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Pictures: Manuel Harlan The Shark is Broken Birmingham Rep ***** When Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon’s short
play The Shark is Broken first appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019,
neither writer really believed it would appeal to an audience beyond a
few die-hard fans of the 1975 blockbuster movie, Jaws. How wrong they
were. Six years on and several sell out tours later,
including a season on Broadway, the show has huge box office bite and
brought a packed out crowd in Birmingham to its feet on it’s opening
night of its current journey. Box Office appeal is of course what every
producer dreams of. A little easier for musicals but harder for straight
plays - especially new ones. Stage versions of TV shows and classic
movies seem to do well, reintroducing an audience with characters and
storylines they already know and love. Jaws fits firmly into that
bracket. The millions of teenagers who queued round the block to see the
film all those 50 years ago, myself included, are now in their early
60’s - the perfect theatre going demographic who would jump at the
chance to reignite some of those teenage memories. The premise is simple but engaging. The three
lead actors on the movie, Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw
are waiting for their scenes to be shot onboard the on set fishing boat.
Gaps between scenes are long, largely due to problems with the
mechanical shark (famously nicknamed Bruce). Time waiting is spent
telling stories, drinking whisky, bickering and playing games.
Insecurities and self-doubt creep in as the booze takes hold and the
feeling of cooped up claustrophobia begins to ramp up the stress.
These are three very different chararcters with
contrasting backgrounds and ways of living. Not three friends of similar
outlook choosing to be there, but three disparate individuals forced to
be together as hired actors on a project. Sparks are inevitably going to
fly and the breaking point is never far away.
Physical resemblance is perhaps the easiest for
Ian Shaw to achieve, being the son of Robert Shaw - the wily, rough
diamond shark hunter Quint in the movie. Ian Shaw, now the same age as
his dad was when he did the film, captures the sheer charisma and
bravado of his father whilst not ignoring or denying the obvious demons
in his life. It’s an intensely personal and connected
performance that gives a fascinating insight into the man’s take on
life. As good an actor as Robert Shaw was, he was also something of a
reluctant one, not fully believing that acting was a job for real men
and taking every opportunity to rib other actors who took themselves and
their work too seriously. In this instance, Richard Dreyfuss (Ashley
Margolis) gets put in his place whenever he tries to elevate his
celebrity status. Margolis fizzes with energy as Richard Dreyfuss,
the young upstart actor hoping this movie will be the start of a
glittering career. Dreyfuss, a fast talking, wise cracking new breed of
actor is the direct opposite of his older shipmates and the verbal
clashes are played out beautifully by the three actors here. Again,
physicality is perfectly observed by Margolis - the laugh, the quizzical
glances and the mix of euphoria and dejection associated with Dreyfuss
are spot on throughout.
Making up the trio is Roy Scheider, played with
studious attention to detail by Dan Fredenburgh. Scheider is reflected
as the sensible one, the peacemaker when fireworks between Shaw and
Dreyfuss go off.
Duncan Henderson’s set design alongside an
atmospheric lighting design by Jon Clark frames the action simply but
with real authenticity. The fishing boat dominates the stage whilst back
projection shows the ocean, complete with swooping sea birds, sunrises
and storms. Calmness amongst the delays happening on the set and the
tension building onboard. There could be an argument for an interval -
venues would certainly like the bar income – but the running time of
around 90 minutes for a one act play seems about right A superbly crafted piece of theatre with
universal appeal. Get your teeth into it … while you can. The shark will
be broken to 10-05-25. Tom Roberts 06-05-25 |
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