Theatre review: Once On This Island

Regent's Park opens its 2023 Open Air Theatre season with Once On This Island, Lynn Ahrens (book and lyrics) and Stephen Flaherty's (music) loose musical adaptation of The Little Mermaid, reinterpreted as a fable about colourism in Haiti. Ti Moune (Gabrielle Brooks) is introduced as a legend of the island, a dark-skinned foundling girl adopted by Mama Euralie (Natasha Magigi) and Tonton Julian (Chris Jarman.) They are peasants, a class dictated by their darker skin - the wealth and power of the island rests with the lighter-skinned Grands Hommes, descended from Napoleonic settlers and their black mistresses. They congregate at a luxury hotel, banning the peasants from profiting off the tourists, but one day the heir to the hotel fortune has a car accident on the wrong side of the tracks. Ti Moune finds Daniel (Stephenson Ardern-Sodje) close to death.

She immediately falls in love with him because, as mentioned, he's played by Stephenson Ardern-Sodje so fair enough, and is willing to make a deal with death-god Papa Ge (Lejaun Sheppherd) to spare his life.

The one-act musical is an incredible showcase for its leading lady, something Brooks takes full advantage of to show off both an impressive voice and natural charisma. I have to say though that for two thirds of its running time at least Flaherty's songs really don't leave me convinced. But as the story hits its stride with Ti Moune's quest across the island, the music also has its strongest stretch in the last half-hour, beginning with the calypso number "Mother Will Provide" and energetic "Some Say."

They're soon followed by the most darkly ironic moment, Daniel's love song "Some Girls" which consists almost entirely of red flags the smitten Ti Moune fails to pick up on. It foreshadows what could be a downbeat ending, but which ends up being part of the show's uneven tone - it does feel a bit like the writers want to have their cake and eat it, Rosa Guy's story taking an already melancholy fairytale and giving it a side of racial politics, but wanting to keep things light for Broadway as well. Ola Ince's production deals with the contradictions largely by ploughing confidently through them.

Georgia Lowe's set, although hiding a few dramatic surprises, is pretty simple, allowing Melissa Simon-Hartman's costumes to provide much of the brightness and drama. Some of the best visuals come from the quartet of gods who stalk the story, Papa Ge always seeming to trail smoke, and with a distinct Baron Samedi vibe that's mirrored in the visual hints that there's something of the zombie to the way he's brought Daniel back to life. I also really liked the witty visual of Earth goddess Asaka's (Anelisa Lamola) dreadlocks sprouting flowers. I still think I like Once On This Island's central story more than its music, but Ince's production does allow the show to build in energy and intensity nicely.

Once On This Island by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, based on My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy, is booking until the 10th of June at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park.

Running time: 1 hour 35 minutes straight through.

Photo credit: Marc Brenner.