Review: Big Ben's THE LITTLE MERMAID JR. is A Cute Underwater Fairytale
On October 4-5 2025, the musical school Big Ben Music Indonesia put on a production of THE LITTLE MERMAID JR. at Graha Bhakti Budaya.
Review by Nabila “Hana” Hananti and Rakaputra Paputungan, editing by Rakaputra Paputungan.
On October 4-5 2025, the musical school Big Ben Music Indonesia put on a production of THE LITTLE MERMAID JR. at Graha Bhakti Budaya. The MTI-licensed show was 2 years in the making and featured the students of Big Ben Music Indonesia. Francis Casas Masnayon served as the show’s director alongside assistant director Constantine Untung.
This review is based on the third performance, held on October 4 at 18.00.
THE LITTLE MERMAID JR. tells the familiar story of Ariel (Hitadewi Abhassara), a mermaid princess who dreams of the human world. She asks for help from the sea witch Ursula (Nia Vebriany) to get human legs and meet Prince Eric (Peter Leonard C.). But Ursula asks for Ariel’s voice in return – to use in her own wicked scheme.
As the familiar story unfolds, the audience is presented with Alan Menken’s iconic numbers – “Part of Your World”, “Under the Sea”, “Poor Unfortunate Souls”, and many more. Although some adjustments were made for the Jr. version of the show, the timeless melodies were still catchy and fun.
Leading the show is Hitadewi Abhassara as Ariel. Her voice was gorgeous, having a dreamy quality that’s very well-suited for a Disney princess. Her movements were also graceful, although a bit constrained in the mermaid costume – as evidenced in Act 2, when she was able to bring more energy as she was dancing around on those – what’s the word – feet.
The romance between Ariel and Eric forms the heart of THE LITTLE MERMAID JR. Thankfully, the chemistry was present in this production. Interestingly, the romantic spark shone most brightly during the ballroom dance between Peter Leonard C. and Hitadewi Abhassara; their couple dance was effective in conveying their affection for each other.
The rest of the cast completed the show. Nia Vebriany’s performance as Ursula was polished, only needing more Stage Presence to maximize the role’s impact. Mulio Huang’s King Triton had a nice voice, although muffled through the beard. And James Leonard was likeable as the comedic Sebastian, but some of the punchlines were lost due to unclear articulation. Overall, the show would benefit greatly from a better focus on pronunciation and sound mixing to help deliver the material.
A supporting character that stood out was Marvel Salim as Chef Louis. He radiated a slamdunk energy as he gleefully sang about cooking fish while playing around with a fish toy. Although it was a small part, his comedic delivery made “Les Poisson” a very fun number.
Additionally, there was also the ensemble cast. The group numbers like “Daughters of Triton” and “Under the Sea” buzzed alive with the ensemble’s joyous energy and the well-conducted vocal parts. It was apparent that the children had fun playing their roles, which made for an enjoyable performance.
Unfortunately, the scenic design feels like an afterthought. The large stage of Graha Bhakti Budaya needed a more grand and colorful set, especially for such a magical story like The Little Mermaid. Although the wardrobe and wigs were suitably imaginative and vibrant, the set was mostly empty and lacking in details, making the world less immersive than it could have been. The lighting design tried hard to fill this void, but it wasn’t quite enough to lift the mood.
Overall, THE LITTLE MERMAID JR. was a fun and endearing show, particularly thanks to the cast’s solid vocal performances and the ensemble’s cheery energy. Unfortunately, the lackluster set and some enunciation problems held it back. Nevertheless, I had a good enough time enjoying another version of this underwater fairytale.
Broadwayworld Indonesia was a media partner of The Little Mermaid Jr.
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