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Review: Unfortunate

Wed 12 Jun

Unfortunate is at Grand Opera House York this week. Photographs: Pamela Raith Photography

Wed 12 Jun 2024  @ 2:16pm
Sally Langton
News, Things to do

When Disney first released their animated classic ‘The Little Mermaid’ back in 1989, little did they know that several decades later this sexy and smutty alternative tale would be born.

Unfortunate, the musical parody performing at Grand Opera House York this week (Tue 11 – Sat 15), is an adult-only night of risqué fun – which will have your trip under the sea quickly swapped for a cold shower.

Ursula and Triton had ‘unmatched’ chemistry

The musical, created by the talented Robyn Grant, Daniel Foxx and Tim Gilvin, puts Ursula the sea witch at the front and centre of the narrative, squashing our preconceptions and allowing this badass heroine to gain our affection.

Shawna Hamic was certainly badass – from her first footsteps onto the dimly lit stage to her extremely powerful belt, she had the audience under her intoxicating spell and was the perfect, leading lady. I can only hope that the next generation of women, grow up to be just as self-assured as her, with perhaps slightly less potty mouths!

We knew there was a voyage ahead as we entered the auditorium and witnessed the exquisite staging, a beautifully crafted ship, soon to become a playground for the entire ensemble. And oh did they play; it’s always refreshing to see a company have so much fun with the script and staging. Of course, it helped that they were playing such eccentric characters, complimented by extraordinary costuming and puppetry by Abby Clarke. 

Hamic was joined by a stellar cast, multirole masters who swapped characters quicker than Ursula could rap. Thomas Lowe gave us a captivatingly camp Triton, whose chemistry with Hamic was unmatched, their performance of ‘Sucking on You’ was when the show truly came to life and the audience’s reception grew.

But what had the audience in hysterics was River Medway’s performance as Ariel; despite being expectantly mute for the majority of the show, her facial expressions were enough to communicate throughout. Other honourable mentions must go to Jamie Mawson playing our dopey flute-adoring Eric and Julian Capolei as, not only Grimsby, but more notably Ursula’s transformed alter ego Vanessa who gave us a drag show – that could be a standalone sellout!

River Medway as Ariel

The performance of the evening for me has to be Allie Dart, an exceptional triple threat who played a multitude of well-rounded characters throughout. Not only did she give us our Irish Sebastian or the delightful French Chef with her love for Les Poissons, she is also their resident director, dance captain and gave us a Disney crossover story no one could have expected – I was exhausted just from watching her command the stage.

It isn’t just the book that’s cleverly written and filled with delightful filth and pop-culture references but the music too, both of which have been developed massively since the show’s sold-out run at Edinburgh Fringe. The growth in this musical and its production quality is extremely impressive and highlights the importance of investing in fresh new art.

Whilst the music was clever and the nods to Disney golden, I did find there was a sound imbalance at times which left the lyrics and speech difficult to interpret, meaning some of this brilliant writing was lost in translation.

However, the one thing that is clear with this brand new musical is Unfortunate is certainly unforgettable and gives us a never-before glimpse into the dark side of Disney, somewhere I would love to revisit! This explosion of queer chaos has been welcomed by a grateful audience, shining a light and representation on those who ‘didn’t make it to Disney’ but definitely deserve a place. 

This naughty Queen B will be serving more than just magic at Grand Opera House York until Saturday 15 June, grab tickets here for a salty surprise!


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