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Play Trailer

The Singing Mermaid

12 Dec–26 Jan 2025

A Little Angel Theatre and Royal & Derngate, Northampton co-production, in association with Watershed Productions

by Julia Donaldson & Lydia Monks

Adapted by Barb Jungr and Samantha Lane

Aimed at ages 3-8

Book Tickets
£17.00 Adult £15.00 Child (age 1-17)

All tickets £12 at 4.45pm performances. These are on some Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Running Time:  approx. 55 minutes

If you cannot find an available performance to suit you, you can join our waiting list for sold out performances here.

At Little Angel Theatre

14 Dagmar Passage, London N1 2DN

Plan your visit

Join us on a fun, warm-hearted musical adventure this Christmas as this joyful and charming family favourite returns to LAT, following a hugely successful national tour.

Did you ever go to Silversands

On a sunny summer’s day?

Then perhaps you saw the mermaid

Who sang in the deep blue bay.

One day, the singing mermaid is tempted away from all of her sea creature friends and her peaceful home at Silversands to join a travelling circus. The audiences love to hear her sing, but the poor mermaid was tricked! Instead of the swimming pool she was promised, she is kept in a small tank by the wicked circus master Sam Sly, and she soon longs to return to the freedom of the sea.

Will she ever escape? And who will help her along the way?

Through beautiful puppetry and performance, and with music by Barb Jungr (We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, The Pixie and the Pudding, The Smartest Giant in Town, There May be a Castle and Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book), Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks’s enormously popular story, The Singing Mermaid, is brought to life.

View the digital freesheet for The Singing Mermaid here.

“This is a fun, warm-hearted adventure that may leave you humming its songs – and even wanting to hug a seagull”

The Guardian

“It’s a lovely piece of theatre that’ll leave its audience in a trance, while possessing enough loopy visual brio to ensure adults have a swimming time too.”

Time Out

“Here’s a lovely little show that makes a big splash. it thrills and charms, effortlessly transporting its audience from the depths of the ocean to dizzying high-wire feats in a circus big top”

The Times


Age guidance

The Singing Mermaid is aimed at ages 3-8.

Our shows for this age group have storylines that can be followed and enjoyed by 3-4-year olds, but may also use slightly more complex ideas, humour, dialogue or song lyrics that older children will get more out of. There is nothing really scary in these shows but they can be a bit more dramatic than those for the youngest children, including in their use of sound and lighting, and characters may face some perils.

 

How will we be seated?

This show has standard theatre seating – rows of benches facing the stage. There will be up to 90 people watching the show (sometimes more if you come when there are school groups).

Can children join in?

There are points throughout the show where everyone is invited to join in e.g. with clapping, cheering, counting, making noises or answering questions. The audience stay in their seats while watching the show, but you can leave and re-enter the auditorium at any time.

Is there anything that might be scary?

There is a comic ‘baddy’, Sam Sly the circus owner, played by an actor. He treats the mermaid unkindly and some children may find the performance of this character a little overwhelming.

Should I bring a child under three?

All ages are welcome at our shows and age ranges can only be a rough guide, but please bear in mind that The Singing Mermaid was not specially designed for under-threes. A show aimed at two-year olds would have some differences – those shows are carefully made to hold their attention for the duration, and not to be unsettling for them.

What can I use to prepare my child or help decide if the show is right for them?

The show is based on the book The Singing Mermaid by Julia Donaldson. You can buy the book from us here.
The visual story is here.
You can watch the trailer here.

Book our workshops

Family Workshops - The Singing Mermaid

Family Workshops - The Singing Mermaid

Splash splash! Dive into the magic of the show in this wonderful workshop for all the family. Our friendly facilitators will guide you through each step as we craft enchanting mermaid puppets.

For ages 3-6

Little Angel Studios
More info
Family Workshops - Cosy Winter Homes

Family Workshops - Cosy Winter Homes

It might be cold out there, but inside it’s nice and toasty! Bring your little one to create a beautiful glowing mini winter home to warm up your mantle-piece or window sill this winter.

For ages 5-8

Little Angel Studios
Book Tickets

School Bookings

For EYFS, KS1 & KS2 / For ages 3 – 8

Curriculum links

English: Alternative fairy tales and exploring fairy tale characters
PSHE: Feeling sad, scared, lonely or afraid. Ways of expressing how you feel and dealing with emotions.

The Educational pack for The Singing Mermaid will be available soon.

The Visual Story for The Singing Mermaid can be found here.

Tickets for school groups are £7 for each adult and each child, or £8.50 for fee-paying schools and nurseries. These rates are only available on weekdays before 3pm during Islington term time. Free adult tickets are available for children who need 1:1 support.

Before requesting a booking, please check dates, times and availability here. Maximum school capacity for this show is 115 people per performance.
Please fill in our school booking enquiry form here.

Download our information for undertaking a risk assessment for school visits here.

Accessible Performances

BSL Interpreted Performance: Saturday 18 January, 3.30 PM
Click here to book for this BSL performance.

These performances are provided for those who use British Sign Language. The interpreter will be at the front of the stage and lit with a spotlight. They will provide a linguistic and artistic interpretation of the show for people who are D/deaf or for whom BSL is their preferred language.

Relaxed Performance: Sunday 12 January, 3.30 PM

No online booking for Relaxed Performances – please call 020 7226 1787

Relaxed Performances are provided for people who would benefit from a more relaxed environment, or are uncomfortable with sudden lighting changes or loud noises, including those with an Autistic Spectrum Condition, sensory or communication needs or a learning disability. Find out more here.

The Visual Story for The Singing Mermaid can be found here.

What is a visual story? Find out more here.

If you are interested in arranging a weekday Relaxed Performance for a school group, please contact boxoffice@littleangeltheatre.com

Credits

Adapted by Barb Jungr and Samantha Lane

Music and Lyrics by Barb Jungr
Original Director – Samantha Lane
Associate Director – Oliver Hymans
Set & Costume designed by Laura McEwen
Puppets Designed by Lyndie Wright
Lighting Design by Sherry Coenen

Stage managed by Alex Hobbs
Performed by Sam Dutton, Ruth Calkin & Louise Mellor

This play is based on the original book The Singing Mermaid. Text copyright © Julia Donaldson 2012. Illustrations copyright © Lydia Monks 2012. Published by Macmillan Children’s Books.

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Rosie Robin and the Christmas Post

Rosie Robin and the Christmas Post

Welcome to the post office! It’s the busiest time of the year! The letters and parcels are piling up high and Rosie Robin is working hard delivering the Christmas Post. But when a snowstorm sweeps through Clover Leaf Wood, the animals must come together to make sure all the mail arrives on time.

Blending puppetry, physical performance and song, this gentle, magical, heart-warming show tells the story of one tiny Robin determined that no one is forgotten this Christmas.

Aimed at ages 2-5

Little Angel Studios
Book Tickets Low Availability

Magic.  Pure innocent, delightful puppet magic.  A wonderful family outing.

– Benedict Cumberbatch

Little Angel Theatre is a magical place. They have brought many of my books to life on stage, and they do so creatively whilst remaining faithful to the books. It is wonderful to see so many children enjoying this special THEATRE. 

– Julia Donaldson

My FAVOURITE theatre in the whole world!

– Neil Gaiman

Little Angel is nothing less

than an icon of North

London childhood.

Time Out

Performances

Book Tickets
Low Availability
Sold out
Sold out

All tickets £12 at 4.45pm

Sold out
Book Tickets
Low Availability
Book Tickets
Low Availability
Book Tickets
Low Availability
Sold out
Sold out

All tickets £12 at 4.45pm

Sold out
Book Tickets
Low Availability
Sold out
Book Tickets
Low Availability
Sold out
Sold out
Sold out

All tickets £12 at 4.45pm

Sold out
Sold out

All tickets £12 at 4.45pm

Relaxed performances are provided for people who would benefit from a more relaxed environment, including those with an Autistic Spectrum Condition, sensory or communication needs or a learning disability.

No online booking, please call 020 7226 1787

Book Tickets
Low Availability
Sold out

All tickets £12 at 4.45pm

Sold out
Sold out

All tickets £12 at 4.45pm

These performances are provided for those who use British Sign Language. The interpreter will be at the front of the stage and lit with a spotlight. They will provide a linguistic and artistic interpretation of the show for people who are D/deaf or for whom BSL is their preferred language.

These performances are open to all, but if no-one in your party is specifically looking for BSL interpretation, please consider booking at another time to allow these tickets to go to those who would most benefit.

Sold out
Sold out

All tickets £12 at 4.45pm

Sold out

All tickets £12 at 4.45pm