AD-Gifted
Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch is here to slay in Salford and is ready to reel you in with its luscious, purple tentacles.
Now, The Little Mermaid this is NOT. Like. Couldn’t be further from it if you tried.
Disney has been ripped to shreds and transformed with this deep dive into the dirty waters of Ursula. It’s her time baby, and her side of the story has an 18+ only feel to it, if you get my sea drift.
It didn’t have a sell-out run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival for nothing, so you better get on this hype wagon and join the Ursula findom.
Don’t forget to read my review of the Edinburgh Fringe run of Unfortunate the musical
A tell-all tale
Ursula is a big, bossy, octo-women who didn’t always used to be such a b*tch.
Let’s go back to her humble beginnings where she is looking to merge alliances with other Kingdoms to save the seas. Her and Prince Titan seem like a match made in the Bermuda Triangle until things go gills up, and a plot against her makes ink hit the fan. Before you can say, ‘clown fish’ she is banished to the Ocean floor, never to be seen again.
Until 20 years later, King Titan, is desperate enough to seek Ursula’s help to guide his only remaining daughter, Air Head. I mean Ariel! A contract is signed, sealed and the Sea Witch delivers in teaching this TOWIE wannabe a lesson in growing up. Or does she? Maybe taking her voice and tail isn’t enough? This new perspective will oil spill all.
Unfortunate the musical is dripping with innuendos, saucy jokes and sexy scenes. It’s silly to the maximum with characters so over the top, you’re practically thrown overboard. I think I laughed the whole way through, and so did most people around me. It’s funny AF.
Under the sea
The show is hella creative and uses of all kinds of puppets to represent the underwater world, which is seriously fun. It doesn’t go unnoticed how quickly the actors have to swap between costumes, characters and creatures, which they do seamlessly.
And the hot pop soundtrack is to ‘dive’ for.
I was swaying along to why the ugly fish didn’t make it to Disney and bopping at the tune about roles models. It was especially shocking to discover ‘Part of Your World’ is an ode to Ariels love of big D and ‘Kiss The Girl’ is about getting to first base with consent.
Allie Dart stepped up to the sushi plate as Ursula and is magnetic on stage. She nails the CE-HO vibe and whips up a storm as this magical Disney diva. Her costume of leather looking tentacles and a huge beehive of hair with a purple stripe is perfectly dramatic.
Miracle Chance is a little too good at being a dumb blonde, or in this case red head as Ariel and Jamie Mawson had me in tears as Eric, the posh Prince who’s an ignorant, talentless toff. All six of the cast got the memo and fully deserve their standing ovation.
Unfortunate The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch is filthy, foxy and freaking funny. You’d be a sucker to miss this Little Mermaid parody!
Playing at The Lowry in Salford until Saturday 10 September 2022.