Fat Rascal Theatre having been steadily making a name for themselves in the world of new musical theatre. They create hilarious lyrics, catchy songs and innovative narratives to create productions that have audiences in hysterics time after time. Their latest production – Unfortunate The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch is a triumph.
Based on the iconic villain from Disney’s The Little Mermaid, this one hour production delves into her alternative story. It feels a little bit like Wicked, as we see a side to the villain that we’ve never seen before. There are moments of empathy for Ursula as we discover the constant rejection and ridicule she is faced as she navigates falling in love and finding her place in the sea.
Having seen numerous performances by Fat Rascal, I am consistently blown away, but this is their best by far. It pulls on a character we all know and love with many superb digs at Disney. Robyn Grant brings sass and fire to the role of Ursula and she mirrors a glamorous movie star with her commanding stage presence and sublime comedy timing.
The whole cast are outstanding, and despite it being a brilliant comedy that has a real off-the-cuff feel about it, the transitions are slick and the vocals are pristine. Writers Daniel Fox, Tim Gilvin and Robyn Grant are show exceptional talent with their distinct and snappy humour. The modern score oozes creative flair.
This is a new wave of musical theatre and it was incredible to see a young crowd soaking up every minute of this production. The audience were howling with laughter and it created an overwhelming atmosphere.
Unfortunate is an ridiculously funny, expressive and magnetic musical that showcases a new generation of musical theatre gold.
★★★★★
Unfortunate – The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch is on at Edinburgh Fringe at Underbelly Bristo Square at 18:55.
