The Little Mermaid is one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most well-known stories.
But unlike the original story, this one has a happy ending. The Queenscliffe Lighthouse Theatre Group is presenting this wonderful family show this month.
After a sell-out season of Peter Pan last year, they have secured the services of Debbie Fraser once again to direct, with a mostly local cast from Queenscliff, Point Lonsdale and Ocean Grove.
While everyone is familiar with the Disney version of Arial and her friends Flounder and Sebastian
the crab, this mermaid is called Nieela, which translates to Sea Princess and her brave companion is Clem the Clam. It all begins on the day the youngest Princess Mermaid is celebrating her 15th birthday and is granted permission, by her father King Neptune, to swim to the surface of the sea.
Wearing a beautiful crown fashioned by her grandmother and accompanied by her close friend Clem Clam, she encounters a sailing ship and recognises and falls madly in love with young Prince Frederick.
But the evil Sea Witch with her two nasty sidekicks Rip Tide and Zip Tide, interferes and using her magical powers, conjures up a terrible storm. The captain and his crew jump overboard, but young Prince Frederick is thrown from the ship and almost drowns. Nieela swims to his rescue and brings him to shore.
Wishing for legs instead of a fish tail, she seeks out the Sea Witch to grant her greatest desire. So once Frederick recovers he unfortunately, spots a young peasant girl Georgina, who is walking along the shoreline and who he believes to be his saviour.
The prince promises to marry her, the next day, in honour of saving his life. Meanwhile Nieela seeks the assistance of the Sea Witch, to drink of a magic potion so that she can lose her fish tail and stay permanently on the land to pursue the Prince.
Nieela is tricked into trading her voice for the potion and now cannot explain to Prince Frederick the truth of the rescue. What will happen to make the prince realise his mistake? Does the Sea Witch take control of the undersea kingdom?
The characters include Nieela and her mermaid sisters, Shelley, Bubbly and Sandy as well King Neptune, the evil Sea Witch and a myriad other under the sea creatures, sailors and many more.
Performances are at Queenscliff Uniting Church Hall on the corner of Hesse and Stokes Sts. Bookings at qltg.org.au or Queenscliff Information Centre 52584843.
Performance days and times:
14 to 17 January at 10.30am and 1.30pm
18 January at 10.30am, 1.30pm and 7.30pm
19 January at 10.30am and 1.30pm
20 January at 1.30pm
