The New Vic Theatre is set to enchant audiences this Christmas with a new circus theatre adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairytale, The Little Mermaid. This production, adapted and directed by Theresa Heskins and Vicki Dela Amedume MBE, will run from Friday 14 November 2025 to Saturday 24 January 2026 at the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Building on the success of the New Vic’s work for children and families, this adaptation integrates traditional storytelling with contemporary circus, as part of the theatre’s circus partnership programme.
Theresa Heskins and Vicki Dela Amedume, who have previously collaborated on critically acclaimed productions such as The Worst Witch and The Princess and The Pea, will bring their unique vision to this beloved tale.
The Little Mermaid is one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most familiar stories, first published in 1837. This new production will return to the original text, combining compelling drama with breathtaking circus action, live music, and dazzling visual effects.
New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins said: “The New Vic is uniquely welcoming to families and young people, who feel immersed in the action thanks to the magic of theatre in-the-round. Plus we just love welcoming them, and making theatre for them. This will be the first Christmas production that Vicki and I have collaborated on as part of the New Vic’s circus-theatre programme. There’s such rich visual language in the story of The Little Mermaid, and utilising circus opens up a whole host of possibilities for how we create this undersea world. Our audience members have been captivated by the way we combined contemporary circus and storytelling in previous productions: The Princess and The Pea – a show we made in partnership with Upswing and Unicorn Theatre specifically for young audiences that transferred to the New Victory Theatre in New York last year – The Company of Wolves, and in Astley’s Astounding Adventures. This is a perfect opportunity to bring these elements together into our biggest family show of the year, for the many people who have been coming to us, sometimes for decades, and also for those families who may be bringing young children for their first theatre experience.”
Upswing Artistic Director Vicki Dela Amedume added: “Theresa and I have loved working together, from the Oliver award winning The Worst Witch to The Princess and the Pea, which went from the New Vic to New York and is soon to tour even further afield. This year’s festive show promises to be just as magical — a joyful, immersive experience that welcomes audiences of all ages to lose themselves in the wonder of live performance and feel part of something truly special. We’re looking forward to collaborating this year to bring The Little Mermaid to life — blending circus and theatre to reimagine this classic tale in a bold, dynamic way. Newcastle-under-Lyme, the birthplace of modern circus, is the perfect place to celebrate the incredible artistry and physical storytelling that circus brings to the stage.”
The Little Mermaid is on stage at the New Vic from Friday 14 November 2025 to Saturday 24 January 2026. Tickets, priced from £15.00, go on sale at 12.00pm on Monday 24 March. Listings and ticket information can be found here.
