and Mancuso slither menacingly around her.

Only a week before opening Jemima Dredge stepped into the role of gentle, sensitive Flounder. In that short time Dredge has made Flounder believably her own, flitting lightly on the stage as Ariel’s shadow and defender … and earning the awed respect of both the cast and the direction team.

Prince Eric’s valet and loyal friend Grimsby is played by Daniel Stevenson, who gives the character charm and just a little bothered bluster – not unlike the similar bluster voiced by King Titon (Simon Buchner) as Ariel hands him back his trident to wave the spell that will take her back to her Prince.

This talented cast is supported by a busy Ensemble who play princesses and maids, sailors and footmen, fish and tap-dancing seagulls. Quick changes of costume and style are nothing to them, and their enthusiasm and energy are quintessential to the production.

Rodrigo Medina Noël pays tribute to “the dedication and passion” of his large creative team. Musical Director William Pulley, and the orchestra, choreographers, vocal coaches, production managers, set, and costume designers and coordinators, and the technicians and mechanics who work their magic with lights, sound and projections. There is a busy ‘city’ behind a musical, some working with the cast for weeks beforehand, others moving in the last few days to give the cast “the wonderful things that surround” on the stage.

This production of The Little Mermaid is bright and colourful, a show for the whole family – but it’s only on for a week so you need to book quickly.

Carol Wimmer

Photographer: Grant Leslie Photography