CHICAGO—Those expecting the enchanting, and charming 1989 Disney version, as well as the many other theatrical presentations of “The Little Mermaid,” will be sorely disappointed by the Joffrey Ballet’s production that just closed its 67th season in Chicago. While Hans Christian Andersen’s 1837 fairytale still propels the ballet’s narrative, the modern dance is a very dark, rather eerie, and depressing work.
The well-known story follows the journey of a young mermaid who falls in love with a handsome prince (here a sea captain) and saves him from drowning. When he awakens, the first face he sees is that of another woman, whom he mistakenly believes has saved him, and with whom he falls in love. Although the mermaid has sacrificed everything for him, her love becomes as painful as the legs she has exchanged for a tail….