Plump, purple and proud Ursula is back...

Shawna Hamic as Ursula in the 2024 cast of Unfortunate. Pic: Pamela Raith

Following two previous sell-out runs at Salford's Lowry, Unfortunate (The Untold Story of Ursula The Sea Witch) will be back for a new five week run over Christmas (December 5-January 11) - the show's third visit to the venue.

Unfortunate premiered with a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe in summer 2019, before heading to Birmingham Hippodrome’s Patrick Studio that Christmas. The show then transferred to Underbelly Earls Court in London and returned for a second sell-out Edinburgh run in 2022. In December 2023 the production returned to London for an 11-week run at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, prior to a six-month UK tour in 2024. A Swedish-language production is to open in Norrkoping in September!

When Disney released The Little Mermaid in 1989, the company had no idea it was giving birth to an icon. Ursula the Sea Witch quickly took her place as the queen of Disney villains; plump, purple and proud, a queer icon with a message: love the skin you’re in, value your voice over your body, and don’t be afraid to be a little bit nasty.

Unfortunate the musical parody has book and lyrics by Robyn Grant and Daniel Foxx, with music by award-winning composer Tim Gilvin

Creative team and casting are still to be announced; the picture shows Shawna Hamic and the cast of the 2024 production.

More info and tickets for 2025 here