The Little Mermaid at Watermill Theatre Review
Annabelle Aquino and Tom Babbage in The Little Mermaid. Photo by Pamela Raith
Written by Joe for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The Watermill’s Christmas production this year is a Cornish retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. Transported from Denmark to the coast of Cornwall, The Little Mermaid updates the classic tale to give its heroine agency and autonomy, without losing sight of the original story.
This is a production full of heart, and some brilliant stand-out performances manage to entertain my Minecraft-generation child for the whole evening, which is no mean feat. Annabelle Aquino as Merryn, the titular mermaid, was an absolute joy to watch. Smooth, silky vocals with an excellent emotive performance – both when she was able to speak and when she communicated without her voice – topped off by some hilarious slapstick physical comedy. Aquino’s charisma and connection with her castmates sold the story, and made us genuinely invest in her journey. Tom Babbage’s Cadan was gently loveable, but he came into his own when fighting with a few extra special live theatre moments he experienced throughout the night – from a rogue hammock to an over-attached scarf – showing what an excellent improviser he was, and using the unexpected opportunities to enhance his interactions with Aquino. Huge credit also must go to Zach Burns – effervescently energetic as Kitto – and Lucinda Freeburn, who brought slapstick, silliness, and joy to a family show which sometimes sinks into seriousness. Their smuggler duo was wonderfully reminiscent of the bumbling spies from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, with expert comic timing, physicality, and beautiful interplay.
Amie Parsons’ music and lyrics grounded the story with a foot in both worlds – Cornish folk music and the ethereal music of the sea. Songs like “What A World” and “Human For A Day” particularly would not have been out of place in a Disney movie. The use of actor musicians – ably led by Jamie Ross – helped to strengthen the rustic, homespun feel of this close-knit community tale.
As a story, The Little Mermaid presents all sorts of challenges for the stage – from mermaids to shipwrecks; under the sea to sandy shores – but the Watermill’s new production should be celebrated for its imaginative, creative, and versatile design. April Dalton’s innovative and colourful mermaid costumes instantly place us under the sea in a fun and fresh way, cleverly juxtaposing the modest, rural Cornish costume of the landfolk. With a creative, considered, and clever set – fishing lures used as hangers, crates, and netting adorning the space – Dalton immersed us in the world of the Cornish coastline, expertly supported by the glorious lighting design by Emma Chapman. Before characters spoke, or even entered the stage, I was transported under the sea, or onto a sandy shore, or a ship in a storm, through a subtle lighting change, helping audiences of all ages stay immersed in this location-hopping epic.
Unfortunately, this fluidity didn’t extend into the direction, with scenes often feeling static and struggling to make use of the thrust stage and audiences on all sides. From the opening narration, the show plays out front to the main section of the audience, but doesn’t make use of the Watermill’s beautiful u-shaped auditorium to best effect. The writing at times felt it didn’t know how it wanted to connect with this audience, with some attempts at audience interaction in the opening monologue and during the (delightful) naming song, but otherwise closing the world off for the audience to sit and observe. That being said, The Little Mermaid is such a well-known story, I was really pleased to see how Field and Barbier have managed to adapt the story to create genuine twists, and form a fresh narrative without betraying the source material.
Overall, this is a production for all ages, told for adults and children, and I really respected that it didn’t water down the more mature moments, or speak down to the kids in the audience. This is a Christmas show that the whole family can enjoy together, and take something different from, and if the reaction from my child is anything to go by, this is an unmissable festive treat for all ages.
At Watermill Theatre until 4 January 2026
★ ★ ★ ★
