The Rising Damp & other Tails

Commissioned by Volcano Theatre (Swansea, UK)
August 2023

On a stormy night in the depths of a raging housing crisis, a merman hears the distant voice of an estate agent and falls desperately in love. Abandoning everything he’s ever known, he follows his heart, leaving the sea for a new life on Swansea High Street.

Fast forward 10 years and things haven’t quite played out the way the merman had hoped. He has doubts about whether the estate agent, who is subletting him a damp room at the back of the Volcano Theatre, is truly in love with him.

To be honest, what’s happening is the merman’s home is on the market. You, the audience, are prospective buyers. The merman watches as his home, an attractively priced and conveniently located character property, is sold by the woman he loves. Swansea is on the up. Is this your moment to make the investment of a lifetime?

This immersive performance is a re-telling of Hans Christian Anderson’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ in the context of the housing crisis.

Immersive performance
Written & directed by Marianne Tuckman
Performance & artstic collaboration: Paul Davies
Outside eye: Paul Davies (of Volcano Theatre)
Production: Claudine Conway
Photos: Claudine Conway