Reviewed by Nikki Cotter

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

She’s been giving main character energy since the premier of Disney’s The Little Mermaid back in 1989, so it’s only fitting that Ursula, finally gets her own moment in the spotlight. 

This outrageous musical parody with book and lyrics by Robyn Grant and Daniel Foxx and music by award-winning composer Tim Gilvin returns to The Lowry for festive season and is bigger, better and bolder than ever.

Taking on the role of Ursula is the insanely talented Sam Buttery who delights in deep diving into this delicious diva’s backstory. Buttery perfectly embodies this badass octowitch, flirty, filthy and frothing with talent, she draws your attention from the moment she splashes onto the Lowry stage. Blasting out the powerhouse vocals with ease while delivering every killer line with perfect precision, most importantly she is a whole lot of fun and will soon make you realise maybe we’ve been wrong about Ursula all along.

Her scenes with Blair Robertson as King Triton are outrageously funny, together they deliver this genius script with razor sharp precision. Buttery is effortlessly cool while Robertson hams it up to perfection, the result is laugh-out-loud scenes throughout.

Allie Dart returns in the role of Sebastin (as well as multiple other characters) and proves once again what a talent she is. She commits entirely to each and every role, never missing a beat in this fast-paced romp with some of her characters even appearing on stage at the exact same time! Her scenes with James Spence as Ursula’s slippery sidekicks Flotsam and Jetsam are particularly brilliant. Spence like Dart also takes on multiple roles, from the weirdly tactile King Neptune to the wildly camp Prince Eric he’s utterly superb ensuing this precessional debut is one to remember.

Miracle Chance returns as the desperate and dim Ariel, when has the audience in stitches from the off with her deliciously crude lines, each one more outrageous than the last. Her quest to find her own Prince Charming, played superbly by James Spence is a scream, adding another enormously entertaining element to this perfect parody. Special mention must also go to ensemble members Freya McMahon and Fionan O’Carroll who complete this talented cast.

While the adult jokes come thick and fast there’s also a gorgeous theme of individuality and acceptance which weaves its way through the story adding depth to an already impressive show. The shorter running time for this revamped production ensures the pace is fast and the show feels fresh. This gloriously queer, creatively camp, celebration of difference offers a hilarious alternative for theatre goers this Christmas, it’s gaudy, glittery and utterly gorgeous!

Unfortunate – The Untold Story of Usrula the Sea Witch is on at The Lowry until Sunday 11th January, tickets are available here.