Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (reviewed Friday 21 March 2025).
Disney’s The Little Mermaid presented by PACA Productions is fin-tastic. From casting to costuming to crabs, everything about this production is a visual feast for the eyes, a masterpiece.
The Disney musical is based on the story by Hans Christian Anderson, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater and book by Doug Wright.
Faith Sherwood plays Ariel, the titular Little Mermaid with lovely expressiveness that brings the Disney animation to life. The fairytale follows Ariel’s interaction with humans that proves to be both terrifying and life changing.
Director Rodrigo Medina Noël and PACA production steadily navigate the sharky waters of creating jaw-dropping set pieces; the scenery draws you in with its stunning visuals, backdrops, aerial movement, pristine video projections and nice little touches that surprise and delight the audience.
The lighting works in tangent with a mesh screen to create ambience and tension. The program reveals how important lighting is in this show to create a magical underwater kingdom.
Cameron Mayhew shines as salubrious Prince Eric who falls in love with Ariel. Jordan Berry plays the villain, Ursula, with the stage presence of a pop star (if there is ever a tribute show to an icon, Berry could easily be cast in the lead role). Laura Cox (Flotsam) and Jay Mancuso (Jetsam) are fabulous as Ursula’s slimy moray eels.
Anthropomorphism is given form and personality in the likes of Alexander Billet as Scuttle the seagull and Jemima Dredge as Flounder the fish.
Andrew Read as Sebastian is cute as a crab.
Simon Buchner as King Triton, King of the Sea, deserves special mention because he is so majestic in his costume, never forcing his performance upon the audience yet drawing us all in with his gentle authority.
In contrast, the unhinged Chef Louis (played by Mercurius Yousif) had us all laughing hysterically with his maniac ‘chop-chop’ motion. The interplay of characters with different temperaments is balanced and interesting.
The fabulous cast continues with swashbuckling sea-faring men, Ariel’s sisters and the rich folk who hold court at Prince Eric’s castle. Every scene is beautifully set up, well orchestrated and energetic and colourful in its choreography. The scenes play out long enough to satisfy and engage before evolving into another spectacular scene.
This is a sign of a director who cares deeply about the story and utilises stagecraft to maximum effect to present the universal themes of family, discovering the world, and showing respect for the environment, particularly our vulnerable eco-system.
Dive in, before the ship sails for good!
Disney’s The Little Mermaid is playing at The Concourse in Chatswood til Sunday 30 March 2025. For tickets and showtimes, go to https://www.theconcourse.com.au/event/the-little-mermaid-the-musical-pan-academy-of-creative-arts/
Images
Grant Leslie Photography
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