There is absolutely no doubt that new, headline-grabbing musical Unfortunate – The Untold Story Of Ursula The Sea Witch on at Oxford Playhouse all week, will be a worldwide smash. Because while filthy, smutty and unconventional in every way, it is absolutely sensational.
From the word go, the cast, story, humour, innuendo, poignancy, message, inclusion and music swept us away, any concerns about what it was about, how a Disney character can take the lead in an adult only show, and how filthy is filthy, immediately dissipating.
‘A joyful, hilarious, poignant, touching and filthy ride, bursting with foot-tapping songs, impeccable characterisation and a sensational script’
So imagine our delight when Ursula The Sea Witch, played by the epic Shawna Hamic (READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH HER HERE), of Disney’s Little Mermaid fame, emerges resplendent in leather, magnificent to behold, her voice soaring, growling and smirking its way through the show, as the dark, dirty, malevolent and unforgiving octopus takes centre stage.
Defiant, hilarious and bitingly witty from the word go, the fast-paced plot had us rolling in the aisles rather than rolling our eyes.
And in terms of filth, considering two of the first songs are called Sucking On You and Where The Dicks Are, and you’ll get the picture. But while unrelenting, the black humour, blue humour and toilet humour is so hysterically funny, clever and entertaining, we loved every minute.
As for the plot, Ursula takes us back to her childhood where she fell in love with the Flashheart-esque Prince Triton (Thomas Lowe), heir to Atlantica, and is tying the knot when she’s banished by the maverick king who’s so scathing about her looks and size.
‘imagine our delight when Ursula The Sea Witch, emerges resplendent in leather, magnificent to behold, her voice soaring, growling and smirking its way through the show’
And there, in the darkest part of the ocean, she sets up her own kingdom, frequented by deviants, masochists and those of all sexual persuasions, where she reigns supreme for 20 years until Triton remerges asking for her help.
His woke daughter Ariel (the glorious River Medway) is desperate to grow legs and find herself a human, in this case the buccaneering and gas-lighting Eric (Jamie Mawson) “I can ride fast but I come quicker”, in a performance that Jordan herself would be proud of, thus setting off a chain of events in which both kingdoms become inextricable entangled.
Regardless of the plot, Unfortunate‘s innate strength lies in its refusal to kowtow to any conventions about sexuality, body size or genre, and while there are nods to all the great musicals, from Monty Python and Avenue Q to Shrek and even The Greatest Showman, Unfortunate is very much its own beast.
What a night! A joyful, hilarious, poignant, touching and yes, filthy ride, bursting with foot-tapping songs, impeccable characterisation and a sensational script providing an unforgettable and irrepressible evening of entertainment.
‘Unfortunate’s innate strength lies in its refusal to kowtow to any conventions about sexuality, body size or genre’
Massive respect to the Playhouse for not only managing to snare such an up-and-coming show, but to place it in front of an Oxford audience.
So I beg to you go and enjoy the ride, because Unfortunate is a gift of a show and definitely our new, favourite musical. Or as Ursula pointed out: “Not a dry seat in the house.” So gird your loins and book a ticket.
Unfortunate is at Oxford Playhouse until Saturday April 27 and then Glasgow, Cardiff, Blackpool, Southend, Exeter, York, Bromley, Nottingham, Newcastle, Southampton and Wolverhampton. rhttps://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/unfortunate-the-untold-story-of-ursula-the-sea-witch
