Disney's The Little Mermaid.
Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater. Book by Doug Wright. Directed by Jordan Best. Musical direction Adam Bluhm. Choreography Jodi Hammond. Set design Ian Croker. Costume design Fiona Leach. Ickle Pickle Productions. Belconnen Theatre. January 10 – 25 2020. Bookings 0460 401 621.
Reviewed by Peter Wilkins
It is easy to see from Ickle
Pickle’s Summer holiday production of Disney’s musical adaptation of Hans
Christian Andersen’s classic The Little
Mermaid why the show is such a favourite amongst Disney fans. Director Jordan Best has inspired a
production that is infectiously joyous, brimming with delight and filling the
unpretentious Belconnen Theatre with charming story and song.
Best is a consummate actor’s
director, and she has managed to excite and inspire her largely young amateur
cast to create lively and believable characters. Whether a principal or a
member of the very large ensemble, each performer embraces his or her role with
absolute relish. The production bursts with energy, wit and humour and an
opening night audience largely
comprising eagerly applauding friends and family quickly became thoroughly
immersed in the story of sweet mermaid Ariel (Emily Pogson), who rescues Prince
Eric (Ben Brown) from drowning and longs to join the human species in that part
of the world above the water’s surface.
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| Emily Pogson as Ariel in Ickle Pickle's The Little Mermaid |
Pogson is enchanting in the
central role of the youngest of the preening,
envious daughters of King Triton ( Michael Jordan). She combines naïve innocence
with heart-filled longing for a more natural life. She is supported by some
very fine performances, most notably from Meaghan Stewart’s heavily accented
and over the top crabby crustacean Sebastian, Jade Breen’s loyal and flustering Flounder,
Janie Lawson’s devilish Ursula and her two wicked sea urchins, Flotsam (Jackie McIntyre) and Jetsam (Eliot
Cleaves). Jack Morton is a scene stealing Scuttle with his wing flapping rendition
of Positoovity and shrill glottal
gull squawk. Joss Kent gives a comical performance as the poisson pulping Chef
Louis to the bright and breezy accompaniment of Be Our Guest from Disney’s other poplar hit Beauty and the Beast. Throughout the show, there are moments that enthral
and Best with her creative team makes the most of the simple imaginative devices and clever business
to capture the charm of this beloved musical and maximise the talents of her
large company, colourfully costumed in Fiona Leach’s inventive creations.
Musical director Adam Bluhm and choreographer Jodi Hammond keep the musical and
dance numbers exuberant and varied as the cast revel in calypso, tap and can-can.
Ickle Pickle, unlike the majority
of music theatre companies in Canberra, has decided not to mike their singers. This allows for a purer, more natural and emotionally
truer sound, but even in the intimacy of the Belconnen Theatre, untrained and
less confident singers can lose the full impact of their musical numbers.
Hopefully confidence and breathing techniques will develop the solo numbers more
strongly as the season develops.
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Ben
Brown as Prince Eric Jack Morton as Scuttle and
Emily Pogson
as Ariel in Ickle Pickle’s The Little
Mermaid
|
The simple and imaginative
staging of the Disney Musical, embellished by Sidestage Production’s colourful
and mood enhancing lighting emphasises the underlying messages of the musical. Ariel seeks to be true to herself. King Triton
harbours resentment against a human race that would damage and pollute the
purity of his ocean world. Ursula’s bitter jealousy is a curse that will
eventually destroy her and the worlds of
earth, air and water can find a union in the love of Eric and Ariel. All because
of the fascination with a fork and a storm at sea.
If the art of theatre is to
entertain and educate, then Ickle Pickle’s heartwarming holiday production of The Little Mermaid is well worth coming to
see what’s under the sea in that part of the world.