If I really wanted to go for the jugular, I’d say the narrative constitutes a litany of complaints about the eternal boredom that, when one thinks about it, would almost naturally come with the idea of living “happily ever after” in a state of continual ‘contentment’ with nothing to do. Not that these princesses had much to do before heading into the never-ending bliss of the afterlife, waiting as they did for some prince or knight in shining armour, or some other guy, to come along and sort things out for them.
All of this, then, makes for what should be unremarkable characters with no discernible skill or talent between them. Why, then, are the likes of Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and The Little Mermaid (and all the rest) retain enduring popularity? Without turning the show into a preachathon against the patriarchy, the show suggests that the progress made against objectifying women and girls is being stymied, to say the least, by the retelling of fairy tales. It’s not a question anyone in the show explicitly asks, but why haven’t fairy tales been cancelled?
And what, indeed, is the point of these women at all? It’s perhaps a question for another show for another time, but what’s even in it for the men who rescue these damsels in ‘distress’ (inverted commas mine as well as this production’s)? The show demonstrates these women have much to offer, particularly to one another, in this mash-up of mash-ups. Princess after princess gets their moment to shine in their own musical number, but Sleeping Beauty (Roshaan Saulnier), true to her name, misses her slot as she was having a nap (no, not the 100-year one). This puts what storyline there is in a conundrum: if she were to be given another chance, does that give her an unfair advantage? What then happens to the carefully constructed line of argument about treating everyone with equal honour and dignity?
A late number reminded me somewhat of ‘Gee, Officer Krupke’ from West Side Story: there’s a circular argument as to how and why these princesses ended up where they are. So they raise their middle fingers and holler, “[insert expletive] you!” And goodness me, these ladies can sing, with the musical numbers allowing for the kind of soaring strong notes so beloved of Broadway and West End musicals.
There were digs – quite justified – at the Disney Corporation, as well as others who worked to anglicise the names of women in European fairy tales. Forget ‘Cinderella’ – go back to Grimms’ Fairy Tales (1812), she is ‘Aschenputtel ’, and in the very first version of the story, from Ancient Greece, she is ‘Rhodopis’ (who marries the king of Egypt). Elements of audience involvement – which, as I never tire of saying, is not quite the same as audience participation – worked sufficiently well. The costumes were delightful – I loved Princess Badroulbadour’s (also Saulnier) ‘magic carpet’, which had me in stitches. Overall, a fun and energetic evening.
Review by Chris Omaweng
The hilarious hit musical with more bite, more sass and zero damsels in distress. Forget happily ever after! Cinderella’s done cleaning, Sleeping Beauty’s wide awake and Snow White’s calling the shots now. These princesses don’t want to play nice; they want to storm the castle! One showstopping number at a time. Disenchanted! is the side-splitting, cheeky, musical mash-up of all your favourite fairy tales. If you’re looking to let your hair down, take a magic carpet ride or maybe kiss a frog or two, Disenchanted! is the night out you didn’t know you desperately needed.
Eliza Bowden – Belle/Little Mermaid/Rapunzel
Lois Glenister – Snow White
Jewelle Hutchinson – The Princess (Who Kissed a Frog)
Rosie Napper – Cinderella
Ashley New – Hua Mulan/Pocahontas
Roshaan Saulnier – Sleeping Beauty/Princess Badroulbadour
Dennis T. Giacino – Book, Music, Lyrics and Co-Creator
Fiely Matias – Book, Lyrics, Co-Creator and Off-Broadway Director
Daniel Buckroyd – Director
Joanne King – Michael Director
Jennifer Decon-Say – Musical Supervisor
Kayleigh Dettmer – Choreographer
Sara Perks – Set & Costume Designer
Barry Smith – Lighting Designer
Kieran Powell – Sound Designer
DISENCHANTED! THE HIT MUSICAL
Pentland Theatre at Pleasance at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre at the Edinburgh Fringe
5 to 30 August 2026
