Sea Witch: A New Musical at Theatre Royal Drury Lane Review
Written by Cathie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Many of us know and love the story of The Little Mermaid and recently London’s theatre scene has welcomed two prequel versions of this classic tragic tale, including Unfortunate at The Other Palace. Sea Witch: A New Musical is a bold new take on the mysterious Sea Hag who takes away the mermaid’s voice and fins to give her a chance to find true love on land. Based on Sara Henning’s novel The Sea Witch and adapted by Kristopher Russell and Michael David Glover, the world premiere of this show took place at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
We are initially greeted by Michelle Visage at the start of this production, who asks for kindness and support from the audience in the face of any mishaps, as the cast only had five days to prepare. Although this filled the audience with foreboding, this show had much more polish than this initial warning encouraged, and was a half-staged musical as opposed to a concert, as it is initially billed.
The plot of this show is a very loosely based retelling of Henning’s novel, and very briefly glosses over the majority of the story’s depth and events. The storyline was often confusing, even for those who have read the book, and events, such as the trials and balls, were introduced without much explanation or detail. The connections of the characters were not explained, and it left a feeling of confusion for most of the show. This also led to a more pantomime-style approach to the show, with some of the audience booing events and laughing loudly at moments that were supposed to be quite profound.
The cast are one of the biggest strengths of this show. Jay McGuiness and Natalie Kassanga were excellent secondary villains with powerful vocals. Mazz Murray was hilariously deadpan and ruthless as the Queen Mother with a stunning solo. Natalie Paris was sincere and fabulous as Evie, the protagonist of this show. Amy Di Bartolomeo was also a stunning protagonist and ultimate villain, with a sweet sincerity and powerful vocals. Michelle Visage was assured and brought much sincerity to this production, and Djavan Van De Fliert had impressive strength in his ballads and tenderness towards the other characters.
The dancers were a truly excellent strength to this production with thoroughly enjoyable choreography. Their dancing was sharp, delightful, and energetically showcased by the ensemble, to the biggest applause by the audience throughout. They added much of the tension and joy to the show as it progressed. Segun Fawole’s music and lyrics are a fairly positive element of this production. They are a strong mix of heartfelt ballads and rousingly enthusiastic action songs. They are enjoyable to listen to; however, the use of repeating choruses did feel overwhelming for some songs. This musical also took the approach of having over a dozen songs in the first act alone, which led to a few lines of dialogue between each scene. This, with some editing, would work to deliver the story much more smoothly.
Gail Gifford’s costume design was detailed and helpful for subtly referencing the characters’ arcs through the show; her costumes for the main cast were exquisite, but it was confusing at some points that, for a land-based story, most of the cast were dressed in blue throughout. The set was a raised dais set of steps and invoked an undersea world bedecked in different shades of blue. Although this was useful for showcasing the different characters, as their costuming was also mostly blue, this was more difficult to see at the back of the auditorium. Joshie Harriette’s lighting design was ambitious and impressive. Using a variety of strobe lighting throughout, she created a very vivid impression of the sea and some very technically impressive displays, which added to the atmosphere of the show greatly. However, at some points, some audience members are illuminated throughout, which was confusing as to its intention. Toby Chevis’s sound design, including the ocean waves at the interval and pre-show, also created an immersive atmosphere.
Overall, the idea of this adaptation is solid, but this is still a show that is in its experimental stages. There are some strengths, but with editing and further rewriting, this show could rework itself to the same strengths as other alternative villain shows, such as Wicked and Unfortunate, that the musical clearly aspires to be. I look forward to seeing its future inception and wish all involved all the best in the fruits of their hard effort.
Sea Witch: A New Musical played at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 01 March 2026.
★★★
