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Disney Theatrical’s The Little Mermaid sold out every performance of its six-week tryout period at Denver’s Ellie Caulkins Opera House in June and July 2007. Despite its success, the show was drastically reworked and didn’t transfer to Broadway until November 2007. Its official opening was delayed by five weeks because of a stagehand strike disrupting the preview period, but despite all this problems and some damning reviews, The Little Mermaid has already achieved great success through sales and audience response and, unsurprisingly, is rumoured to be transferring to London very soon.

Although no plans have been publically alluded to, a brief performance at the 2008 What’s On Stage awards was enough to get the rumour mill going. The gossip mongers appear to be suffering from a lack of insider information, so there has been very little serious speculation concerning casting. But then, unlike Spring Awakening and Legally Blonde, The Little Mermaid’s West End transfer seems far from imminent so that would explain that.

Because The Little Mermaid is a huge spectacle, with translucent and ebullient sets, performers on skates and an evil octopus so of course, it’ll need a large stage like the one it currently enjoys in New York’s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. With a UK touring production of We Will Rock You planned, many think the number’s up for the London show, with both Legally Blonde and The Little Mermaid said to be after taking over the immense Dominion.

Another, perhaps more credible theory is that The Little Mermaid will be taking on the Lyceum Theatre, currently home to another Disney production, the spectacular Lion King. Not only has the Lion King has been shortening its extension periods with every announcement, but in New York, Disney Theatrical pushed its own,  still successful, production Beauty and the Beast out of the Lunt-Fontanne to make way for The Little Mermaid. Will Disney do the same in London? Watch this space to find out.