SLIPPERS & SKATES; Northern Ballet's Little Mermaid

Northern Ballet

This afternoon my mum and I went to see Northern Ballet dance The Little Mermaid at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre.   It was one of my birthday presents and I enjoyed every second of it.  I have seen the Northern Ballet before; dancing A Christmas Carol and Wuthering Heights. They are my favourite Company and I was intrigued to see how they would dance out a story that takes place largely under the sea. Would it feel mermaidy enough?   The answer to that question is a resounding Yes!

This has to be the most beautiful ballet I have seen since The Russian State Ballet of Siberia's version of Swan Lake.  It is visually stunning, with lighting that looks like the rippling waters of the deep ocean and dancers acting as 'waves'.  The costumes were glorious, in pretty pastel colours and shimmering metallic fabrics that swish and sway and end in pleated mermaid tails!  It was very much like being swept away into an enchanted realm where pretty mermaids, sea nymphs and bare-chested mermen hold court. 

The story is true to the original text of the fairytale, which is always a relief when a book is presented in a different medium.  They had one piece of set which became by turns, the backdrop of the ocean, the rocks on the beach and a ship!  It was so cleverly designed and added to the magic of seamlessly transitioning the story from sea to land and back again.  

The music was beautiful and featured lovely mermaid vocals that echoed around the gilded theatre, making you feel as if you were surrounded by mermaids.  But it was the choreography that stole the show - the ballet dancers were so fluid in their movements; everything was slow and graceful, like they were actually moving through water.  They rippled across the stage like water elementals.  It was all so very magical and beautiful and pure.  Just writing about it makes me want to see it all again!

The Little Mermaid is one of the best ballets I have ever seen, so if you fancy going to the ballet this Christmas, I would recommend this one over The Nutcracker any day of the week.  They are on tour until May 2018, so check them out here and dive into a wonderful fairytale world of pure romance.  I enjoyed the ballet so much this afternoon and I really hope that they put this one out on DVD soon because I want to keep the magic and bring it home with me - it's that good! It makes me want to snuggle into my mermaid blanket and dream of being Ariel.