The Little Mermaid – Newcastle Theatre Royal
28th November 2024
Invited| Review by Stephen Stokoe
Photo Credit: Paul Coltas
Christmas would not be Christmas without a trip to the pantomime and I am rather spoilt because I get to see several of them. One of the highlights of the season is to see the annual pantomime at the Theatre Royal which for the last nineteen years has been produced by Michael Harrison and his production company which is now called Crossroads. Michael is a local lad born, as he was in Wallsend and despite his upward trajectory in the world of west end and international theatre production is still very much hands on in his home town.
Anyone who has seen the jewel in Newcastle’s pantomime crown will know that it is headlined by BBCs local son and father team Danny Adams and Clive Webb who thrill audiences year on year with their madcap capers and good natured bon homie. It really is a joy to watch them bounce off each other – in some cases literally.
It is quite possible that The Little Mermaid is the very best professional pantomime I have seen outside of the Palladium. The likeness is praise indeed but perhaps not entirely surprising because Michael Harrison and Crossroads are also responsible for that annual extravaganza too.
The Little Mermaid follows the story of its Disney animated predecessor for all intents and purposes with a headstrong Ariel (Maggie Lynne) defying her father, King Triton’s (Wayne Smith) wishes and pursuing her heart’s desire to escape life under the sea to find her handsome Prince Eric (Christian Maynard.) Helping, or hindering her in her endeavours are Danny Crabstik the crab (Danny Adams) and Clive Cod (Clive Webb), a very sparkly and Dishy Fishy (Joe McElderry) and some of the best dancers in all manner of the most glorious costumes to grace the stage at this historic theatre in Newcastle’s Grey Street.
Keen to thwart Ariel’s dreams and indeed to imprison her for all eternity is The Sea Witch (Chris Hayward) aided and abetted by Eileen and Elsie the Eels played by Kylie Ann Ford and Christina Berriman Dawson respectively. Completing the cast is the absolutely wonderful Mick Potts who is credited in the programme as Man Eating Fish but he performs all manner of fishy roles in his own inimitable style and genius comedy timing.
There are some amazing set pieces which have become mainstays of a Danny and Clive pantomimes and are always warmly welcomed by the audience but in this production there is some additional magic, special effects and, perhaps, unexpectedly some flying (Flying by Foy) added into what is undoubtedly a magical retelling of a Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tale. Pantomime should never take itself too seriously but in its performance has to provide everything that makes the art form as popular as it has been for over 200 years. Crossroads, Daddy Adams and the rest of the Newcastle Theatre Royal pantomime has done this and quite honestly knocked it out of the ocean this year.
There is some original music, some well known numbers and the opening number choreography which very quickly sets the scene is simply spectacular and credit must go to musical director Andrew Hilton and his band of five for providing outstanding accompaniment to some superb vocals from McElderry, Maynard, Lynne and Smith in particular and we all know that The Sea Witch can belt out a number. Hayward revels in him role as the villain of the piece.
Tickets are already on sale for next year’s 20th Anniversary pantomime, Aladdin, but for now, I would happily return under the sea with Crossroads and the cast, crew and creatives of The Little Mermaid at Newcastle’s iconic Theatre Royal.