Topical add-ons breathe new life into tale

The Little Mermaid
Watermill Theatre, Bagnor
Saturday, November 29

One of Hans Christian Andersen’s best known fairy tales, The Little Mermaid, is the Watermill at Bagnor’s choice for its Christmas show and the actor/musician production is packed with folklore, magic and rousing music based in the folk tradition.

With this in mind writer Lara Barbier has set the scene in Cornwall and the surrounding waters, and hefty “mummerzet” accents are much in evidence, but it is a delightful story that deserves to be retold, now with topical references to the annihilation of the fishing industry and pollution of the oceans.

In the magical underwater kingdom King Taran’s daughter Merryn (beautifully played by Annabelle Aquino) is reaching her 18th birthday and, as such, is entitled to one big wish. She intends to ask to be allowed to travel above the surface and see what the human world looks like but a big storm interrupts so she goes anyway, and in doing so is able to save a young fisherman, Cadan (Tom Babbage), from drowning.

When her brother Kitto is caught in the net of a huge trawler and disappears she enlists the magic of Granny Ocean (Sophie Kamal) to gain a pair of legs so she can go ashore and look for him but has to forfeit her voice in order to do so.

The charming scenes between Aquino and Babbage as they try to communicate and fall in love are a highlight of the show.

But their relationship is in jeopardy as Cadan is due to join one of the big trawlers in order to make a living so there are a few twists and turns before the inevitable happy ending.

One of the strongest aspects of this production is the excellent performance of Amie Parsons’s music under onstage director Jamie Ross. The close harmony singing particularly was beautifully balanced and impeccably performed. Director Elgiva Field introduced a clever touch in creating the underwater world by having the characters sway and rise and fall slightly during the action showing the movement of the water and the storm on board the fishing boat was extremely effective.

The very hard-working and talented cast of actor/ musicians make sure that you have a wonderful time.

The Little Mermaid runs until Sunday, January 4. For tickets call the box office on 01635 46044 or visit www.watermill.org.uk

Mary Scriven