The thoughts of the fish could only be guessed at as Free Rain Theatre Company launched its forthcoming production of The Little Mermaid at the National Zoo and Aquarium on Thursday with a few songs from the show.
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This Canberra premiere production of the Disney stage musical adapted from the animated movie based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale tells the story of Ariel (played by Mikayla Williams), a mermaid fascinated by the world above the sea. She falls in love with the human Prince Eric (Tim Dal Cortivo) and seeks the help of the evil sea witch Ursula (Louiza Blomfield) to trade her tail for legs so she can meet him – but also loses her voice in the bargain.
Williams – a brunette who dyed her hair when she starred as Elle in Free Rain's Legally Blonde a couple of years ago – said she would be red-headed for Ariel, though whether she would wear a wig or dye her hair again was still under discussion.
Either way, though, she was excited to be playing the part.
"I grew up watching The Little Mermaid ... she's such an iconic Disney princess," she said. Ariel in the stage adaptation was a stronger character than in the 1989 film, she said, and she was intrigued by a character who didn't speak for much of the show.
"I was excited by the challenge of not being able to speak – it's nice to be able to get away from the text and communicate just through the body."
Director David Atfield said this was his first musical and in its style and scale a very different show in all ways from his previous play, the intimate, five-actor ancient-Rome gay love story Scandalous Boy. But, he said, it was that show that helped get him this job – in particular his affinity for the visual, which could translate to a bigger scale.
"I wanted to do something quite simple – you can't really be under the sea."
Instead, working with set and costume designer Cate Clelland and choreographer Michelle Heine, an "undersea" illusion combining scenery, colour, movement as well as special effects was created.
"We have electric eels – they need to sparkle!" he said.
Clelland said that in creating the look of the production they kept in mind its fairytale origins as much as possible.
"We're trying to make it look like a picture book."
The Little Mermaid is on at the Canberra Theatre from April 8 to 17. Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 62752700.
