“Unfortunate” offers a cheeky twist on Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” presenting a campy musical parody that imagines Ursula as misunderstood rather than purely evil, akin to the approach of “Wicked.” Penned by Robyn Grant and Daniel Foxx, the production delves into Ursula’s framed backstory, her banishment, and proposes in a faux-feminist twist that her plan to steal Ariel’s voice was a lesson in independence for the naive mermaid rather than a vindictive plot. The queer-ification of the plot aims to rectify the erasure of Ursula’s drag queen inspiration with a script, swimming in sea-related puns, balancing lowbrow laughs with self-aware musical numbers.
Geared towards adults, the panto-esque humour occasionally veers into teenage boy territory, with Ariel’s repetitive longing heartfelt plea to be “where the dicks are” staling by the third verse. River Medway from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and her portrayal of the bimbo princess, perfectly matched with dopey Prince Eric, played by jamie Mawson, add to the comedic flair.
Shawna Hamic commands the stage as Ursula, delivering villainous cackles and sassy remarks, backed by a vibrant ensemble of queer sea creatures with impeccable comic timing. However, sound imbalances occasionally muddle the punchlines. Thomas Lowe shines as a himbo Triton, especially in the vocally impressive ‘To Be King’, and the pair’s chemistry is hilarious in ‘Sucking on You’.
The production whirls through entertainingly irreverent chaos, with standout performances from Allie Dart and Julian Capolei, who seamlessly transition between characters, accents, and costumes and in one notable scene where Allie plays both lobster and chef, never missing a beat. Julian also stepped into the role of Vanessa in this performance, nailing the brilliantly ridiculous ‘Hot Girl Summer’.
References to other musicals pay homage to the art form while addressing problematic elements of the original “Little Mermaid” – Sebastian no longer has a Jamaican accent and tells Eric to “ask the girl” rather than “kiss the girl”.
Overall, “Unfortunate” is a raucous, irreverent romp that offers a fresh take on a classic tale, though it occasionally struggles to find its footing amidst its various comedic and thematic ambitions.
For more information on the UK tour, visit https://unfortunatemusical.com/
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Katie Reviews 