#1
Posted: 8/21/07 at 6:41pm
Saw the Preopening of The Little Mermaid in Denver, Co. and I must say . . . how disappointing.
Let me start with the good first. The open scene was good. I liked how they brought the ship down to make it appear as though it was on water. the ship itself was kind of cheesy. Ariel was great. I thought she did a great job. The reason I say missed cast for Ursula is that in the movie they drew her as a bigger women. In the second film, Ursula sister is the skinny one, even though she was a mermaid. I know there are a lot of bigger women who would love to play that part. Rene is a great actress, however, this part was not made for her. Anyway, The storm scene where Prince Eric falls off the ship was done very well. The Cook scene was done great and I enjoyed his performance. Kiss the Girl scene was done well. Kind of reminded me of The Lion King. Rene had many moments that I thought she did well. Ursula’s dwelling had some good ideas. I really liked the tentacles that came from behind the “shell” if you want to call it.
So here comes the bad. The costumes were not that great. You could see where the fin was connected to the person. Sometimes you could even see a gap. Flounders costume was just an oversize tee shirt. Scuttles was okay. The hat could have been done a bit better. It looked like it was thrown together at the last minute. Ursula costume was distracting. She couldn’t really move, and I don’t think that part of the character. You saw the dress and legs, plus the eight tentacles. I just wanted more from that character, not necessarily the actress. The song “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” there was no “magic” that was done. Ariel was put in the “shell” and then transformed. I wanted to see something amazing with the caldron . . . smoke, flashes, something. But the song was just sung. She might have moved a total of three times during the whole song. You would have thought that that song might have been the show stopper in the first act, but it wasn’t. To get Eric to fall in love with her she had to dance, which was her “voice”. Ursula never did come up to the surface to steal Eric away. There was no competition between Ursula and Ariel. Ariel never turned back in to a mermaid, and when she “fought” Ursula, she was still wearing her ball gown, walking on the bottom of the “ocean”. Ursula never did become huge, which is disappointing. If they can make Jafar grow into a huge snake at Disneyland, on stage, why not be able to make Ursula do the same?? And for Ariel to get her voice back she had to break a sea shell and kiss Eric, well sure??
I really hope they do more with the ending before it goes to Broadway in Nov. Now would be the time to change things. I’m a huge Disney fan and thought Lion King and Beauty and the Beast was fantastic. This will probably be on the same lines as Tarzan. It would be a “good” Disney park show if they cut it down.
Let me start with the good first. The open scene was good. I liked how they brought the ship down to make it appear as though it was on water. the ship itself was kind of cheesy. Ariel was great. I thought she did a great job. The reason I say missed cast for Ursula is that in the movie they drew her as a bigger women. In the second film, Ursula sister is the skinny one, even though she was a mermaid. I know there are a lot of bigger women who would love to play that part. Rene is a great actress, however, this part was not made for her. Anyway, The storm scene where Prince Eric falls off the ship was done very well. The Cook scene was done great and I enjoyed his performance. Kiss the Girl scene was done well. Kind of reminded me of The Lion King. Rene had many moments that I thought she did well. Ursula’s dwelling had some good ideas. I really liked the tentacles that came from behind the “shell” if you want to call it.
So here comes the bad. The costumes were not that great. You could see where the fin was connected to the person. Sometimes you could even see a gap. Flounders costume was just an oversize tee shirt. Scuttles was okay. The hat could have been done a bit better. It looked like it was thrown together at the last minute. Ursula costume was distracting. She couldn’t really move, and I don’t think that part of the character. You saw the dress and legs, plus the eight tentacles. I just wanted more from that character, not necessarily the actress. The song “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” there was no “magic” that was done. Ariel was put in the “shell” and then transformed. I wanted to see something amazing with the caldron . . . smoke, flashes, something. But the song was just sung. She might have moved a total of three times during the whole song. You would have thought that that song might have been the show stopper in the first act, but it wasn’t. To get Eric to fall in love with her she had to dance, which was her “voice”. Ursula never did come up to the surface to steal Eric away. There was no competition between Ursula and Ariel. Ariel never turned back in to a mermaid, and when she “fought” Ursula, she was still wearing her ball gown, walking on the bottom of the “ocean”. Ursula never did become huge, which is disappointing. If they can make Jafar grow into a huge snake at Disneyland, on stage, why not be able to make Ursula do the same?? And for Ariel to get her voice back she had to break a sea shell and kiss Eric, well sure??
I really hope they do more with the ending before it goes to Broadway in Nov. Now would be the time to change things. I’m a huge Disney fan and thought Lion King and Beauty and the Beast was fantastic. This will probably be on the same lines as Tarzan. It would be a “good” Disney park show if they cut it down.
Updated On: 8/22/07 at 06:41 PM
