By Jeremy Hannaford (Contributor) – Email
Print Edition: November 13, 2013
In short, The Little Mermaid is a play about Undine, a young mermaid who yearns for more in her life. She wishes to experience emotions and feelings she feels are held back in her home of the sea. Pam Gem’s adaptation of the Hans Christian Anderson tale is more light-hearted perhaps than the actual story, but this production still captures the meaning of sacrifice and love.
First off, if you’re expecting Sebastian to come out and sing “Under the Sea,” you are coming to the wrong show. This is based on the original story, not the Disney version. Instead of musical numbers, the audience is treated to intriguing characters and a grim tale of hardship and sacrifice. But just because the tale is grim doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its comedic moments.
Right off the bat, we are introduced to an ensemble of sea creatures. From Scuttle the seagull’s claws to the starfish’s waddle to the orca’s moving presence, every sea creature is identifiable by means of intriguing costume design. Laura Auffray has created a range of amazing costumes using simple materials in the most creative ways. Moving away from tropical colors and adapting darker ones resembling the BC coastline, Affray’s imagination shows in the play’s designs, from the many fabrics of Undine’s mermaid body to the sea witch’s abode of body parts and discarded Starbucks cups. Body paint helps make the sea creatures visually unique, as well as stand out as characters.
One part of the play some people may find peculiar at first is the use of “mer language.” Speaking in incomplete sentences and avoiding the use of “is” at all costs, viewers will either find this entertaining or odd. While it must have been funny from the perspective of the cast, it can be a bit much to take after a while.
Director Collen Lanki has kept a keen eye open throughout pre-production and it shows in the actors’ performances and blocking. Maintaining the sillusion of the play’s oceanic setting, each actor always moves their arms and bodies in the motion of a mermaid or sea creature.
This version of The Little Mermaid uses abundant props, which make for some well-choreographed imagery. During a shipwreck scene, cloths move to symbolize crashing waves while Undine desperately tries to save the prince. It is very easy to immerse oneself in the struggle as she eventually brings the prince ashore.
But by far, the show-stealer is the sea witch. Seeing the villain in a production is always fun and this is no exception. Rebekah Brisco, Beth Gasser, and Luke Stevens together form the cursed sea witch Ursula, together pulling off a unique performance. A creative fabric mesh encompasses the trio as they haunt the stage. The use of three different personas was amazing to see. With a cackling laugh sure to send shivers down your spine, the sea witch is one of the best parts of this production.
Performances from the rest of the cast were also well done. Phaydra Gagnon’s performance of Undine featured great emotion. While Undine isn’t the smartest with her decisions, she is firm in her choices and stands by the consequences without regret and Phaydra portrays that perfectly. Josh Tompke provided a great take on King Triton. Not just a simple father figure, Tompke’s talent really shows in his confrontations with the sea witch. His actions throughout the play show both his compassion as a father and resolve as a king.
While the tale of The Little Mermaid is full of darkness, it is also full of light. There are great comedic moments featuring Florestan’s selfish parents, Merline and Selsine’s interpretations of various fish creatures, and Florestan’s obliviousness to Undine’s love. Even the sea witch—as evil as she is—provides some great humor with deadpan lines and exaggerated facial expressions. The humour balances well with the darkness, bringing a great story to life.
Because of how the theatre house is made, I would suggest a seat in the middle section as I saw it twice from two different angles and I found I lost out on some facial cues from the side. This isn’t truly a fault of the production but there are moments you will find people laughing at something you cannot see. But aside from that, UFV Theatre’s The Little Mermaid is a great production and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of theatre.
The Little Mermaid will run in UFV’s Chilliwack theatre until November 24, with curtain at 7:30 p.m. for evening shows and 2:30 p.m. for matinees. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online with the price ranging between $11 and $23.
