LITTLE MERMAID

Last morning, before leaving for work, I was surveying the pigsty known as my apartment with the firm resolution of coming home and making a brave stab at converting it back to human habitat. As the workday was winding down, I realized that my good intentions will remain just that: intentions, and decided to go to the movies instead. As mentioned previously, it takes a lot of effort to narrow down on the movie I want to see, and last night was no exception. Finally, I decided on "27 Dresses" (mainly because it was a comedy), but when I checked for the local listings, all the shows were either fifteen minutes before the end of my workday, or two hours after. That was disappointing, but I decided to persevere in my determination to have a good time and figured that I can treat myself to a dinner out before the movie. As I was trying to settle on the local (or not) kosher establishment for that worthy endeavor, a brilliant thought entered my mind: musical!

Again, the only musical I wanted to see and hear from the Broadway cornucopia was "Little Mermaid" (which, due to its young age, did not offer discount tickers). Ah, if I am going out with me, myself, and I, might as well treat myself all the way. So, I got myself a full-price ticket and then a very enjoyable and very overpriced dinner at Favorite Dessert (which I also did not do in donkey's age). Both food and service were fantastic (which in itself is a fantastic experience in a kosher restaurant), and the expensive musical that followed that expensive dinner was a feast for the senses!

The theater was relatively small, so, even with cheaper tickets you could see everything. As you very well know, the Disney version of "Little Mermaid" is not profound in either story or music; never the less, Disney worked its usual magic: as soon as the lights went out, all the worries, headaches, and frustration went with it. Everything was fantastic: lighting, scenery, costumes. The most ingenious, in my opinion, was the way they created the swimming illusion: all the cast members who were supposed to swim had those shoes with little rolls on the heels - the results were amazing! Of course, being extremely PC, Disney had to get on my nerves slightly by making Sebastian a Caribbean character and the whole "Under the Sea" number very Caribbean too. Plus, it was very funny to have a black King Triton, and then half his daughters very white and half black, but, I guess that is along the same lines as seeing a two hundred pounds, forty something soprano, and imagining her as twenty something young woman who is dying of grief and consumption.

The only sensible thing I did that evening was not to overstock on overpriced souvenirs. I guess the fact that I was on my turf played a role, because I am sure that if I was in another city, I would have bought out the whole souvenir shop.

All in all, the whole evening entertainment was the rough equivalent of one of my utility bills. But I got to see the original Broadway cast and, most importantly, I was able to add to my store of fantastic memories!