The Mermaid is a contemporary performance work in response to Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale The Little Mermaid, Disney's film, and Edvard Eriksen's statue in Copenhagen.

This coming of age story has seen the nine teenagers come of age through the devising and rehearsal process. This production draws on their energy, creativity, and worldview. It is poetic, chaotic, mythical, and contemporary all at once. It learns from the past but moves towards new mythology.

Ask the ensemble about the work and they’ll take you on a journey through H20 Tik Toks, “Mermaid Found!” conspiracy videos, and long-winded theories about Sofia Coppola’s unmade film. Delve a little deeper and they’ll tell you its queer feminist tragedy about expression, recognition self-actualisation, and celebrating individuality. They put it directly: “Don’t sacrifice yourself for shit people or material things".

Director: Cassandra Fumi
Artistic Associate: Tennessee Mynott-Rudland
Devised with and performed by: Allegra Di Lallo, An Dang, Theo Boltman, Casper Plum, Flora Feldman, Marshall Morgan, Asha Randall-Sheppard, Ella Simons and Frankie Willcox.
Developed with: Emily Goddard, Margaret Mills, Izzy Roberts-Orr (text), Mila Jenkins, Harriet Lawson-Acar.
Set and Costume Designer: Dann Barber
Lighting Designer: Rachel Burke
Composer: Christopher Bolton
Sound Design: Bee Montagner with Ivy Luo
Assistant Director: Tove Due
Set and Costume Secondment: Savanna Wegman
Director’s Secondment: Celina Mack
Dramaturgy: Vidya Rajan
Images Casper Plum

PREMIERE SEASON
14- 25 JULY, 2021, LA MAMA THEATRE, MELBOURNE
PART OF THE 2021 VCE PLAYLIST

“Indeed, director Cassandra Fumi uses silence rather brilliantly to insist upon unspoken truths.” The Age- Cameron Woodhead

“the direction of Cassandra Fumi meld things into a cohesive whole, slipping smoothly from narrative, to monologue, to interludes of movement that create resonant images”
Michael Brindley

WINNER of TWO GREEN ROOM AWARDS - 2021
+ Dann Barber for Design (independent)
+ Rachel Burke for Lighting Design (independent)