Picture: Craig Sugden
Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula The Sea Witch continues at the Underbelly Festival, Earl’s Court until 16 July 2022.
Star rating: two stars ★ ★ ✩ ✩ ✩
Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s The Little Mermaid triggered what has become known as the Disney Renaissance, revitalising the corporate behemoth’s passion for animated feature films thanks to an injection of Broadway glitz and glamour.
Central to the success of that adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale was the new character of Ursula the Sea Witch. With the torso and legs of an octopus and the upper body of a plus-sized woman, Ashman’s concept for the character was inspired by a combination of the drag queen Divine and Joan Collins’ character of Alexis in Dynasty. Collins was approached to play the role, as was Bea Arthur; both declined, with the role going to Elaine Stritch until Ashman fired her over a disagreement over how she was playing the role. The character that came to screen was played by Pat Carroll, taking what had been a minor Andersen character and turning her into a truly classic Disney villain.
Unfortunate reimagines the character still further, considering how Ursula became ostracised from undersea society at large and how rejection spurred her transition into the evil queen we know of old. Yes, this is the Wicked model; and no, there’s nothing particularly novel or innovative beyond that.
Indeed, Tim Gilvin’s music is at its best when it is paying tribute to Ashman’s original score, the melodies recognisable enough but sufficiently different to count as parodic rather than copyright-infringing. The further Gilvin’s score deviates from Menken’s, the less interesting it becomes.
The lyrics (by Robyn Grant and Daniel Foxx, who also write the book) don’t do much to inspire, either. Tonally it’s all over the place, with much of the humour coming from sophomoric drops of the F-bomb (and one use of the C-word) rather than anything requiring imagination.
Vocally, Elliotte Williams-N’Dure has a lot going for her as Ursula. However, poor sound design choices mean that even her strong vocals get lost among the over-amplified three-piece backing band. Similar problems afflict several of the other female members of the cast, although not, sadly, Miracle Chance’s Ariel – mystifyingly played as an atrocious singer (not something that could be said of Chance herself). When Ursula steals her voice, it comes as a blessed relief.
Cutting through the cacophony much better is George Whitty’s Triton, Ariel’s father and Ursula’s would-be love interest. The operatic tone to his voice, and the dramatic earnestness he brings to the role, ensure that his character hits all the humorous beats that elsewhere get lost amongst the hamminess going on elsewhere.
Unfortunate has been expanded into a full two-hour show since this production first surfaced at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. One suspects that at its original length it may have been been able to amuse with its parodic take on Disney without overstaying its welcome.
In this longer form, though, like its mermaid characters, it just hasn’t got the legs.
Scott Matthewman
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