UNFORTUNATE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF URSULA THE SEA WITCH to transfer to The Other Palace
The critically acclaimed musical parody Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch will transfer to London’s The Other Palace from 6 February for a strictly limited season until 5 April.
Unfortunate opens at Lowry for a Christmas season this Friday (5 Dec) running until 11 January
Newer, better, ruder and shorter, the 2026 transfer marks the musical’s fourth incarnation following two previous sold-out runs and a successful Christmas season. It will feature a brand-new set and costumes, new jokes, new characters and will play to a new running time of 2 hours including one interval.
When Disney released The Little Mermaid in 1989, they had no idea they were giving birth to an icon. Ursula the Sea Witch quickly took her place as the queen of Disney villains: a pop culture legend and a feminist badass. She’s loud. She’s clever. She’s sexy and unapologetically plus-sized. She’s not defined by slipper-sized feet, or enchanted blonde hair, or snow-white skin. Ursula is plump, purple and proud. A queer icon with a message for us ‘poor unfortunate souls’: love the skin you’re in, value your voice over your body, and don’t be afraid to be a little bit nasty.
Cruella told her side, and Maleficent’s had her moment… Now the legendary sea witch is ready to spill in this tell-all tale of sex, sorcery and suckers - a laugh-a-minute dive through Ursula’s backstory filled with a filthy pop soundtrack, much-loved characters as you’ve never seen them before and enough (eco-friendly) glitter to keep you sparkling all the way home. Gather up your merfriends; it’s going to be one hell of a beach party.
Unfortunate the musical parody has a book and lyrics by Robyn Grant and Daniel Foxx, with music by award-winning composer Tim Gilvin, direction by Robyn Grant, set and costume design by Jasmine Swan, choreography by Melody Sinclair-Marsh, puppetry and movement direction by Laura Cubitt, orchestration, music production, and music supervision by Nikki Davison & Joe Davison for Auburn Jam, sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph, lighting by Adam King, puppet design by Mikayla Teodoro & Jasmine Swan, puppet makes by Mikayla Teodoro, casting by Will Burton CDG, theatrical magic consultancy by Chris Cox, and intimacy direction by Maisie Carter.
