The Little Mermaid Jr

As monsoon type rains fell in the Worcestershire/Warwickshire area, it seemed very appropriate to be heading under the sea with Top Box’s Little Mermaid Jr.  This was my first visit to Top Box’s Warwick and Leamington group, and chatting beforehand to the shows directors I discovered that the heavy rain had disrupted their preparation, with the group unable to have a full dress rehearsal.  Did that affect their performance?  Absolutely not – the show must go on and the young performers did a fantastic job of telling the tale of Ariel and her underwater friends.

As we took our seats, we were greeted by some nice pieces of scenery at either side of the acting area, depicting a ship at sea, with a large, overflowing treasure chest also waiting invitingly.  As the curtain opened there was more nice scenery at the back of the stage, which was changed according to the location of the action taken place – smooth work here by the backstage team.  The show opened on the ship of Prince Eric (Elliott M) and his faithful retainer Grimsby (Phoebe-Mae R), who got us off to a great start as they set off in pursuit of a mysterious, mermaidy voice. 

We soon made our way under the sea, and met the Little Mermaid herself, and her friends.  Willow H gave a charming performance as Ariel, with great characterisation and showing off a really good singing voice.  I could really hear the yearning in her voice as she sang ‘Part of Your World’.  Well done!  Lexy B also did a good job as Flounder, Ariel’s sparky best friend, and Martha G showed excellent comic energy as Sebastian, the crab who starts off trying to arrange a concert and ends up in all sorts of scrapes!   

Turning to the dark side, Ilana M-S showed off a very strong singing voice as the dastardly Ursula, plotting to regain control of the ocean.  Her song ‘Poor Unfortunate Souls’ was very well performed.  She also sported a magnificent costume and great make-up.  Her sidekicks Flotsam and Jetsam were well portrayed by Erin O and Ottilie M respectively – I particularly liked their nicely nasty, sinuous voices.

Elsewhere in the cast, Amelie B did well to put over the frustration of Ariel’s father Triton as she repeatedly disobeyed him, as well as doubling the role of Chef Louis, with whom Sebastian had a very close shave!  And not forgetting Ariel’s sisters, who later doubled as Princesses – Lily D, Amber W, Jenna S, Holly B, Annabelle H and Ava M.  The principal cast was completed by Phoebe E as Carlotta, Jack K as Pilot and Annabelle S as a Seahorse. 

The principal cast were well supported by a lively chorus, who were great in the group numbers and really evoked the undersea world well, with controlled, wavy movements.  Some of the youngest cast members particularly stood out, in the way they kept their concentration and remembered their moves perfectly!  Well done to the whole ensemble – your efforts really helped to bring the show to vibrant life. 

As the story progressed, we saw Ariel trading her voice for a pair of legs, in an effectively performed transformation.  I also thought Ariel’s inability to speak was really well conveyed by Willow.  Elliott sang well during ‘One Step Closer’ and the whole cast did a great job roving around the acting area as they encouraged Eric to ‘Kiss the Girl’ before it was too late!  Of course, all ended happily, with Ursula vanquished with a final sneer and Ariel reunited with her family – and her Prince – for the final reprise ‘Part of Your World’

The show was directed by the top Top Box team of Tracy Anne Wright and Georgie Pearce, and it was clear that the cast were well drilled, even without a dress rehearsal!  There were plenty of costume changes across the cast during this show – it must have been very busy backstage!  Well done to the entire wardrobe team for their efforts, both in sourcing the outfits and ensuring the large cast were properly kitted out at all times. 

I believe this was only the second show from Top Box’s Warwick and Leamington group.  It’s clear already that there is plenty of young talent in the area, and I commend the Top Box team for their efforts in nurturing it.  Well done to you all, and I look forward to seeing what you have up your sleeves for 2026!

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.