Dan Fredenburgh

The Shark is Broken

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Reviewed by Matthew Forrest

Opening Night verdict ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hard to imagine really that a mechanical shark by the name of Bruce, very nearly killed the Hollywood blockbuster, even before anyone knew what a Hollywood blockbuster was. Bruce was one of the main stars of the first Hollywood mega movie: Jaws. Bruce had a habit of breaking down on a regular basis, leading to several halts in production, and a great deal of frustration from his fellow co-stars. But how do a trio of actors pass the time, when cooped up on a small fishing boat? They argue, they drink, they gamble and get on each other’s nerves!

Co-written by Joseph Nixon and Ian Shaw, son of Robert Shaw, The Shark Is Broken is set in 1974, on the Orca, the fishing boat used in the film. Here we find the three principal actors, Roy Scheider (Dan Fredenburgh), Richard Dreyfuss, (Ashley Margolis) and Robert Shaw (Ian Shaw), struggling to fend off boredom, as Bruce is repaired. They discuss their careers, their families, and gamble. However not all is plain sailing, and soon tempers fray, with Scheider playing peacekeeper to the warring Dreyfuss and Shaw, with the former feeling disrespected by Shaw. Whilst Shaw sees Dreyfuss as arrogant, more interested in fame than the craft of acting.

There is a great deal to enjoy and admire about this production. The script is funny, witty and packed with cracking gags and one-liners. Opening with a nod to John William’s famous score, we see a shark fin, gliding through the ocean projected on a screen at the back of the stage, and soon any dramatic tension disappears as the shark breaks down, it’s a superb joke that sets the tone for the show. Other standout big laughs come when Scheider rules out doing a sequel to Jaws, which of course he did. Another highlight is Shaw’s making reference to Steven Spielberg’s next project: “Aliens? What next, dinosaurs?”

It’s a classic situation comedy set up, as three very different people find themselves in a cramped environment and the script plays up to this throughout. Duncan Henderson’s Orca recreation is beautifully claustrophobic, and dingy, as the cast clamber over it and at times each other.  It looks so authentic that at times you almost smell the stench of fish guts and hard liquor coming from the stage.

The cast are in form throughout: it’s quite disconcerting how captivating Ian Shaw’s portrayal of his father is. Obviously, the close resemblance helps, but this is a performance filled with fire and passion as Shaw doesn’t flinch from showing his father’s battle with his demons including alcoholism, insecurities and disdain for elements of his profession that provided well for him and his family. It’s a towering presence that commands your attention throughout.

Equally impressive is Ashley Margolis’s unflattering portrayal of Richard Dreyfuss, filled with a nervous energy and self-doubt that in lesser hands could have been grating, but he navigates that tightrope perfectly. Finally there is a Dan Fredenburgh’s excellent understated, if slightly under-written turn as Schieder, who is essential in keeping proceedings grounded. Special mention to Carole Hancock’s whose flawless make helps to transform the actors into mirror images of the stars they are portraying.

The play tackles some weighty issues such Shaw’s alcoholism, and how it wasn’t just Bruce that was causing issues with production. It alludes to the well documented issues Dreyfuss would have with cocaine addiction in later years. One touching scene where the men bond over issues with their father’s is well played out, and one of the show’s highlights, you just wish there was a bit more of this depth in places

This is a funny, sharp insight into the magic of Hollywood, understandably executed with a great deal of love and affection for its subject matter. Fans of Jaws, and the Hollywood movie machine will undoubtedly love it. There is something for everyone to enjoy from the towering performances, high quality production values, all anchored by a sharp, poignant and well-crafted script.

The Shark is Broken is on the Lowry till 8th February tickets available here.

Noises Off

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Reviewed by Matt Forrest

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Slip the word meta into conversation and most people may think you were talking about Mark Zuckerberg’s name for Facebook, and lots of other stuff in the ‘meta-verse’ I don’t understand, and quite frankly have no interest in understanding either! The meta I wish to talk about relates to Noises Off, a play within a play, from the pen of  playwright Michael Frayn, that is as clever and smart as it is silly and absurd, and I absolutely loved it!

First performed in 1982, Fryan’s script focuses on Britain’s obsession with farce, and the sex comedies of the 60’s and 70’s such as the Carry On and Confession films. He has taken some of these familiar elements and crafted a piece of work that still has a place in modern Britain, some 40 years on and the result is a riot from start to finish.

Noises Off  focuses  on a small touring theatre company as they attempt to bring their production of Nothing On to the stage. We see the production at three different stages of its lifespan. The first being the final rehearsal before opening night as director Lloyd Dallas (Simon Shepherd), attempts to get something half decent from his woefully  underprepared cast.

We are slowly introduced to this cast of misfits each with their own little quirk and foibles: First there is Dotty Otley (Liza Goddard), the star of the show, who has pumped a lot of her own money into the production. Next is the leading man, Garry Lejeune (Dan Fredenburgh) , a good actor, prone to bouts of jealousy. They are joined by Brooke Ashton (Lisa Ambalavanar) an inexperienced actress, who will plough through her lines regardless of what is going on around her.

Other cast members include: Belinda Blair (Lucy Robinson), a professional to the hilt, as well as being a hopeless gossip. Also there is Frederick Fellows (Simon Coates) a rather slow creature, low on confidence after his wife left him. The final actor making up the cast of Nothing On is Selsdon Mowbray (Matthew Kelly), a seasoned actor whose hearing problem matches his drink problem. The are joined by the easily flustered duo of Poppy Norton-Taylor (Nikhita Lesler) and Tim Allgood (Daniel Rainford) as the assistant stage manager and manager, with both also on hand as understudies should any misfortune befall the cast.

From the rehearsal space of Act 1, we are transported to back stage mid-tour for Act 2, where the cast and creatives’ personal lives and animosity towards each other are impacting the show, finally reaching it’s crescendo during the final act, which takes place on the final week of the tour.

Despite an initial gentle start, where characters are introduced and various plot strands are seeded,  Fryan’s script pokes fun at the genre with its more than familiar tropes of affairs, middle-aged men wandering around with their pants round their ankles,and young women managing to walk around with very little clothing. Don’t get me wrong there are gags-a-plenty in the first act, but nothing on the scale of what happens next.

It’s following the interval where we are treated to a tour-de-force of brilliant physical comedy from the entire cast beautifully directed by Lindsay Posner and choreographed by Ruth Cooper-Brown. As the illicit backstage shenanigans and petty squabbles begin to seep into the performances front-of-house, we have everything from shoe laces tied together, to prickly cactuses, at times it’s hard to keep track of what’s going on at such a frenetic pace, but it’s a visual feast, and worth the price of admission alone.

It’s easy to see why Noises Off has survived for so long as all the right ingredients are there: a smart, intelligent script which never seems dated or out of touch, a fantastic ensemble cast, who just know how to do comedy, who all get their moment to shine and finally a wonderfully directed series of set pieces that will tickle every funny bone they can reach. With all that is going in the world, Noises Off is just the tonic that is needed for 2 ½ of silly escapism.

Noise Off is at the Lowry until Saturday 21st October. Tickets available here.