Review - Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr.

“O-FISH-ALLY Fantastic! DPTA’s The Little Mermaid JR Makes Waves at Yeadon Town Hall”

I’ve just come back from what I can only describe as a reel treat - Damien Poole Theatre Arts’ junior production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid JR at Yeadon Town Hall, and it truly blew me out of the water!

Having seen the full version of the show in recent years and feeling a little underwhelmed (mainly by the script itself), I wasn’t sure how the junior version would hold up. But this production completely turned the tide. From the moment the curtain rose, the stage was swimming with energy, confidence, and colour.

The cast - packed with young talent - were clearly well-drilled and having a whale of a time. The vocals, taught by Marie Collins, were pitch perfect, and the choreography by Christina Barlow was snappy, vibrant, and full of character. The whole production was steered smoothly under the expert direction of Damien Poole, whose West End experience clearly shines through in the standard of work his students produce.

The costumes were clever, bright and totally fitting for a junior show. Set, sound, and lighting were equally strong - helping to create an undersea world that felt full of magic and movement.

There were strong performances across the board, but special mention must go to Siena Ansell as Ariel in the performance I saw. She was a real natural on stage - charming, expressive and with vocals that soared. Definitely one to watch.

Shell-abrations are in order for the entire cast and crew on a cracking production. If you haven’t seen it yet, there’s still time to catch a performance on Sunday - and trust me, it’s worth trawling for a ticket if you can.

And if you know a young performer looking to dip their toes into musical theatre, DPTA are running Musical Summer Schools this August - the perfect opportunity to take the plunge! Visit www.dpta.co.uk

In short: a fin-tastic show from a company that continues to set the bar high for youth theatre.