Sea Witch - concert staging review

With the Theatre Royal Drury Lane swapping the Ancient Greek mythology of Hercules for the legends of land and sea combined, the worldwide premiere of Sea Witch took to the stage for two performances only (for now), to test the waters of this brand new musical spectacle. Co-created by Kristopher Russell and Michael David Glover, who are also director and book author respectively, they aim to enchant audiences in this tidal wave of wonder.

Inspired by the beloved Disney classic, The Little Mermaid, and acting as a Wicked-esque prequel, this villain origin story follows Evie (played by Natalie Paris), a witch navigating life as an outcast, since magic is forbidden. Meanwhile, Queen Charlotte (Mazz Murray) is reimagining her kingdom as her son, Nik (Djavan Van De Fliert), is ascending to the throne. Iker, cousin of the prince (Jay McGuiness) complicates proceedings, as does Annemette, a mermaid, (Amy Di Bartolomeo), when her fate collides with Evie's, creating a backstory woven in secrets, love, and betrayal. Influencing their pathway, Tante Hansa (Michelle Visage) and Malvina (Natalie Kassanga) become other key voices in the reshaping of the destiny that ultimately forms the Sea Witch.

As introduced by Michelle Visage as a piece forged from only five days of rehearsal, little notion of this is represented in its excecution. However, her emphasis on the history-making in the journey of the production provides an immense buzz of excitement; an atmosphere that encourages great success for fresh theatre. The star casting for this introduction certainly boosted the reception, as the audience felt unquestionably in for a vocal treat. It was the staging as a whole, though, that gripped attention, even when the storyline became a little difficult to follow.

Naturally with concert versions of shows looking to be fully fledged later down the line, a reduced set and dialogue input put the music at the forefront, ahead of the plot itself. With Sea Witch already possessing a run time of around 2 hours 35 minutes, and packed to the brim with tracks needed to tell the narrative, it is difficult to anticipate where cuts could be made to allow for translation to a musical format in development. The complex tale of power, deceit and identity requires a significantly greater deal of guidance for audience understanding than was provided at this stage, in order to follow along efficiently.

Harsh lighting with frequent strobing permeates the theatre at any given opportunity, offering a dramatic ambience, but seeming as an attempt to overcompensate for the lack of set, which wasn't required with the effectiveness of other components. For example, the striking costumes, particularly that of Queen Charlotte, are a compelling feature. Furthermore, Dean Lee's phenomenally choreographed routines explode into the space, sparking a magic between the ensemble and the floor in which they move, being an honour to watch come to life. Each company member is valued through their meticulous crafting of every motion, creating the perfect marriage between the lead characters and the importance of those surrounding them. This combination presents an unusually high energy, developed sense of direction for a concert staging to be commended.

Segun Fawole's artistry within the music and lyrics shines through the diverse repertoire on the tracklist. From hip-hop and pop vibes to powerhouse ballads, there are numerous with strong potential to be musical theatre staples. Across the range, the vocalists are given ample chance to lead their own into the spotlight, each showing prowess to build on their depth and richness of character. The rarity of allowing so many individually focused songs that interlink well is a refreshing way of demonstrating the cast and songwriting to be consistently strong, rather than the one or two with prominence.

To have seen the production at this point in its fruition and experience the assets it has to offer evokes hope that it will have the traction it deserves. If an improved sense of clarity conveying the plot were to follow in future depictions, particularly as the piece progresses, there's no reason why Sea Witch doesn't have the world as its oyster.

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 The cast for this one-off concert performance was as follows:

Natalie Paris as Evie

Mazz Murray as Queen Charlotte

Amy Di Bartolomeo as Annemette

Jay McGuiness as Iker

Michelle Visage as Tante Hansa

Natalie Kassanga as Malvina

Djavan Van De Fliert as Nik

The ensemble included Danny Bailey, Elizabeth Bright, Lucca Chadwick-Patel, Samuelle Durojaiye, Colette Guitart, Nadine Samuels, Robin Simões da Silva and Cameron Vear.

The full Dance Company, led by choreographer Dean Lee (choreographer to global icon Janet Jackson) featured Bobby Biggs, Charlie Clowes, Sebastian Diaz, Bella Finateri, Meesha Garbett, Isabella Graham, Kye Hill, Matthew Houston, Effi Kavrazoni, Alicia-Brooke Lemur, Chennel Lovick, Rania McRae, Nicholas Michail, Lilonke Nyangwa, Kitty O’Gara, Daray Russell, Risha Tavernier, Lincoln Walsh, Pollie Jackson (Swing), and Sam Jennings (Swing).