“The Little Mermaid” Joffrey reviewed by Julia W. Rath

[rating=5]A feast of delights, the Joffrey Ballet’s “The Little Mermaid” paints a vivid canvas with striking visuals, music, and dance. What makes this production unique is that the audience is given just enough detail to recreate the fantasy in our own minds. Choreographed by John Neumeier with music written by Lera Auerbach, this tragic romance based on Hans Christian Anderson’s 1837 fairytale features dancing and pantomime that astounds us with its ingenuity. I especially loved the character of the Mermaid (the brilliant Victoria Jaiani), who charms us with her slithery movements and sleek costume, complete with a long chiffon tail, held up in the air by three dancers all dressed in black! Not only is the unique combination of music, dance, and costuming fabulous, but the innovative uses of lighting, perspective, and stage devices make this a one-of-a-kind performance. The first half is very good; the second half is extraordinary; and the ending is sublime!

We are introduced to the Poet extraordinaire (Stefan Goncalvez) onboard a cruise ship, where he watches his friend Edvard (Dylan Gutierrez) get married to his bride Henriette (Anais Bueno). A bit envious of their loving relationship, the Poet wishes for one of his own. In a flight of fancy, he imagines a Mermaid who lives beneath the sea. At the same time, he pictures the ship’s captain on deck, a handsome Prince, who looks very much like Edvard (Dylan Gutierrez). Unfortunately, while playing a round of golf, the Prince hits the ball too hard, and it sails into the water. He unthinkingly jumps overboard to retrieve the ball and nearly dies in the attempt. That is when the Mermaid saves his life. However, the Prince believes that it is a lovely schoolgirl (Anais Bueno) (who looks like Henriette), who has saved him instead, and his fondness for his newly-found Princess grows. But this occurrence makes the Mermaid very sad, for she is the one that the Prince should really be in love with! She thus summons the Sea Witch (Yoshihisa Arai) and asks to be transformed into a human being, so that the Prince could be bound to her forever. The Sea Witch grants her request, and now the Mermaid no longer has a tail but can stand on two legs.

Since the Prince has already given his affections to another, he humors the Mermaid (who has now become a young woman) when she constantly fawns over him. On the day of his wedding to the Princess, the Mermaid happens to be one of the bridesmaids. She constantly follows him—for after all, she became human in order to be with him—and now she wants to be loved for the beautiful soul she is. But of course, this is a story about unrequited love. Finally regretting her decision, the Mermaid approaches the Sea Witch to turn her back into her former self. But the Sea Witch won’t do it: The Mermaid can get her tail back only by killing the Prince first. So the young woman is in a quandary, for she certainly doesn’t want to kill the man she still adores.

In the first half, the music is just enough to stir up the audience’s emotions and steer the plot forward. It is in the second half, however, where distinct dances mark parallel planes of existence: We witness the Mermaid’s present life on two unstable legs, while we see others perform elegant dances as sea creatures, demonstrating the freedom that she has left behind. But it is the Poet, not just the Mermaid, who contemplates what can happen in the dream state when the soul is not constrained by physical form. While the dances between the Prince and the Mermaid evoke the prospect of romantic love, it is the dances between the Poet and the Mermaid which suggest perhaps an even deeper love: where the creator is at one with his creation.

It is amazing to see Neumeier’s vision not only in the choreography but in the superior lighting, innovative costumes, evocative set designs, and other fine details which have all been executed so beautifully! From the very beginning to the very end, we see a large shell, which represents the call of the sea and a beating heart. Bands of curved lights in the shapes of waves are prominent throughout to suggest the mood underwater. Two of the most amazing scenes offer the romance of a starry night. The lighted box at the beginning of the second half is the most perfect analogy of how the Mermaid now feels as a person. She is trapped by her physical and psychological needs and her unfamiliarity with modern culture. She now has to wear clothing. A nice touch is the inclusion of a wheelchair, because the Mermaid has never learned how to walk on two legs. Then there is her perfect makeup in shades of blue: a skin color that makes her look authentic while in the water but somewhat sickly when she is human. I especially liked the creative blue and green costumes of the sea creatures and the red, white, and black of the Sea Witch, not to mention the groomsmen in their crisp white uniforms. We see the bridesmaids in their rose-colored dresses at the Prince’s wedding—and the Mermaid wearing the exact same dress, although she is a bit disheveled and absent the pillbox hat.

The world premiere of “The Little Mermaid” took place in 2005 and was performed by The Royal Danish Ballet. Today, sceneries, props, and costumes have been lent by the Hamburg Ballet and Neumeier himself for the current production. Staging by Niurka Moredo and Lloyd Riggins is perfect, and music director and conductor Scott Speck has done a phenomenal job with the Lyric Opera Orchestra. If there is one fault in the presentation it is this: I would have liked to have heard the sound of a ship rocking back and forth to fill a few too many awkward silences, mostly in the first half.

In all, the Joffrey Ballet never fails to delight, and this production is a must-see. No matter who the principal dancers are on a given day, you will be impressed by this sophisticated romantic drama, where the enchanting Mermaid has sacrificed everything to become a human being. And thereby hangs her tale.

“The Little Mermaid” is playing at The Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago, through April 30, 2023.

Tickets start at $36.

Performance Schedule:

Thursdays – 7:30 p.m.
Fridays – 7:30 p.m.
Saturdays – 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sundays – 2:00 p.m.

Meet the artists at a pre-performance discussion before the 2:00 p.m. performance on Saturday, April 22 and before the 7:30 p.m. performance on Saturday, April 29.

For information about “The Little Mermaid” and to purchase tickets, please go to: https://joffrey.org/performances-and-tickets/2022-2023-season/the-little-Mermaid/#tickets.

For information about accessibility at The Lyric Opera House, visit: https://joffrey.org/performances-and-tickets/plan-your-visit/accessibility-2/.

To learn about the Joffrey Ballet and their other offerings, see: https://joffrey.org/.

Masks are optional under current COVID protocols, which are subject to change at any time.

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at The Little Mermaid”.