Unfortunate review: A riotous romp under the sea

Unfortunate is the hilarious musical parody of The Little Mermaid, which retells the story from Ursula’s perspective, using its source material as a launch pad, to establish its own, distinct identity characterised by filthy humour and an unapologetically queer perspective.

The show was written by Robyn Grant and Daniel Foxx, and was first debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019. It has grown in strength ever since, with its fringe roots still at the heart of the production.  

The comedy in Unfortunate defines the production; it is absolutely hilarious. The show has a camp, pantomime-esque nature, which creates a thoroughly high-energy, extravagant performance. The book and lyrics by Grant and Foxx are witty, cutting, filthy, and silly, meaning the audience is never left long without a laugh. The humour feels fresh and exciting, with pop culture references that successfully capture the zeitgeist and advance the progressive feel of the production (such as a reference to Ariana DeBose’s viral rap at the 2023 BAFTAs during the song ‘Female Role Models’). Grant’s direction is creative and clever, and she utilises the set, designed by Abby Clarke, successfully. 

Tim Gilvin’s songs add vibrancy to the production, with an exciting assortment of genres. The songs range from classic musical theatre numbers, rock ballads, rap segments, and fun pop songs to, unforgettably, a hilariously filthy parody of ‘Part of Your World’. The cast all give fantastic vocal performances, and the choreography by Melody Sinclair elevates both the humour and the energy of the songs. The band are partially visible on the set, which makes the production feel more intimate. 

The performances by the cast were exceptional: they all brought vibrant energy and had an impressive rapport with each other. They all looked like they were having so much fun on stage, which added to the enjoyment of watching the performances. Thomas Lowe was an absolute standout as the tormented Triton; he had the audience in stitches with just one touch of his hair. His characterisation was hysterical, and his line delivery was exceptionally funny. He had a great dynamic with Shawna Hamic, playing Ursula, which was best showcased in the hilarious and raunchy song ‘Sucking On You’. 

Allie Dart was masterful in her multirolling, most notably as Sebastian, expertly switching between characters and accents. She had great chemistry with Jack Gray, who was understudying the role of Grimsby, as Ursula’s eels. Additionally, Jamie Mawson delivered hilarious characterisations of the bizarre Neptune and obnoxious Eric. As Ariel, River Medway, best known from Drag Race, delivered an enjoyable performance of a vapid spoiled brat, which was particularly enjoyable during the musical numbers. 

The technical elements of the show elevated the performance. The costumes by Clarke paid homage to The Little Mermaid but adapted them skillfully to be more modern and risqué. The costume changes were very impressive for the multi-rolling actors and provided an extra level of comedy. The lighting, by Adam King, was another highlight of the show, as it added more vibrancy to the production and helped to convey the settings, particularly when they were underwater. The lighting design also aided the comedic aspects of musical numbers, particularly in Titan’s soul-searching ballad ‘To Be King’.

Clarke also designed the puppets, which provided an exciting additional medium to the production. The use of puppets helped to bring the underwater scenes alive, and provided comedy, particularly during the musical number ‘We Didn’t Make It To Disney‘ about the less aesthetic creatures found at the bottom of the ocean. Her set design was fairly simple but worked harmoniously with the direction of the show, and allowed for the use of whimsical props and pieces of set. 

Overall, Unfortunate is a thoroughly enjoyable, camp dive that redefines the world of The Little Mermaid. 

Find out more about the production here.