The Little Mermaid Jr - Cast 2 - 4 out of 5 stars
Pelican Productions
TICKETS: End of Season
Pelican Productions’ The Litte Mermaid Jr has completed their run with “Cast 2” having their 2-show run. Attending the evening performance, the audience was filled with enthusiastic patrons, showing a strong reception for Adelaide’s youth theatre.
This review focusses on the cast members that were not in “Cast
1”, and so Joel Howis, Emma Fisher and Thomas Mendes aren’t mentioned in this
review. The same accounts for comment on the production elements and the
creative team. You can discover my thoughts on that here:
Alyssa Faranda’s Ariel is buoyantly curious and quietly
determined. She quickly establishes a character who is both lives in a dream-like
state, yet decisive and passionate. Faranda’s voice is clear and flexible,
moving effortlessly from tender intimacy moments to brighter, playful tones within
the ensemble numbers. The specificity of her choices sets her apart, such as
the way she glides across the stage or the quick glances she shares with other characters.
Faranda makes Ariel’s journey feel personal, urgent, and human.
Hunter Walsh steps up as Sebastian with comic assurance and
musical precision. He is fussy without being fussy, fretful without being
frantic—a crab who genuinely cares about Ariel but is also perpetually
exasperated by her choices. Walsh’s comical timing is impeccable. In “Under the
Sea” and “Kiss the Girl,” he drives the energy while keeping the character’s
flustered dignity intact. His voice is well-supported, and his physicality adds
a layer of visual comedy that never feels forced.
Samantha Perryman’s Scuttle is a whirlwind of unshakeable
confidence. She leans into the character’s self-appointed status as an expert with
delightful bravado, delivering every absurd explanation with conviction.
Perryman’s physical work is sharp and bird-like while her comic timing is
excellent. In “Human Stuff,” she gets to showcase her voice with a genuine love
of performance, turning the number into a celebration of being gloriously,
confidently wrong.
Maddison Fox’s Ursula is a villain who knows exactly how to
make the most of the space she occupies. From her first entrance, she commands
attention with a combination of vocal power and theatrical flair. Fox’s performance
is rich, controlled, and dripping with menace, reminding us that Ursula enjoys
her own villainy. This is an Ursula who is not just an obstacle for Ariel, but
a force of nature in her own right.
Stef Garrod and Gemma Moran-Machen form a slithering,
unsettling pair as Flotsam and Jetsam, Ursula’s eel underlings. Both performers
embrace the physical demands of the roles with precision, moving with sharp,
controlled gestures. Rather than mirroring each other’s movies, their eel-like
charm in individual with personality.
Patrick Porter’s Grimsby is the steady, paternal anchor of
Eric’s world, bringing a warm, kind quality to the role. His voice is clear and
well-projected, ensuring that his quieter moments land with intention. He finds
the humour in the character’s exasperation—particularly when dealing with
Eric’s mysterious saviour.
Featuring as Chef Louis, Olivia Emmett is a characteristic explosion.
She throws herself into the role with uninhibited energy, turning the kitchen
scene into a whirlwind of chopping, shouting, and chaos. Emmett’s voice is
strong and clear, and she uses it to great effect in her song, “Les Poissons”.
I neglected to acknowledge the large talent pool that exists within the ensemble in my first review, and such an omission must be remedied. With 108 cast members across both casts, there is a majority who deserve more than unspoken acknowledgement: the Gulls, the Princesses, the Mersisters, the Sailors, the Sea Dancers and tentacles, the Chefs alongside Chef Louis, and the sea (and land) creatures that make up the ensemble. Without them, “Under the Sea” would not be the spectacular vision it became; “Kiss the Girl” would not be as atmospheric as it was. As a unit, they worked and performed as one, a testament to the hard work that has been done within rehearsals.
If you missed Grease last weekend, or The Little Mermaid Jr this weekend, be sure to follow Pelican Productions on social media to stay abreast what they intend on doing next!
- Andrew Broadbent
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