Reviewed by Ethan Silver
One
hundred thirty-five chapters, over six hundred pages and one behemoth of a whale
comprise the great Herman Melville’s novel,
Moby Dick.
Those who brave the journey (or read the
Cliffs
Notes) are treated to an epic story of
Captain Ahab and his complete obsession with a monstrous white whale.
The weight of the novel itself is enough to
deter the skittish reader but thankfully, Orson Wells decided to adapt the story
into a stage play in the 1960s.
Wells maintains the integrity of the novel by
keeping the story intact while adding an interesting twist.
The production opens as a theatre company in
the 1860s is about to rehearse a play.
A
change in plans instructs the actors to rehearse a different story and thus, the
story of Moby Dick takes the stage while a play-within-a-play unfolds in front
of the audience.
The production has been performed worldwide including
a run on Broadway in 1962.
It is currently being performed at The Lyric
Theatre in North Hollywood, California, and is presented by Aliah Whitmore and
the Whitmore Eclectic.
Upon entering the lobby of the Lyric Theatre, the
attention to detail is obvious with a wonderful display of period set dressings.
Even the house lighting which hangs over the
audience is inviting and in character.
Production Designer Jacob Whitmore and
Lighting Designer Grant Dunn shine from behind the scenes as their work
illustrates their creativity, experience and love for the craft.
The quality of the environment itself promises
a great experience, even before the actors arrive onstage.
Director Aliah Whitmore ensures plenty of
drama and action throughout, culminating in an exciting chase and whale hunt
complete with clever set changes from ship to rowboat and back again.
The eleven member ensemble is nothing but top notch
boasting fully committed actors with impressive resumes.
The famed James Whitmore Jr. meets and even
exceeds expectation as the mysterious and complex Captain Ahab.
As Father Mapple, Whitmore delivers an
excellent monologue which sends sparks through the room, further captivating an
already engaged audience.
Also of high note is Dustin Seavey’s portrayal
of Ishmael.
Seavey’s calm and steady acting style exhibits
a superb grasp of both the character and the difficult (and verbose) language of
the piece.
In a strong supporting role, Tim De Zarn uses his
acting chops to bring some colorful and eccentric characters to the stage as The
Old Pro, Carpenter and the hobbling sea dog, Peleg.
The accomplished Richard Cox graces the stage
as Starbuck, the wary first mate and pious voice of reason.
Also featured is Michael G. Welch, Kate
McManus, Andrew Patton, Steve Madar and Robert Fabiani.
Aliah Whitmore not only directs, but plays the
Stage Manager who diligently directs and narrates from stage right.
Both she and the Assistant Stage Manager,
Andre Verderame, remain in their positions for most of the production creating
sound effects and even some of the score for the play-within-the-play.
The English is true to the novel but easy enough to
follow for the attentive listener.
Parents, be sure to bring the teenagers but
leave the young ones at home unless they are proficient in the stylized literary
language of the 1850s.
Wells’ twist on the story of
Moby Dick
makes the transition to the stage work
quite well except for the fact that it does not resolve the secondary plot.
The play ends with the culmination of the
story of
Moby Dick but
does not return to the company.
Dramatically speaking, this makes perfect
sense but without referring back to the company of actors to which we are first
introduced, it leaves the audience wondering why we are even introduced to them
in the first place.
This is hardly the fault of the actual actors
onstage as this is a gripe which should be taken up with the playwright.
This is a moment when suspension of disbelief
is paramount.
As critiques go, this is a modest price to pay
for such a wonderful production.
In
Moby Dick Rehearsed,
the audience can almost feel the sea breeze and the
sway of the waves as Aliah Whitmore weaves together a magnificent cast, creative
set pieces, and effective staging in an exciting and creative piece of theater.
The
show runs through August 28th
at The Lyric Theatre in
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