Moby Dick a Magical Theatre Experience

Article By: GEOFF DALE

Settling comfortably into the intimate confines of the Studio Theatre it was clear from the moment Shaun Smyth’s Ishmael made his first appearance, this would be theatre designed to either entice one’s curious nature or worse, send audiences scurrying to the exits.

And why not?

After all, this was not the Moby Dick aficionados have been accustomed to over the years, either in literary, theatrical or cinematic form – no towering Gregory Peck on board, not a drop of salt water to be found and nary a peak at the great white mammal.

Morris Panych’s daring concept – based on Herman Melville’s sweeping 700-page novel, replete with all its grandiose visions of good and evil, is reduced here to a mere one hour and 47 minutes (with intermission).

The innovative production features a largely speechless cast – aided and abetted only by some carefully selected passages of intermittent and haltingly echoed narration.

Its other chief characteristic is the oft times hypnotic choreographed movements enlivening the haunting musical intonations of French impressionist Claude Debussy.

Audience reaction would be relatively easy to gauge, from clearly audible mutterings throughout the theatre and, at evening’s end, whether Festival patrons rose to their feet in spontaneous unanimity to praise the cast or simply filed out silently in bemused wonderment.

As it turned out, the efforts of adaptor/director Panych, creative assistant (movement) Wendy Gorling and creative associate (choreography) Ken MacDonald were well worth all the nervous anticipation and pre-conceived notions of success or failure.

The daring production got a rousing, well-deserved standing ovation.

Panych is no stranger to the concept; having already co-created with Gorling the unique and successful presentation of two stories by Nikolai Gogol called The Overcoat.

Here the subject matter takes him into another arena that is both vast and imposing – a challenge that Panych meets head on with passion. The result – one of the Festivals’s shining moments – a must-see experience.

The company was uniformly intriguing with Newfoundland born actor David Ferry conjuring up the obsessive Ahab in impressive fashion.

Other notables include the aforementioned Smyth – the sole survivor of the ill-fated nautical journey – and Marcus Nance as the mercurial Queegueg – solitary figures caught up in Ahab’s madness.

Dialogue replaced by balletic movement theatre and music – perhaps not everyone’s first choice for an evening’s entertainment.

Nonetheless this wildly different interpretation of a classic – through the efforts of Panych and company translates into one of the most memorable moments of the Stratford Shakespeare’s 2008 season.

The production continues at the Studio Theatre until October 18. ***** (Out of five stars)

Cutline: Photo by David Hou. David Ferry is pictured as Captain Ahab in Moby Dick.

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