Review: Pieni merenneito

The Little Mermaid Exudes Disney Magic

Are you bothered by autumn gloom? Don’t worry, this autumn Disney fans will be treated to a grand musical The Little Mermaid, based on Disney’s beloved film about Mermaid Ariel, which will be performed at the Helsinki City Theatre. It is the theatre’s largest and probably also the most expensive musical production of all time – and it can be seen and heard.

Right at the beginning of the performance, I notice that a permanent smile sticks to my face. The viewer is led into a charming underwater world filled with dance, song and colorful sea creatures. Cheerful and impressive musical numbers follow one another, but those familiar with the story know that there are also less blissful moments in store. The musical is not an identical copy of the film, and many new songs and surprising solutions are heard in the theatre hall. Visually, the performance is pleasing to the eye, and different milieus – such as the Kingdom of Triton and the castle’s kitchen – are excellently executed.

The actors’ performances also deserve praise. The main actors, Sonja Pajunoja as Ariel and Martti Manninen as Prince Erik, empathize and sing beautifully. However, I especially remember Sanna Saarijärvi’s startlingly fine performance as Ursula and Tuomas Uusitalo’s Chef Louis. The performance plays with fun details: Splash the fish rolls on a skateboard, and Sebastian the crab is made as a hand puppet. The marines are “swimming”, i.e. waving their limbs on the stage. Ariel, on the other hand, does amazing flips in the air while singing at the same time, which requires quite a bit of skill.

Thematically, the musical emphasizes the search for one’s own identity and the feeling of being an outsider even more strongly than the Disney film, which is reflected in Ariel’s fervent desire to enter the world of humans. Some supporting characters, such as Ariel’s siblings, will have an even bigger role in the show. We also learn more about the fate of Ariel’s mother and the history of King Triton and Ursula. The two-and-a-half-hour performance gives the characters space to show different sides of themselves – especially the warmth and sensitivity that Prince Erik exudes are a positive surprise. A small minus comes from the ending, which in my opinion was too “easy” and looked confusing.

The magical love story sucks you in. Finally, the wonderful trip to the fairytale world comes to an end. I wipe tears from the corners of my eyes, and soap bubbles float into the stands. The audience applauds standing up. Thank you – more of this!