Disney’s The Little Mermaid

Wow, where do I start with this review? When you know you're going to watch an RTSA production, you know you're going to see something that will stay with you long after the curtain comes down. However, nothing prepared me for what I witnessed at the Friday performance of their latest production, Disney's The Little Mermaid. 

From the moment the 15 piece band, under the excellent direction of Matthew Symonds struck up, we were transported to the kingdom under the sea. The band were excellent, and Matthew should be justifiably proud of what he has achieved with his musicians and the cast. the harmony's were a joy to listen too. I must admit, there was a few tears being wiped away by this NODA rep at the finale at the clarity of diction and the sound coming from these young performers. 
Mrs Musical herself, Dee Bennie - Marshall, has stuck gold, or should that be a thingy-mi-bob, again. Dee's vision is spot on and expects nothing more than perfection, and it shows in abundance with this production, as the cast do not put a foot, or fin wrong. Praise also must go to Charlotte Wall, as dance captain, who must have put the cast through their paces. 
Josh Webster , who we normally see in a dance role, was a strong Prince Eric, and showed us RTSA regulars that he is far more than just a dancer, he's a true tripple threat. Young Alfie Houghton, made all in the audience smile as the most adorable Flounder, the best friend of our heroine. For one so young, he manages to sing, skate, dance and work a puppet, a task which would make most adults sweat, but Alfie did this with ease, As with  all fairy tales, there has to be a villain, and Sophie Antcliff was superb as Ursula. Her acting and singing were first class, and she looked every inch the Ursula we all love to hate. Kassia Hibbert and Sam Berry were equally as impressive as Flotsom and Jetsom, Ursula's too eels. These two must be so tired after each performance, as they never stop as soon as they enter the stage. 
The extremely talented Sam Simmons also shines as ruler of the sea, King Triton. His deep voice and paternal nature really gave the role some gravitas. Sam also made the puppets for Flounder, Flotsom and Jetsom. What a talented young man he is. Dillon Batley gave us another super performance as the not very knowledgeable but tap dancing seagul, Scuttle. The mersisters were also on fine form and in fine voice. One of my favourite moments of the night were when they were competing to win the hand of Prince Eric during The Contest number.

The mermaid herself was played to perfection by Rebecca Michie. Rebecca was everything we expect from Ariel and more. As soon as she appears there is an audible gasp from the audience, as she glides from the stage. Her voice is clear and if you shut your eyes, it could be  Jodie Benson, the original voice of Ariel,  herself. It must be so hard to play Ariel, as you have remember that you can't say a word for the majority of Act 2. For those of you that know me will know that I would struggle with this, but Rebecca did this with ease, and managed to convey what she wanted to say by every move she made. However, the night belonged to Chloe Hind, as Sebastian. Chloe's performance was an acting master class. From her walk, to her accent, facial expressions and her awareness of other performers, were first class. Chloe's vocal range is also impressive from her lyrical singing to her riffs, it was a delight to listen too. An exceptional individual performance, The staging was crisp and modern with a massive TV screen which contained the most amazing animation, well done to your technical and stage teams. The costumes were also breathtaking, and credit must be given to Kath Wall, who helped bring all our favourite under water characters to life with amazing outfits. 
from the ensemble who worked tirelessly, to the leading lady, this is one sea adventure that I won't ever forget, RTSA, I want to continue to be part of your world. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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