Little Mermaid comes to life with wondrous St. Albert Children’s Theatre show
Back in 1989, The Little Mermaid set off a renaissance in the Disney world. The company had gone three decades without a hit. Indeed, Disney was seriously considering getting out of its signature animation business completely. Then a whole new set of animators were hired, new goals were set, The Little Mermaid was a hit and the path was set for what is now regarded as the golden age of Disney animation – with Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King to follow.
As everyone knows, Disney is a marvel at recycling their product in many creative ways through live action reanimation and Broadway shows. Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King have been massive hits on stage – but I’m afraid poor Ariel has not fared as well as Belle and Jasmine. In 2008, Disney’s stage version of The Little Mermaid premiered on Broadway and immediately sank.
But Disney is not one to let a property molder in the vaults. They continued to pump new life into their albatross by adding new songs, trying new techniques and plot revisions. They brought in original composer Alan Menken and new lyricist Glen Slater to write new songs. Slowly the original magic began to return.
The latest renovated version of the show is now in production by the superlative and consistently surprising St. Albert Children’s Theatre. It runs in the Arden Theatre through Dec. 1.
The St. Albert Children’s Theatre is something of a legend. For decades now they have been presenting superb family entertainment. They are sophisticated musical affairs that are the equal of anything you can see on any Edmonton stage. This show is a delight, capturing all of the elements that made the original movie so appealing.
The first thing you notice is the ocean of little Ariels, along with Belles, Auroras and Snow Whites churning around in the lobby – clutching their ice cream bars in one hand and Mom in the other. They won’t be disappointed. And neither will Mom.
The Little Mermaid is the heartwarming tale of a teen age mermaid who falls in love with a human prince. She’s a strong female character who rebels against her tyrannical father by insisting on making her own decisions. After giving her lovely voice away to the wicked “Mistress of the Underworld,” Ursula, she makes her way to the surface to find her feet – and love, with the prince.
The production is lavish and eye-filling. Some of it does come from the Disney vaults but the rest is pure Children’s Theatre (sets, props, and costumes attributed to Marissa Kochanski). King Trident’s kingdom under the sea is wondrous. Seaweed drops from the flies. There are blue-green waves in levels and in front a line of forestage lights hidden behind scallop shells. The Prince’s ship is sturdy under a huge sail – which shivers and collapses in a most impressive manner during the big storm in Act I. The effects combine to provide a convincing aquatic landscape for the various fish, crustaceans, eels, jelly fish and one mobile turtle. The ocean-filling cast numbers some 35.
Jacqueline Pooke’s choreography is clever and Janice Flower directs. I could observe that the young people perform consistently above their age level, but after watching some 29 years of productions from the company, I have learned never to underestimate the mature, solid, glossy and expert work from them, and their long-time director.
As Ariel, Jillian Aisenstat is simply marvellous. She makes an alluring mermaid with her fiery red hair and cool sea-hued tail. She also has a dazzling soprano, which remains clear whether at sea or on land. Later, when she gets her feet she proves to be a spirited hoofer. She sells her big (and much repeated number) Part of Your World. Ben Brown’s Prince Eric is a heroic fellow who battles a mighty sea storm, and later becomes gentle and warm in his scenes with Ariel. In Act 1, he memorably delivers his big solo, Her Voice. Matt Boisvert’s King Triton is an imposing figure with booming voice and regal bearing – and later shows a real love for his rebellious daughter. Adam Skogstad is Sebastian the crab, the undersea music director (Under the Sea) and later Ariel’s chaperone. His moves are quite crab-like as he scuttles about the stage giving a rather human personality to a cartoon character.
Julia Shaw’s Ursula gets two big showstopping numbers – Poor Unfortunate Souls – and a trio with Flotsam (Kate Guile) and Jetsam (Jada Reid) featuring some splendid close harmony. With her tentacles flowing in all directions, and a klaxon voice that would lift a fog, she’s more than a little scary and a villainess to be reckoned with.
Every main character gets their own solo which they perform with distinction. Witness Scuttle’s (Hayden Libich) knock-about vaudeville turn in Positoovity; and Chef Louis’ (Carter Woodley) delicious paean to the splendour of seafood, Les Poissons.
This St. Albert Children’s Theatre production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid is emotionally satisfying, swimming vibrantly through a sensory sea of colour, music and lavish production values.
Photos by Ian Jackson, EPIC Photography
