Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula The Sea Witch – The Lowry, Salford

Book & Lyrics: Robyn Grant and Daniel Foxx

Music: Tim Gilvin

Director: Robyn Grant

It’s that most wonderful time of the year again, when Christmas traditions return in full force: turkey, mistletoe, and an abundance of easy, comforting television. As the festive schedule is packed full of family friendly films and cartoons  it’s only a matter of time before you stumble across a Disney classic like The Little Mermaid (1989) or its 2023 live-action remake. But one thing you certainly won’t find in the holiday lineup is a film giving the Little Mermaid’s antagonist in chief, Ursula,a fair hearing.

Enter Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch, part of The Lowry’s festive output,  a show determined to set the record straight. If you’re expecting a sacarine fable, think again. Vulgar, absurd, and unapologetically rowdy, this in-your-face musical parody gleefully tears up the rulebook. It’s as crude as it is clever, and all the more fun for it.

In this reimagining, the story rewinds 20 years to reveal a very different side of Ursula. Far from the villain of Disney legend, she’s a sharp-tongued, no-nonsense powerhouse just starting out at college. Passionate about the mistreatment of poorer sea creatures and the growing pollution of the ocean, Ursula refuses to quiet her principles or conform to the shallow expectations of her classmates. Her boldness, unsurprisingly, makes her a target for bullying and harassment. Thankfully, she finds an ally in the effortlessly handsome and impressively sculpted Prince Triton, a childhood friend who also happens to be King Poseidon’s son.

The King soon decrees that it’s time for his son to find a princess, and a grand ball is arranged. Ursula surprisingly attends, but true love predictably refuses to cooperate. As a murder takes place, Ursula is swiftly framed for the crime. The fallout sees her banished from Atlantica.

Fast-forward two decades and Triton comes crawling back, desperately seeking help with his daughter, Ariel. As his only surviving heir, Ariel is set to inherit the kingdom, however it’s fair to say she’s far more interested in men, and what they’re packing, than in matters of state. The question is: can Ursula whip the wayward princess into the regal shape and vanquish any thoughts of becoming a human, and teach the girl a lesson about what it is to be a strong female voice.

This production is an absolute riot from start to finish: a barrage of catchy, no-nonsense show tunes paired with big belly laughs. Crucially, the songs aren’t just there for spectacle, they genuinely drive the plot forward. Standout numbers include the crude-but-hilarious Where the Dicks Are, the delightfully absurd My Little Flute, the scathing We Didn’t Make It to Disney. And then there’s Unfortunate, a rousing, fist-pumping call to arms that rightfully claims its place as the show’s signature tune.

The cast is equal to the source material. Sam Buttery is a force of nature as Ursula, it’s a performance chock-full of fire and sass, and a hint of vulnerability. Miracle Chance is superb as the dim-witted, ditzy Ariel, showcasing a tremendous voice and also a great talent for physical comedy throughout. 

Allie Dart puts in a tremendous shift throughout as Sebastian the lobster (now from the emerald isle) and later the French Chef. Her turn during the musical number Les Poissons, is a treat and shows great comic timing. Blair Robertson cuts an impressive figure  as the chiseled Triton. His is a dead-pan performance offers something a little different when compared to his co-stars. Whilst James Spence is outstanding as the vain, cretin, Prince Eric as well as the creepy, unhinged yet buff King Poseidon.

Jasmine Swan’s bold costume and set designs look fantastic, flooding the stage with vibrant aquatic colours. But it’s the magnificent puppet designs that truly shine: ranging from the cutesy to the grotesque, each one is brilliantly brought to life by Freya McMahon, Fionan O’Carroll, and the rest of the cast. The seven-strong ensemble (Buttery aside) all take on multiple roles throughout, and it’s a credit to both their hard work and Swan’s clever costume design that the rapid changes feel so slick.

With strong messages about body positivity, water pollution, the environment, and MeToo woven through a backdrop of brutal gags, razor-sharp one-liners, and joyously risqué songs, this is a highly entertaining and thoroughly fun night at the theatre. Just leave the kids at home with the grandparents.

Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula The Sea Witch is at the Lowry till Sunday 11th January