The New Vic Theatre’s in-house Christmas production of The Little Mermaid offers a fresh retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale, combining circus artistry, live music and atmospheric design to create a vibrant underwater world. In this version, young mermaid Coralie dreams of seeing life above the waves. When she rescues a human boy stung by jellyfish, her curiosity becomes a conviction: she must explore the world beyond her reef, even if it means leaving the safety of her family behind. What unfolds is a story of bravery, longing and self-discovery, as Coralie navigates both human and ocean realms in pursuit of her future.
There is no doubt that this production is carefully designed with younger audiences in mind. The pacing is brisk, the narrative is easy to follow and the overall atmosphere is warm, colourful and festive. With a relatively short runtime, it is an ideal seasonal outing for families with children—sensory, lively and visually engaging enough to hold the attention of even the youngest theatregoers. While adults may find some elements less developed, the charm and heart of the piece carry it through.
Where this Little Mermaid truly shines is in its visual spectacle. Laura Willstead’s set transforms the in-the-round space into an immersive coral reef bursting with colour and texture, complemented beautifully by Lis Evans’ playful, ocean-inspired costumes. The integration of circus—led by Vicki Dela Amedume, with support from Holly Downey—adds a breath-taking dimension to the action.
The aerial choreography used to depict the mermaids swimming is consistently enchanting. These sequences are fluid, graceful and atmospheric, capturing the sensation of drifting weightlessly through water. They also give the production a unique identity, distinguishing it from more traditional pantomimes or musical interpretations. It’s no surprise that the audience reacted most strongly to these aerial moments; they deliver genuine theatrical magic.
The ensemble brings energy and cohesion to the production, though performances are pitched firmly at a family audience—clear, broad and accessible—rather than aiming for deep character nuance. Rhiannon Skerritt’s Coralie provides a likeable, warm centre to the story, supported by a lively group of mermaid siblings played by Ruby Buchanan, Maisie Mo Harrison, Harrison Sweeney and Caoife Turner.
Vocally, the production leans heavily on Inês Sampaio as Red Whip Coral. She carries the bulk of the musical material with assurance, offering steady vocals throughout. While the songs themselves aren’t written to be showstoppers, Sampaio’s delivery gives them shape and emotional clarity. Elsewhere the ensemble handles puppetry, physical theatre and movement with confidence, with standout work from Darcy Braimoh, Elliot Goodhill and Niamh Hine in the puppeteer tracks.
Theresa Heskins’ script is at its best in the first act, where it balances humour, narrative clarity and world-building with charm. The second act, however, loses some of this strength. The newly written songs by Arun Ghosh serve the story but don’t always enliven it; several feel musically repetitive or low-energy, especially compared with the vibrancy of the visual design.
The overuse of modern slang by the humans – “rizz”, “delulu” and similar phrases – feels misplaced and jarring. Rather than adding contemporary sparkle, it momentarily breaks the timeless fairy-tale atmosphere the production works hard to build. These moments will, inevitably, date the show quickly and may leave adults wincing, even if the younger audience laughs. Some of the writing here does a major injustice to the ingenuity and nuance of the language and instead seems to work mechanically through a list of ‘slang’ and uses them inappropriately and occasionally inaccurately to produce inorganic and jarring dialogue.
The story’s resolution unfortunately feels underdeveloped. Certain plot points—most notably the sudden ability of characters to breathe underwater without explanation—are resolved too simply or too quickly, diminishing the emotional stakes the first act sets up. While younger children may not question the logic, adults may find the storytelling slips into convenience.
One of the boldest—and strangest—directorial choices involves the portrayal of the Sea Witch. Harrison Sweeney performs the physical aspect of the role through aerial rope work, which is striking and technically accomplished. However, the voice and singing for the character are provided separately by Inês Sampaio (as Red Whip Coral), positioned by the band with a veil covering her head.
This disconnect between the aerial performer and the unseen vocalist creates a fragmented, disjointed effect. Without mime or synchronisation, the two halves of the character never fully blend, making the Sea Witch feel oddly detached from Coralie during key confrontations. The result is visually engaging but dramatically confusing—particularly for younger children, who may struggle to understand why the character’s voice doesn’t come from the aerial figure in front of them.
The New Vic’s The Little Mermaid is a charming, imaginative and visually gorgeous family show that will delight children and impress adults with its circus-infused staging. The aerial work, set and overall design are genuinely exceptional. However, the weaker second act, occasionally lacklustre songs and some confusing staging choices—most notably in the Sea Witch sequence—mean the production never quite reaches the emotional or narrative heights it promises.
Even so, it offers plenty of heart, colour and creativity for a festive family trip, and younger audience members are likely to leave thoroughly enchanted by its underwater world.
The Little Mermaid plays at the New Vic Theatre until 24th January 2026.
Photography throughout from Andrew Billington.
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