There’s a reason why The Singing Mermaid is such a highly successful story for children, both in the book by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks and in this show from Watershed. It’s because it treats kids as people with thoughtful minds, deserving of both beauty and emotional truth.
Watershed’s delightful puppetry production is a close adaptation of the original book. Already a huge hit with the fruits de mare, we follow the plight of the singing mermaid as she is lulled to join the circus by ringmaster Sam Sly. She falls hook, line and sinker for his charm, the promise of a fancy pool to swim in, and being adored by all the land. Yeah. That’s not what happens, though.
I’d been put off reading this particular story to my granddaughter in the past as I’m sick of mermaid paraphernalia. But this tale is actually about the lie of glamour and how we should be cautious of persuasion. On joining the circus, the singing mermaid is stuffed in a tiny fish tank and doesn’t see a penny of her hard-earned cash. Girls, heed the tale: stick with the fishes, bishes.
Photo credit: Little Angel.
The theatrical staging really draws this aspect out and all the children initially seemed to like Sam Sly. Later, when he is revealed as the bad guy, they all seemed outraged. Afterwards, it opened conversations about trust and instinct.
Someone told me recently that, as a child, they were told to always to look for the kindest people in the room. Thankfully, the singing mermaid finds friendship among the other circus performers. Annie the tightrope walker shows her how she can easily get back to the water without legs. It took a lot of core strengthening and acrobatics but she did it.
The songs are genuinely beautiful, drawing the audience into the world of the circus and the sea. Meanwhile, the puppets are three-dimensional exact replicas of Monks’ illustrations. It is like diving into the books.
What impressed me most was how the production understood young audiences, with every performance relaxed. The cast gently arrive on the stage and introduce us to circus skills. While that is part of the story, it also references how they will be performing. As an audience, we have a chance early on in this process to accept the rules – there will be magic, silliness, songs and puppets. There is also an opportunity to access a relaxed document on their website that has a rundown of the story, with pictures from the show. I found this helpful for myself as well as my granddaughter as we are both autistic.
The wider experience provided by HOME Manchester deserves real praise, too. The imaginative play area with crafts and costumes before and after the show felt thoughtful and generous. And I also really appreciated Watershed’s very reasonably priced books on sale.
All told, we were enveloped in the warmth of the characters’ friendships, captivated by the songs, and tickled by the daft jokes. A great show and top quality performances. Excellent.
Main image: The Singing Mermaid. Photo credit: Little Angel.
