Robert Reviews "The Little Mermaid"--*glug glug*

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 6:16pm

“The Little Mermaid” is a beautifully done mix of classic melodies and new tunes, sung to perfection in an enjoyable and smart interpretation of the Disney masterpiece that is currently showing at the Lunt-Fontanne theater.

If you keep your eyes shut.

“Mermaid” has quite a different problem than Disney’s (somewhat underrated) “Tarzan,” in fact it’s completely the opposite: In “Tarzan” you sat in awe at the beauty of the production until the characters actually opened their mouths, then the problems started. In this production, you wish the lights would go out and the actors would sing Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Glen Slater’s songs on a darkened stage.

“The Little Mermaid” tells the tale of an undersea mermaid princess named Ariel (Sierra Boggess) who falls in love with an actual (gasp!) human man. To win his love, she gives up her beautiful singing voice to an evil sea witch called Ursula (Sherie Rene Scott) in order to grow legs. The one caveat? Ariel has to kiss the Prince before the end of three days, otherwise her immortal soul will belong to Ursula.

You should be familiar with the plotline of the 1989 animated classic, which is rightly given credit for revitalizing the entire animated genre of film, and if you are not—get familiar, fast, because the final quarter of the musical will be utterly confusing if you have not see the film, with confounding set piece piled on confounding set piece.

The sets are plastic, and that is not meant to signify that the sets are unrealistic. The sets are literally plastic. Ariel’s cave is a mountain of plastic filled with plastic props, and when Triton gets mad and destroys it, it looks like someone wrapped it in Christmas lights. There is some sort of circular “sun-thing” that is suspended from above and contorts into various positions depending on where the characters are at any given time—it doesn’t seem to have a purpose and resembles one of those very cheap paper or plastic globes you hang underneath your chandeliers during the winter holidays. Everything seems to be accessories that come with the action figures of the show.

Let’s talk about the wheelies that all the underwater characters use to glide across stage, shall we? Yes, in theory it seems like a smart idea, and the first few times Ariel glides onstage—er—underwater, it works. But by the middle of the first act, you’ve grown tired of the gag, and when Triton begins to wheel around while acting imposing, there are a few inadvertent laughs caused because it is, after all, the king of the sea wheeling around like a kid at the mall.

By extension, the costumes are either well done or cringe-worthy. There is no in-between. While a cute suit and crab hat on Sebastian actually works, the fact that a yellow t-shirt is used for Flounder (and that the costume made it through previews!) destroys any goodwill the audience may have for the fins attached to the rears of the cast. However, some of the costumes used in the showstopper “Kiss the Girl” number are inventive and interesting, but perhaps I write this because I didn’t get to see them for a long period of time.

Despite being stuck in the world’s largest Barbie dream house, most of the cast is surprisingly wonderful in their roles. Sierra Boggess is utterly captivating as Ariel, bringing the perfect mix of innocence and feistiness to the role. She was definitely robbed of a Tony nomination last year, and not just because she pulls off the wheelies and the fish tail throughout the production. Her voice is that of an angel, and when she first belts out “Part of Your World,” you realize you are watching a new Broadway star being born.

Shockingly, Sherie Rene Scott (also robbed of a Tony nomination) does not become overwhelmed by her squid costume and delivers a great, over-the-top performance. Scott’s accent remains fluid throughout her songs and dialogue, and the constant change keeps a grin on your face, particularly when she belts out the first act finale, “Poor Unfortunate Souls.”

Sadly, Sean Palmer’s bland Prince Eric sticks out like a sore thumb. Palmer is an excellent actor and singer, no qualms about that, but despite being given some interesting material to work with (and good songs to sing), he never connects with the character in a way that makes us think his character deserves Ariel’s love. Ah well, perhaps Palmer’s tights were too, ironically enough, tight.

The actors have a lot of strong material to work with, as well. The book, by Doug Wright (of “Grey Gardens” fame) delivers some strong and witty dialogue for the characters, with the minimum number of bad sea puns. He makes a good move in having Ursula be Triton’s sister, which adds some depth to the proceedings, if you will (and that water pun was completely unintentional).

And as for the songs, the classics are still phenomenal and the new songs are strikingly good, sometimes great. After “Mary Poppins,” this Disney fan was nervous the songs would be altered for Broadway, but I should not have been worried, for Menken (with Ashman writing the lyrics for the film songs and Slater for the new songs) has created one beautiful, fluid (heh, heh) score here.

The classic songs are given new life, some of which have been expanded, but never to the point where it is intrusive. And Menken has also composed several new showstoppers, from Ursula’s great classic Broadway throwback “I Want The Good Times Back” to the sweet reuse of “Part of Your World” in “The Contest” to the phenomenal, emotional “If Only” quartet that can stand up next to the film score any day.

So what “The Little Mermaid” amounts to is half of a masterpiece, and it is infuriating to think that the show falls so short when it could have been the equal (perhaps even surpass) “The Lion King” in the right hands. It has the right cast singing the right score, and yet the production is still lost at sea (sorry!). Ah well, perhaps years from now (and I mean YEARS—the show is making over a million dollars a week and is showing no signs of slowing) when the show has a revival the magic and possibilities will be embraced fully. Until then, there’s always the cast CD and your imagination.

Rating: **1/2 (out of 5)

Updated On: 8/13/08 at 06:16 PM

[Yero]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 6:26pm

Have you ever considered being a professional critic?

[caitlinette]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 6:50pm

GREAT review!

[alliez92092]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 6:55pm

I'm going to second what Yero said, great review! You're a very good writer and I enjoy reading what you have to say.

[HBP]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 7:15pm

"If you keep your eyes shut."

My sentiments exactly. Great review. I only disagree with one part: I did not think Sherie delivered. I actually thought she was quite boring. She did sound pretty excellent though.

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 8/13/08 at 9:12pm

Thanks so much guys! I have a major in journalism so yeah, I have thought about being a critic. Got any leads on who might hire me?

Anyone think Ben Youknowho may retire soon? :p