The Little Mermaid set to make a splash at Bristol Old Vic this Christmas

As November marches on, rehearsals are well underway for the much-anticipated Bristol Old Vic seasonal spectacular of 2024: The Little Mermaid.

Returning to the theatre after last year’s Arabian Nights, writer Sonali Bhattacharyya has penned this adaptation, which is updated for a contemporary audience and places the mermaid – in this case called Sereia – at the centre of her own destiny.

When the sanctuary of Sereia’s underwater world is threatened, she finds herself on a dangerous quest into unknown territory to find the answers she needs, meeting a variety of creatures, monsters and one caring young man along the way.

The show is directed by Olivier Award-winning Miranda Cromwell, who began her career as the director of Bristol Old Vic Young Company back in 2007 and is delighted to be back where it all started.

Photo: Richard Lakos; image design: Steph Pyne

She joined Bristol24/7 from the rehearsal room where the production is taking shape:

What does The Little Mermaid mean to you?

“It’s a story I’d always loved as a child – both the Disney film and the Hans Christian Andersen version which is much darker. As an adult, however, I realised I didn’t love some of its underlying messages. What I really wanted to do instead was to give the little mermaid her voice and make her the hero of the story.

“I felt strongly that if she was a mermaid living in the sea now, she’d be fighting for more than just falling in love with a boy. It felt important that she represented a warning from nature: a message telling us to come together and restore our planet – a sort of indigenous voice of the water, reminding us to bring harmony back.”

Michael Elcock, John Leader, Nandi Bhebhe in rehearsal for The Little Mermaid – photo: Ciara Hillyer

In terms of the constituent parts of the narrative – especially one with which many of us are so familiar – what excited you most about the power of theatre in adapting it?

“Straightaway I was so excited about the water, the way the mermaid would swim and her huge tail – and what she must give up in order to become a different creature – denying half of herself. All the fish friends are there – and all the comedy of those playful characters, alongside a deeper message about sacrifice and longing.

“All these elements have a real magic, perfect for big theatrical storytelling where you can be under sea, and you can tell a really beautiful and romantic story about how our mermaid finds a boy, falls in love and then makes that sacrifice for a greater purpose. In our story that greater purpose is about reconnecting us to nature and remember what’s so special and magic about the world under the sea, nature and that animal part of ourselves.”

Liana Cottrill in rehersal as Sereia – photo: Ciara Hillyer

Can you introduce us to a few of your favourite characters within the story?

“Of course there’s our beautiful mermaid Sereia – the fearsome heroine – who is very headstrong, incredibly powerful and able to speak truth to power. Then there’s our wicked villain Inky Slick who lives in the depths below, and her sister Coral who is Sereia’s grandmother; a wise, ancient and beautiful old lady who takes care of her.

“We also have Kai – a hapless DJ for fish who is doing what he can to save the coral reefs, and who goes on this adventure with Sereia, and his parents – but you’ll have to wait to discover more about them!”

Liana Cottrill as Sereia – photo: Ciara Hillyer

How would you define your approach as a director?

“For me, the joy of doing a project like this is you have a brilliant creative team: the visionary designer Ruby Pugh, our fantastic writer Sonali Bhattacharyya, plus incredible theatremakers who are bringing their voices to devise elements of the story. From creating choreography to writing lyrics, or working with the writer to deepen the character journeys, I love being able to interweave all those elements.

“I’d say I am a visually ambitious director who likes working collaboratively with actors and the team to layer the story so it becomes so much more than just my imagination. In the end, it’s a collective vision which then surprises me too, which I find really thrilling. Our rehearsal room is fun, collaborative, playful and magical and that’s something I love to foster – I hope that comes across in the performance itself.”

Full ensemble rehearsals – photo: Ciara Hillyer

A Bristol Old Vic festive production is always expected to be a show with a difference. How do you go about embedding that extra special theatricality that will appeal to an intergenerational audience?

“For us we’re blessed to be able to lean into circus in his show – lots of flying and silks and different ways to show swimming. Also live original music which is really exciting coming out of the room – finding each character’s theme tune, having a fish disco and all the fun in that. There’s lots of inherent magic in the story we get to play with on this beautiful stage.”

Finally, what are you most excited about, for opening night?

“To have a party! We want to invite everyone to a big celebration at Christmas – for it to be something we can share with friends and family – to enjoy it and be together, and to celebrate live storytelling.”

The Little Mermaid (age recommendation 7+ is at Bristol Old Vic on December 5-January 11 at 7pm, with some additional matinee shows (times vary). Tickets are available from www.bristololdvic.org.uk.

Main photo: Richard Lakos; image design Steph Pyne

Read next:

• Review: Arabian Nights, Bristol Old Vic – A dynamic, brilliantly performed and visually stunning show’
• Review: The Nutcracker, Bristol Old Vic – ‘A Christmas show that dials the fabulous up to 11’
• Review: Robin Hood: Legend of the Forgotten Forest, Bristol Old Vic