It may come as a shock to some, that in Disney’s iteration of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, Ursula the Cecaelian sea-witch was impressed by drag icon Divine (you see it now don’t you?) not that Disney would ever acknowledge this brazenly. Here, in Robyn Grant, Daniel Foxx and Tim Gilvin’s musical parody, Unfortunate. Ursula will get her nice huge, drag impressed, two and a half hours, second within the highlight.
The a lot maligned however equally much-loved Ursula, the Little Mermaid’s arch nemesis has, through the years, change into an icon herself, one in all Disney’s favorite baddies however by no means earlier than has she had the prospect to clarify. In the custom of Wicked, that is her again story. And what ensues over the subsequent two and a half hours is a magnificently over-the-top, fun-filled, eye-opening extravaganza.
All subtlety is out of the window in Robyn Grant and Daniel Foxx’s e-book and lyrics, that is camp of the best order and performs completely to Ursula’s Queer fanbase. It is punny and filled with innuendo and in-jokes, for British audiences it’s nearly pantomime (however positively not for the kiddies). Thankfully, it’s so far more than that.
For all its silliness, and to its writers’ credit score, it addresses a few of the extra problematic facets of the Disney animation: Sebastian is now Irish moderately than pretend Jamaican, the troublesome Kiss the Girl is re-worked as Ask the Girl, Ursula frequently decries the dearth of sturdy feminine position fashions in younger ladies’s lives and the bottom-dwelling sea creatures get a wonderful celebration of their appears to be like in We Didn’t Make It To Disney.
There are quite a few earworms all through. The songs vary from huge brassy showtunes, to electro-disco bangers to 80s energy ballads full with mullets blowing within the wind. What isn’t compromised is high quality. There are nods a-plenty within the rating to the good and good of musical theatre. There are hints of Wicked, Jesus Christ Superstar, Les Mis, Hamilton and Rent. Just sufficient to stir recognition however not sufficient to get sued.
When one thing is that this over-the-top, the standard of the forged is important to its success. Thankfully they’re universally excellent with Shawna Hamic’s Ursula and Thomas Lowe’s Triton knock out within the vocal and appearing departments. Truly spectacular too is Allie Dart in a breath-taking array of roles and Drag Race alumni River Medway because the air-headed Ariel. That stated, there may be not a weak hyperlink amongst them.
Ursula might have been wronged previously, however the completely entertaining Unfortunate places it proper. A feel-good, fun-filled, night of escape.
Runs till 4 May 2024 | Image: Pamela Raith
