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Disney’s Little Mermaid – Everyman Theatre at Cardiff Open Air Festival Sophia Gardens, Cardiff ★★★★I
I’VE somehow made it to my 30s without ever seeing The Little Mermaid.
Don’t get me wrong, I know Ariel isn’t just something that goes in the washing machine, but I’ve just shaded past three decades without ever hearing so much as a full rendition of Under the Sea.
What a way to change all that though. You’d have to have a heart stonier than Ursula not to enjoy this show with dozens of talented young actors putting on a slick and well-choreographed performance in the mid-afternoon sunshine.
The smart and sassy Sebastian (Jasmine Lillie Muscat) and the soaring voice of Cadi Mullane’s excellent Ariel were notable highlights while the smiling wickedness of Ursula, played with plenty of pizzazz by Angharad Sommerin, was a show-stealer for me.
Piers Nihan-Bowen also put in a highly amusing turn as Chef Louis with his excellent rendition of Les Poissons that served to underpin everything that was good about this performance – plenty of talent on display and charismatic but not over-acted performances.
Scuttle (Yasmin Alayoubi) bagged plenty of well-earned laughs too but there were no weak links anywhere and all these youngsters clearly have potential, with a busy sea chorus and plenty of others contributing to a kaleidoscope of colour and fun throughout.
The kids will love it for sure but it’s not the kind of thing which parents will merely have to tolerate to guarantee a bit of holiday goodwill – it’s a well-acted and engaging show that thanks to the smart dialogue and witty delivery will have them chuckling too.
Add on the fact that the cast make it extra magical by heading out to meet and greet the starstruck youngsters and pose for pictures afterwards and there’s a whole lot to recommend this for a summer holiday outing whether you’re a Disney aficionado or not.
It’s an hour-long feast of feel-good family fun that guarantees you’ll leave with a smile on your face – what’s not to like?
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