The rich and complex narrative of Shared Experience’s Mermaid is met with suitably stunning visuals, both in Tom Piper’s magnificent mirrored set and Polly Teale’s mesmerising choreography. The initial setting is in the bedroom of Blue (a revelation in Natalie Gavin), a pubescent teenager full of all the difficulties and struggles of adolescent life.
She is being bullied by her peers and this drives her to create a fantasy world where deep-sea mermaids wonder what earthly life must be like, with Blue’s alter ego of the Little Mermaid beautifully played by Sarah Twomey. These sea creatures are the very epitome of innocence, asking such universal questions as ‘What is time?’ ‘What is a soul?’ and of course ‘What is love?’
For the latter the interest comes from a drowning Prince who is rescued and becomes the Little Mermaid’s obsession. Finn Hanlon’s performance as Prince could be straight out of an actor’s handbook for Hamlet with its over-philosophising and tormented recollections that we would now label post-traumatic stress.
Before she can become the Prince’s bride the Little Mermaid has to go through an initiation rite by saucily-suspendered sea witches which costs her her voice. And then a full makeover to become ‘regal’, that is trussed and bound like an oven-ready bird, replete with garish make-up, a Brazilian waxing and tortuous stilettos. Two worlds then come into collision here with the Prince and his partner the subjects of a media scrum and we are introduced to a backdrop of war in Afghanistan.
Even then the unlikely couple are never able to find true love, the Prince haunted by the horrors of war, the Princess unable to express her feelings and stressed out by the constant media attention. One nice touch is the notion of a royal wedding to take the public’s mind off an unjust war – sound familiar?!
The denouement has been much criticised but I kind of like the way we are left with no easy answers and to draw our own conclusions. Without being a spoiler suffice it to say that Blue at last finds her voice, in an anti-war rally (remember them?) while the Prince and his bride are separated – as is their inevitable fate.
The piece benefits from a chorus of young actors who provide both visual and aural input for the production and Jon Nicholls’ music and sound design is particularly worthy of note. And, for those bringing younger spectators, I think that whilst it is dark and disturbing at times none of this is gratuitous and would be suitable for 12-year-olds and upwards. Disney this ain’t though – the dream world here meets cold stark reality and it is the earthly powers that have the victory here.
As seen at West Yorkshire Playhouse 27 March.
Click here to read Rich Jevons’ interview with Shared Experience’s Artistic Director Polly Teale on the Northern Soul website.