Review by Alan Jozwiak
Popular culture loves sharks. There’s Shark Week on the Discovery Channel and the ever-popular Sharknado franchise (six films in total). The most watched video in YouTube history is, of course, “Baby Shark.”
What started the shark frenzy is a film that will be hitting its 50th anniversary release in June, Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws.”
The Story
The stories surrounding the making of this granddaddy of summer blockbusters have become legend. They are now in a play by Ian Shaw (the son of one of the movie’s actors Robert Shaw) and Joseph Nixon. Their play, The Shark is Broken, is getting its regional premiere at Falcon Theater this weekend.
The title of the piece comes from the constant problems Spielberg had with the hydraulic shark, which would take on water during the course of a take and would frequently break down.
As a result, the three principal actors in “Jaws,” Roy Scheider (Ted Weil), Richard Dreyfus (Brady Dunn), and Robert Shaw (Keith Cassidy), find themselves in a real-life Waiting-for-Godot experience as they wait for the crew to repair the mechanical shark. These men could not go anyplace else because they are on an actual boat. Spielberg wanted authenticity for the final scenes in the movie and shot them at sea. As such, they are literally marooned in the middle of the ocean with nothing to do while waiting for the shark repairs.
To kill time, these three men spend the time in typical guy pursuits: playing games of chance, engaging in displays of masculine bravado, and imbibing lots of alcohol. Did I mention they are drinking? They drink a lot in this play, almost in every scene.
This seemingly improbable script, purported to be based off of the actual stories Robert Shaw told to his son about the making of “Jaws,” might seem a difficult piece to keep an audience’s attention. Nothing major happens, save for the three men finishing their shoot on the boat.
Direction for Shark is Broken
But in the hands of director David Derringer, the additional layers of this play get to unfold. The play becomes a character study of how these three men deal with the stresses in their lives, as well as handling the haunting issues from the past which affect their present-day choices.
Derringer wisely avoids any hint of caricature in his direction of his actors. There are clear nods to how each man would actually speak and react, but they never feel like an impersonation. The acting comes from a place of authenticity and I soon forgot that these were depictions of real-life people.
In the program notes, Derringer quotes Sandra Forman (NKU Professor Emeritus) who muses “Directing is 75% casting.” Following this advice, Derringer assembles strong actors to bring the cast of “Jaws” to life once more.
The Casting
Leading the pack is Ted Weil as Roy Scheider. Weil is the Producing Artistic Director of Falcon Theatre and seldom gets a chance to tread the boards as an actor for the theatre that he runs. This is a rare treat to see him act and Weil brings a lot to the role of the button-down sun worshipping Roy Scheider.
Kudos for Weil for bearing (almost) all for the sake of this production in one scene where Schneider engages in his sun worship. He even bronzed his body to look the part.
As Richard Dreyfus, Brady Dunn is a whirlwind of pent-up anxiety, braggadocio, and extreme emotion. We get to see almost every single emotional move that Dreyfus has in his character over the course of the play. It is an amazing performance, especially during his scene when he is having an anxiety attack. There are several times Dunn steals the show because his character is so expansive and intense.
As a counterpoint, Keith Cassidy is more subdued as the drunken Robert Shaw. Cassidy’s Shaw has a wonderful way of playing off of the younger and more inexperienced Dreyfus, making him the butt of many a joke. Cassidy’s deadpan humor and his contempt for being in a film which he feels is a throw-away piece of garbage captures the spirit of the man. I think my favorite moment is when Cassidy delivers the famous U.S.S. Indianapolis speech, complete with knocking off his hat at the right moment. It is a powerful piece of acting.
Technical Elements
Also a standout in this production are the projections of the scenes which simulate the view outside one of the boat’s windows. It is the perfect way to chart the passage of time and change of scenes within the play. David Derringer is also the designer.
Conclusion
In closing, The Shark is Broken reminds me of that 1970s Irish Spring commercial where a wife grabs the bar of soap out of her husband’s hands and says “Manly Yes, But I like it too!” This play appeals to men of a certain age who remember what it was like to live in the 1970s-1980s and get a chance to reminisce about their youth. It also appeals to women through getting a chance to see what lies behind the masculine bravado of a cinema classic.
This play is both funny and touching, a perfect way to spend a May evening at the theatre.
A word of advice: To get the most out of this play, it is best to see the film before coming to see the show. This is especially true if you have never seen the movie. If it has been some time and want a quick refresh, YouTube has short clips from the film to help remember.
Tickets to Falcon Theatre
The Shark is Broken runs from May 2 to May 17, 2025. For tickets go to https://shark.brownpapertickets.com
