Review: Glasgow King's Theatre panto | The Little Mermaid - Exceptional
- Lisa in the theatre
- 15 hours ago
- 4 min read
Taking us under the sea for the very first time, The King's Theatre, Glasgow has a brand-new pantomime for 2025: The Little Mermaid. Open now and playing until Sunday 4 January 2026, read my review of this sensational new panto below.
The Little Mermaid panto, Glasgow King's ★★★★★
Step aside Aladdin, move over Cinderella, there's a new panto in town! And thank goodness for that. In their reimagined telling of Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale The Little Mermaid, The King's Theatre, Glasgow and Crossroads Pantomimes have brought some much-needed variety and freshness to the pantosphere.
Co-written by Scottish TV and theatre legend Alan McHugh, with additional material by King's panto stars Elaine C Smith and Johnny Mac, this big budget, big impact pantomime is the happier Disney version of the classic tale, complete with singing sea-creatures, joyous music, a Disneyfied happy ending and more than a sprinkling of Glasgow heart.
The Little Mermaid follows Ariel (Jasmine Jules Andrews) who loses her voice to the wicked Sea Witch (Hannah Jarrett-Scott) but having gained a pair of legs, she can 'go up where the people are' to be reunited with her love Prince Eric (Benjamin Lockhart.)
As with most pantos the storyline takes a backseat to the hijinks, hilarious comedy routines and spectacular song and dance numbers. And here the production centres around the King's Theatre beloved duo of Elaine C Smith (Queen Mary) and Johnny Mac (Johnny Crabstix), who along with Darren Brownlie (Dishy Fishy) provide the bulk of the laughs and entertain with their set-piece sketches.
The trio race through exceptionally well judged and executed scenes involving chocolate bars, a brilliant new ocean-themed take on their iconic '12 Days of Christmas' routine, and an outstanding fast-paced musical lyrics act on Prince Eric's poop deck.
MD Neil MacDonald and his orchestra do a remarkable job of keeping up with the chaos on stage to produce the most stunning musical accompaniments all evening. While the Little Mermaid, the Sea Witch and Prince Eric try to keep the storyline on track. It's beautifully balanced and perfectly accomplished to entertain all ages.
The visual spectacle of this production is simply jaw-dropping.
The King's auditorium is adorned with colourful fish and glowing bubbles; and once the show gets going, we witness Ariel swimming through the sea and Johnny Mac riding on a magical sea chariot, among other technical treats. The entire set, down to Andrew Exeter's beautiful printed floor and Teresa Nalton's exquisite costumes epitomise the enchanting ocean world that our characters inhabit.
But Matt Davies spellbinding, bubble-tastic lighting is perhaps the icing on the cake: it's exquisite. Used to great effect throughout the show frequently changing colours to reflect the characters and scenes - the attention to detail is remarkable and the impact unforgettable.
Kids (and adults!) will be transfixed by the plethora of bubbles, sparkling costumes and magical effects on offer here. It's pure panto paradise.
A step up in quality from the rest
Real-life Disney princess Jasmine Jules Andrews is a delightful Ariel, with a beautiful voice and kind aura. While the magnificent Hannah Jarrett-Scott is in her element playing the baddie. With one of the strongest theatrical voices in the cast, she projects to the very top of the theatre. So impressive.
Johnny Mac is a master of his craft. Patient and sweet with the kids; charming and cheeky to the adults, he has charisma to burn. There's no doubt he's enjoying himself. The wonderful Darren Browline this year has a more substantial role to play, and with an assured confidence, perpetually pointed toes, twirls and flourishes, he excels as the third string to Elaine and Johnny's bow. Such a great addition to the cast.
Elaine C Smith is as fearless as she is fantastic. From Queen of the sea to a superhero, she's magnificent at every turn. One of the many highlights is a Titanic based routine where Smith stands centre stage belting out Celine Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On' while chaos unfolds around and on top of her. It takes a special (and resilient) performer to pull that off, and it results in a unique moment of panto genius.
Everything about the Little Mermaid pantomime at the Glasgow King's is a step up in quality above the rest, from the sets, to the material and the outstanding dancers of the ensemble who are the best of the best that Scotland has to offer. This production is reminiscent of the biggest and best West End pantos, or the most jaw dropping Las Vegas spectaculars; but at a fraction of the ticket price and with way more soul.
The creative team have ensured that The Little Mermaid pantomime stays true to the story that youngsters will recognise, but it's also a uniquely Scottish creation, full of local references and tons of surprises. With more fish puns than you can throw a haddock at, and a legion of current popular references from The Traitors to Labubu's, the whole show sparkles with bubbles, glitter and joy.
The Little Mermaid is the best panto that Glasgow King's has had for years. Exceptional ★★★★★
The Little Mermaid plays at the King's Theatre Glasgow from Saturday 22 November 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026. Buy tickets for The Little Mermaid here
MORE: the best pantos to see in Glasgow this Christmas https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/glasgow-christmas-panto-2025
MORE: Find more Scottish panto news and reviews at: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/panto
The Little Mermaid cast | The King's Theatre, Glasgow 2025/26 panto
Read more about The Little Mermaid cast at the King's Theatre, Glasgow in the 2025 panto cast announcement here: https://www.lisainthetheatre.com/post/glasgow-kings-panto-cast-the-little-mermaid
Tickets: The Little Mermaid at The King's Theatre, Glasgow
Sat 22 Nov 2025 - Sun 4 Jan 2026
The King’s Theatre, Glasgow
ATG+ Ticket Deal: £7.50 off off-peak performances on Band P - C tickets atgtickets.com/Glasgow
Comments