The Little Mermaid: An Adventure with Pirates

It was most certainly the start of Panto Season in all its colourful, joyful glory at Monifieth Theatre, where M.A.D launched their wonderfully madcap production of The Little Mermaid: An Adventure with Pirates, written and directed by Steven Armstrong.

In this lively retelling, Ariel (Geode Partridge) is given the chance to become Queen of the Sea if she can complete a near-impossible quest. Her mission is to travel to the mysterious Monster Island and collect water from the fabled Magical Spring. Of course, nothing in panto is ever straightforward, and her path is quickly complicated by the wickedly entertaining Cursula (Lorraine Kidd), who also has her sights set on the crown. With the scheming assistance of Captain PegLeg (Isaac Devereux) and the delightfully dastardly duo Port (Orson Hayward) and Starboard (Logan Kelly), Cursula’s sole aim is to sabotage Ariel at every opportunity.

Thankfully, Ariel is not entirely without help. Her spirited sister Persil (Ivy Sutherland) gifts her a magical necklace capable of granting her legs so she can venture onto land. But trouble strikes almost immediately when Ariel is captured and taken aboard the Marshmallow, a ship owned by Scuttlebutt (Cliff Cuthbertson) and her son Eric (Darcie Steel); a ship that has unfortunately fallen into the hands of fearsome pirates.

Determined to save her sister, Persil teams up with the ever-loyal Cuthbert the Crab (Ann Sutherland), who rallies a quirky band of crew members, Hans (Tim Marchant), Christian (Rhoda Burke), and Anderson (Daniel Beddows) to set out on a rescue mission.

What follows is a whirlwind adventure filled to the brim with pirates, magic, and monstrous mayhem. Monster Island itself bursts to life with the Monster Queen (Kiarra Fenemore) and her village of lovable monsters, and the cast is joined by an unforgettable cameo: a Joe Hendry-inspired, brilliantly pink unicorn (brought to life by Steven Armstrong), adding an extra splash of humour and surprise to the already lively tale.

Ariel, played by Geode Partridge, was confident and engaging, bringing a clear youthful curiosity and sincerity to the role.

Lorraine Kidd as Cursula, maintained a consistent energy, delivering a performance full of controlled theatrical flair, a strong balance between villainy and humour, giving the audience plenty to enjoy.

Isaac Devereux, as Captain PegLeg, delivered a humorous, steady portrayal of a pirate who is more comically misguided than menacing. His timing was reliable, and he contributed well to the panto’s rhythm. Alongside him, Orson Hayward (Port) and Logan Kelly (Starboard) worked effectively as a double-act. Their interplay was lively without feeling chaotic, and they committed well to their physical comedy and character quirks. ARRRR!

Ivy Sutherland brought strength and gentle charm to Persil, Ariel’s sister. Her delivery was clear and natural. Ann Sutherland as Cuthbert the Crab provided a solid, grounded comedic performance. The crew members - Hans (Tim Marchant), Christian (Rhoda Burke), and Anderson (Daniel Beddows) supported the story with well-paced, teamwords.

Cliff Cuthbertson (Scuttlebutt) was clearly comfortable with the character’s eccentricity. Darcie Steel’s Eric was spirited and engaging, bringing an earnest quality to the role that complemented the larger personalities around them. On Monster Island, Kiarra Fenemore’s Monster Queen offered a poised, commanding presence. She carried the character with assurance and made good use of physicality to establish the world of the monsters.

Overall, the cast worked cohesively, each performer contributing reliably to the pacing, humour, and heart of the production. A clever set and excellent costuming brought it all together and resulted in a lively and entertaining pantomime, full of character and charm,

This production had everything one could hope for in a pantomime, energy, imagination, laughter, and heart, truly making it an adventure of all adventures.

Well Done M.A.D, Congratulations to all involved.

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