Ursula Sea Witch – Edinburgh Festival Fringe – Underbelly Bristo Square

Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch continues at Underbelly, Bristo Square, Edinburgh until 26 August 2019.

Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I don’t know my Disney and it didn’t matter. I didn’t know the company, Fat Rascal, and it didn’t matter. I did know there was an electricity in the absolutely packed body of Ermintrude filled with people who knew the movie references and had been following the company for two years.

I am now determined to watch the movies, and follow the company while I can afford and grab a ticket. I hope to get to Vulvarine, their other show, if I can.

It is rare for me to see a new musical which arrives so tightly crafted, so witty and welcoming, so well staged and designed at the Fringe or any Off-Off West End venue. I suspect this will be picked up very quickly and move on a path to appeal to the Avenue Q, Six and Hamilton audiences.

“You can be who you want to be, when you’re not contracted to Disney” and here we have the undersea world of dark creatures, fabulous puppets, as they explore what happened after Ursula the Sea Witch was, apparently, defeated by the heroes and princesses of good. I so want to share some of the song titles with you, but it would give the joy away to tell you too much about this “fucked up fishy family”.

Artistic director Robyn Grant and Daniel Foxx (book and lyrics), Tim Gilvin (music), director Siobhan Cannon-Brownlie and producer Laura Elmes offer an amazing opportunity for a show devised by the company and supported by four designers (set and puppets: Abby Clarke, costumes: Cory Shipp, lighting: Katrin Padel and sound: Candice Weaver). All have embraced the challenge to only bring your best work to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

This is work presented in a style and with a company which can and should transfer easily. Five high quality actors – Allie Munro, Jamie Mawson, Katie Wells, Robyn Grant and Steffan Rizzi – playing multiple roles swimming through six slash cloth seashell/sea set pieces. Simple and stylish.

I do hope Disney Theatrical Productions will have the sense of fun to help produce this globally. It is for all the grown-ups and students who don’t want to go to the theatre with their kids/kid sister or brother, but want to share their secret love of musicals – especially cheering the sea witch of the deep.

Chris Grady