Costumes

Today was the big reveal.  We are renting costumes for Little Mermaid, and with a week before the show, they have finally arrived.

I give them a mixed review.  There are some really pretty costumes.  The Ariel, Ursula, and Sebastian are all perfect.  All of the humans (Eric, Grimsby, Carlotta, etc.) are well done, and not overdone.  GC brought in her wig today, and it is gorgeous.  There are some really good costumes, and are going to look great onstage.

But it's clear that the company didn't spend as much time with the ensemble.  The biggest complaints were those by the mersisters.  Their tails are not nearly as elaborate as Ariel's, and we are going to have to make our own tops entirely.  The sea chorus are very cartooney.  This is clearly an allusion to the movie, and is probably better than the broadway version, but they're going to hard to work with.  The cast doesn't like them.

And Flounder's the worst.  It is not a stage costume, it is barely a halloween costume.  If I were directing the show, I would forget about that costume and completely redesign it.  If only there were time.

We knew from the beginning that part of this show's success was going to be based on how the costumes turned out.  This doesn't exceed or fall short of my expectations.  Just maybe those of the cast.