BWW Reviews: The Muny's Colorful and Splashy Production of THE LITTLE MERMAID

When initially transforming Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale The Little Mermaid into an animated film, Disney provided an instant classic that was a smash hit with children and adults (and was a key player in their animation revival). But the transition to the stage proved more troublesome and cumbersome, reworking many plot elements, inserting about a dozen or so songs, and adding about an hour to the film's 80 minutes or so (depending on the version is being viewed) running time. While there's no denying that the audience who braved the heat and humidity in vast numbers at The Muny to see this colorful spectacle had a good time, there's also no denying that a good deal of the original's charm was somehow lost in the process.

While at sea, Prince Eric is captivated by a voice and commands his shipmates to follow it to its source. It seems a celebration is occurring undersea as King Triton has recently taken back his throne from the evil Ursula. However, his daughter Ariel is absent from the festivities, being more consumed with the world of the humans than that of her underwater brethren. A sudden storm tosses Eric from his ship and he's saved by Ariel, which sets the stage for a peculiar kind of inter-species love affair. Much mischief, mostly caused by Ursula's black magic, ensues before order is restored and King Triton is able to transform Ariel back into human form so that she can be with Eric and provide the requisite happy ending. Of course, it's a lot more complicated than all that, but why spoil the entire plot?

John Riddle is a nice fit in the role of the male love interest, Prince Eric, and he shares a fine chemistry with the lovely Patti Murin as Ariel. Paul Vogt is properly sinister as Ursula, and Ken Page returns to The Muny stage as King Triton, where his powerful pipes and presence are always a welcome sight. Elizabeth and Lara Teeter, along with Francis Jue, are helpful assistants for Ariel as Flounder, Scuttle, and Sebastian, respectively. Matt Braver and Max Kumangai are equally good as Ursula's minions, Flotsam and Jetsam, and Lee Roy Reams adds a bit of flair to the proceedings as Chef Louis, who nearly makes dinner out of Sebastian.

My favorite number is still "Under the Sea" (although I can't get the silly Simpsons parody out of my head every time I hear it), but really all of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's original songs, and even the new ones with lyrics by Glenn Slater are catchy little tunes. And The Muny orchestra, under the direction of Greg Anthony, certainly makes a joyful noise. But Doug Wright's book just makes a mess out of Andersen's original work as well as the animated film, giving us just too much of a good thing.

Paul Blake's direction is generally fine, however the show does tend to drag a bit at times. Although he is greatly aided in his efforts by the spunky choreography of Alex Sanchez, and David Lander's lighting adds considerable mood to Michael Anania's colorful scenic design. The Kansas City Costume Company provides the appropriate garb for this underwater amusement.

Perhaps a judicious bit of pruning would help this show move along at a brisker pace, but the audience seemed to enjoy it all the same. The Muny's splashy production of Disney's The Little Mermaid continues through July 14, 2011, and it will most assuredly be well attended by throngs of wee ones with their parents in tow.