The Little Mermaid
My First Ballet
#A spellbinding story set under the sea.
Mermaids, magical sea creatures, and a wish: discover one of the world’s favourite fairytales reimagined for ballet in this spellbinding adaptation of The Little Mermaid.
With a few extra magical twists and turns, this delightful family adventure is based on the original Danish story written by Hans Christian Andersen almost 200 years ago. It follows the treasured tale of our young mermaid heroine who falls in love with a human Prince and faces an impossible decision: is love worth the risk?
Audiences of all ages will enjoy a parade of well-known and exciting new characters, including the courageous Little Mermaid, captivating Prince, a wicked Sea Witch, and two slippery eels. The familiar storyline of the shipwreck and rescue, spells and sacrifices, and the journey of falling in love, is beautifully revealed in an underwater wonderland.
With sublime music by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius as a nod to the original story’s Scandinavian heritage, this Australian production premiered in 2023 to critical and audience acclaim. Choreographed by the renowned Paul Boyd and with wonderful narration by Sarah McIntosh, Queensland Ballet’s The Little Mermaid was created with children in mind and sits within our popular My First Ballet series.
Please note: This performance uses haze, smoke effects and flashing lights. This show also features characters, like the Sea Witch, that younger audiences may find a little scary. Performed by Queensland Ballet Academy Pre-Professional Program dancers to recorded music.
Generously supported by Amanda, Alexandra and Claudia Talbot and the Ken Talbot Foundation.
#“For the many young children in the audience, it was a captivating evening of ballet theatre…”
#“The Little Mermaid was a visually beautiful production and a fantastic choice for the ‘My First Ballet’ series."
Venue
Talbot Theatre
Thomas Dixon Centre
406 Montague Road
West End
QLD 4101
Accessibility
Duration
Approximately 60 minutes, no interval.
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- Relaxed
Select Session
Paul Boyd
Choreographer
Jean Sibelius
Music
Zoe Griffiths
Costume Designer
Josh McIntosh
Set Designer
Craig Wilkinson
Video Designer
Ben Hughes
Lighting Designer
Sarah McIntosh
Narrator
#watch video
Plan your visit
Everything you need to know about the Thomas Dixon Centre's Talbot Theatre before you visit. Make sure you're prepared so you know where to eat, park, and how to get there.
Relaxed performance
Saturday 20 December 2025, 11.30am
This tailored performance will have relaxed theatre rules to accommodate for all audience members of various abilities
Children's Workshops
18 - 23 December 2025
These workshops for children explore characters, storytelling and ballet moves from The Little Mermaid.
Image gallery: Queenland Ballet's Jette Parker Young Artists performing The Little Mermaid - My First Ballet. Photography by David Kelly.
