Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Both whimsical and existential, THE SHARK IS BROKEN examines the actor’s dilemma via the filming of “Jaws”

• By drediman
• September 8, 2023
• No Comments

This week at the John Golden Theatre, I had the chance to catch up with Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon’s episodic new play The Shark Is Broken. A hit across the pond in London, the Olivier-nominated play arrives on Broadway awash in the cinema lore of the classic 1974 film Jaws. Although the movie helped solidify the legendary status of director Stephen Spielberg, its filming was anything but smooth sailing (pun intended!). In particular, the decision to capture it on the unpredictable open waters near Martha’s Vineyard as opposed to the more regulated environs of a Hollywood water tank contributed to the infamous mechanical shark’s regular malfunction, thereby making the filming an especially frustrating, drawn-out process.

Shaw and Nixon’s comedy drama is a curious hybrid between the surreal absurdism of a Samuel Beckett play and the comforting — if whimsical — accessibility and realism afforded by historical fiction. To be sure, those coming in with knowledge of and a fondness for the film Jaws and Hollywood history in general will get more from the work’s obvious references to what was to come after the film’s acclaimed release. Although the play on the while lacks sufficient depth and cohesion to make for a totally satisfying dramatic experience, it’s nevertheless a fascinating glimpse into the existential crises faced by many an aspiring actor, here as embodied by Robert Shaw, Roy Schneider, and a tempestuous young Richard Dreyfus. Luckily , as a piece geared towards Hollywood nostalgia, it accomplishes its goal far less forcefully than Back to the Future: The Musical, which is currently running at the Winter Garden Theatre.

Thankfully, the beautifully contrasting performances by the play’s trio of actors — co-writer Ian Shaw (playing his real life father, Robert Shaw), Alex Brightman (Dreyfus), and Colin Donnell (Schneider) — come close to distracting audiences from the play’s aforementioned flaws. In turn, each gets the delicious opportunity to portray their respective character’s breakdown as the endless filming pushes them to sanity’s edge, with both Shaw and Brightman successfully leaning in on over-the-top histrionics to fuel their larger-than-life performances. Brightman in particular brings a welcome physicality to Guy Masterson’s otherwise static production. On the other end of the spectrum, Donnell brings a cool demeanor to Schneider, balancing out the other two actors’ boisterous antics.

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THE SHARK IS BROKEN
Broadway, Play
John Golden Theatre
1 hour, 30 minutes (without an intermission)
Open run