It was only when watching The Little Mermaid at Bristol Old Vic that I realised how much of Hans Christian Andersen’s story was ripped off for The Princess Bride.

Falling in love, disappearing, marrying the wrong person, not quite dying, only to finally be reunited.

They say there is no such thing as an original idea anymore, and obviously that applies to fairy tales too.

Originality, however, is something that the Old Vic prides itself in – and in Joel Horwood’s adaptation of The Little Mermaid, directed by Simon Godwin, we had an eel made out of knitted chainmail (take a bow, Sarah Millington), beatboxing mermaids and a giant clam shell as big as a small car.

This story of true love is mostly set underwater; certainly a challenge in a theatre environment but not so much of a challenge for movement director Toby Sedgwick, at the top of his game so much that Danny Boyle called him up to work on last year’s Olympics opening ceremony.

Our little mermaid, the effervescent Katie Moore, swooped and soared mostly with the help of fellow cast members, or in one memorable sequence by herself as she swam up to the surface of the water.

It was just a shame that the music was not memorable in a production with a lot of musical elements, despite Moore’s voice in particular soaring as high as her invisible wires.

Tristan Sturrock had a few scene-stealing turns, especially as a game show host, but even he could not give this production that extra something that we have become so used to with Christmas shows at the Old Vic.

This Little Mermaid didn’t sink; but if it was in a swimming pool, it would never leave the middle lane.

The Little Mermaid is at the Bristol Old Vic until January 18. For tickets and more information, visit www.bristololdvic.org.uk/mermaid.html.