Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr

Vale Royal Youth Theatre presented their production of ‘Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr’, which was directed by Jan Bason There is a small stage at the venue, which Jan utilised effectively, with some staging blocks in front of the stage where the Sea Chorus would perform from. This allowed the main acting space to have some more room for the principal characters. The cast had a great level of concentration and discipline in their stagecraft, which Jan should be commended for. The staging helped transport the audience to the ocean below, using flats that could be moved for different locations. These worked well for this production. They were cumbersome to move, and the stage crew battled valiantly with them during scene changes. This hindered the pace of the production. The direction was assured, and all the cast appeared confident in what they were doing. Costumes and makeup were very good throughout, and transported the audience to the under the sea location.

Catherine Fisher was the vocal coach for this production. The cast performed to backing tracks, which is no mean feat, and they did well with this aspect. The vocals from the cast were good throughout.

Harriet Walton-Garstang was the choreographer for this production. The choreography was simple, which the cast performed effectively. The stage here is small, and Harriet worked well with her choreography in this small space.

The technical elements were suitable for this production. The lighting used was good, and it was nice to see some specials used. There were some slight issues with the sound, as some of the songs weren’t cued at the right time. Generally, the sound balance was good, with microphones at the front of the stage that helped pick up the cast during scenes and in songs.

Emma Wicksted gave a sweet performance as Ariel.  She had a good understanding of the character, and was able to show the different emotions throughout. She used her facial reactions to great effect, especially when the character loses her voice. Emma’s vocals were good.

Jack Rawlinson impressed as Prince Eric. Jack’s vocals were pleasing, and he showed some good dance ability. He was assured in everything that he was doing. He worked well with Emma, creating a good partnership.

Isabella Whitehead had a good command of the stage as Ursula. Isabella’s vocals were good, and she delivered her numbers well. This was a confident portrayal from Isabella in this iconic role.

Will McDonald did well as Triton. He showed a good command of the stage, and did well with projection through his beard.

Daisy Martin had all the charm as Flounder, and had the audience in the palm of her hand. She worked well with Emma, and displayed sweet vocals in ‘She’s in Love’.

Joey Crowder was great as Sebastian. He managed to sustain the accent throughout the production, and showed some good comic timing. His vocals were good, and this was an enjoyable performance.

Freya Cummins showed good potential as Scuttle. She led the ensemble well in her numbers. A little bit more confidence in your character would help elevate your performance.

Logan Gormley and Kenzo Tchiputo worked well together as Flotsam and Jetsam, Ursula’s eels. Logan was full of energy and certainly put 100% into his performance. If you both work on projection to ensure the audience can hear every word.

Kayden Hayes had some great comedy moments as Grimsby, and worked well with Jack. Kayden really understood the character and performed it well.

George McDonald looked to be having a great time as Chef Louis. His energy was infectious and he showed a good understanding of this comedic role.

The Mersisters were played by Kate Abbott (Aquata), Jemima Johnson (Andrina), Anabell McDonald (Arista), Emily Day (Atina), Olive Cook (Adella), and Bella Barlow (Allana). They all worked well together, and they performed their numbers well, especially in ‘She’s in Love’.

The ensemble did really well throughout. The Sea Chorus were made up of younger members of the group, appearing for certain numbers throughout. They were diligent in what they were doing and never once broke their focus. The Senior Chorus appeared in many different guises throughout, and again were disciplined in what they were doing.

Overall, this was a pleasing production. The cast were well-drilled, there were some good performances, and the vocals were good.

A big thank you to everyone at Vale Royal Youth Theatre for their kind invite and their hospitality.

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