Little Mermaid – The Circus Sensation

Underbelly Festival Southbank

Reviewed – 27th July 2018

★★★½

“the live musical elements worked wonderfully well, and contributed the right kind of magical, ethereal qualities the story cries out for”

 

Little Mermaid – The Circus Sensation is the newest piece co-opting elements of musical, dance and theatre, to give new energy to the tradition of circus storytelling. Currently showing at the Underbelly Festival Southbank, Metta Theatre’s family-oriented show will appeal to younger audiences with its passion and charm, though may be lacking in complexity for an older crowd.

The story is based on the traditional tale by Hans Christian Andersen. Incorporating most of the well-known landmarks, with a few minor variations, the story is a more streamlined version of the classic, with a far more modern (and happy) ending. The performers are uniformly up to the task and the energy required of the show, maintaining power and slickness in combining their elaborate routines of dance with a constant delivery of lines. The show is in no way ballet or straight circus.

The book and lyrics, by director Poppy Burton-Morgan, along with composer Matt Devereux’s original songs, interplay with the gracefulness of the dancers as we watch them weave their bodies from trapeze to Cyr wheel to impressive human pyramids. However, these songs often lacked the grace and mystery that the combination of choreography and intelligent lighting often set us up for. The melodies and lyrics seemed devoid of a certain magical quality – which perhaps could not be achieved in a venue quite as loud with running noise as the Underbelly’s tent, where the performers’ voices often struggled to be heard.

However, the live musical elements worked wonderfully well, and contributed the right kind of magical, ethereal qualities the story cries out for. Direction was well-organised and allowed the different set-pieces to shine through, although I believe the Underbelly’s stage is a little too small for such a quick and busy show, and this strain showed at times.

For me, a little more humour and sensitivity to treatment of the story would have helped, but this is coming not from a child or family group – which is the audience Little Mermaid seeks mainly to serve. It does this very well with its blend of sweetness and a twisting and turning circus atmosphere.

 

Reviewed by Gus Mitchell

 

Little Mermaid – The Circus Sensation

Underbelly Festival Southbank until 12th August

 

 

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