The Little Mermaid review – fairytale musical has splashes of magic and mysticism

Christmas has gone undersea for 2025, with productions of The Little Mermaid in Nottingham, Hull and Newcastle. This one, at the Watermill, is presented in the theatre’s trademark actor-musician style, with the script illuminated by cheery live folk music played on stage. There’s even some snow thrown in for festive good measure. The story is relocated to Cornwall in this short and sweet adaptation by Elgiva Field and Lara Barbier. Following the basic structure of Hans Christian Andersen’s original, it narrates the tale of a sea girl (here called Merryn) who longs to experience life onshore. In this version, it is when her younger brother Kitto (a very charming Zach Burns) goes missing that Merryn is compelled to make a deal with a sea witch named Granny Ocean, trading her voice for a pair of legs. Of course, a classic love story is central too – this time between Merryn and a kindly local fisherman called Cadan (Tom Babbage). But there is far less darkness in Barbier’s script than in both Andersen’s fairy tale and the Disney film, and the whole thing could benefit from a shot of jeopardy. Still, the children in the audience seem totally awestruck by the mystical set designed by April Dalton, which has a wonderful flapping seagull puppet and sends bubbles soaring into the air each time we descend beneath the deep blue. Annabelle Aquino makes Merryn a headstrong little thing, who is determined to search for her brother despite her sister Serena’s cries that it is far too dangerous. She is given three days to complete the task, otherwise she’ll disappear, into sea dust, for eternity. On land, Merryn is amazed by everything she sees. She smiles profusely when she learns to shake hands and is utterly dumbfounded by the act of putting on a coat. Even though she remains silent throughout her mission, the chemistry between her and Cadan fizzes. The songs, written by Amie Parsons, are a dose of joy whenever they appear; Aquino’s voice is like molten gold. It may not be the most perilous adventure, and there are some bizarre swimming movements from the mermaids, but this retelling is a splash of good fun for all ages. • At the Watermill theatre, Newbury, until 4 January