Sea Witch
When it comes to humanising a famous villain, Sea Witch is a small fish in a big pond of other, more successful musicals. Drawing inspiration from The Little Mermaid and based on Sea Witch, the story follows Evie, a young witch with a traumatic past caught in a love triangle between the newly crowned King Nik and his cousin-turned-rival, Iker. With the arrival of the mermaid Anamette, friendships are formed and hidden secrets begin to resurface — secrets that will change everything.
Without seeing any publicity beforehand, I went in with no preconceived notions but with the optimism that a new musical might breathe fresh life into a classic story. Unfortunately, the tides were not in Sea Witch’s favour, as it runs aground in shallow waters.
Since Sea Witch is presented in concert form, it makes sense that the music takes centre stage. However, the show also leans on a complex plot that its brief book scenes never fully develop. The romance is never established, the villains lack motivation, and the central mystery receives little thought. It’s clear that Sea Witch is tipping its hat toward Wicked and Frozen (which ran at the same theatre for three years). Yet what made those musicals work was their clarity of plot and clearly defined characters.
Written by co-creator Michael David Glover, the piece clearly attempts to balance depth and darkness with the camp sensibility seen in its sister show Unfortunate — a wrestling match that ultimately isn’t won. The absence of humour leaves Act 1 feeling rather turgid, while Act 2 resembles an under-the-sea version of Flash Gordon, full of high-camp villainy and tangled love triangles.
Musically, Segun Fawole has an ear for a catchy pop melody but brings little individuality to the score. Each number strives for an epic, anthem-like quality reminiscent of artists such as Katy Perry and Beyoncé. However, the greatest flaw lies in their sameness: every song begins at such an emotional and musical high that there’s nowhere left to go. By the end, I found myself wondering whether I’d been too harsh on The Greatest Showman.
From the perspective of the cast, I must give each performer strong praise for giving their all despite the material. Michelle Visage brings a quiet gravitas to the role of Evie’s guardian, Tante Hansa, while Natalie Paris delivers powerful vocals in the lead role. Amy Di Bartolomeo — so brilliant in The Devil Wears Prada — is equally impressive as Anamette. While the character’s arc is unconvincing, Di Bartolomeo is inspired and brings real power to her villain song.
However, the real star of the night was Mazz Murray as Queen Charlotte, who delivered an absolutely barnstorming showstopper with Act 2’s power ballad, Greater than Love. The best performers are those who shine despite a production’s limitations, and Murray brings exactly the sense of camp, self-deprecation, and commanding presence that the rest of the show so desperately needs.
Plaudits must also go to the ensemble, who take over the stage at Theatre Royal Drury Lane with the help of Dean Lee and Elena Russell’s dynamic and inspired choreography. Filling a stage of this scale is no easy feat, but they accomplish it with energy and precision.
Following in the tradition of Drury Lane concerts such as Bonnie and Clyde and the criminally underrated Your Lie in April, I suspect the creative team have their sights set on a full-scale production. However, if this show is to find an audience and become a fan favourite, it will not be in its current form. By the end of the evening, the audience were gasping, laughing, and joining in — though I suspect not entirely unironically.
This show was reviewed at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London on the 1st March 2026.
Review written by Alex Farley
AD/Gifted
Photo credit: Danny Kaan
Check out other reviews from Curtain Call Reviews and get in touch to have our reviewers head to your show.