by Alan Jozwiak
Remembering happy times and dealing with one’s losses are two themes shared by the Devin sisters–Alannah (Samantha Joy Weil) and Fianna (Alaska Dunn) who appear within the Megan Tyler play Crocodile Fever, Falcon Theatre’s latest offering.
Crocodile Fever is set in 1989 Northern Ireland during what is known as The Troubles. This is a time when religious and political differences between the British government and Northern Ireland lead to massive violence and social upheaval throughout Northern Ireland and Britain. The brunt of the violence centered in Northern Ireland where the British would treat the Northern Irish as if they were citizens of an occupied country. It was not uncommon for British soldiers to conduct random sweeps where they would enter houses in search of “illegal” activity and completely overturn the household in the process.
Plot in Brief
Using The Troubles as its backdrop, Crocodile Fever pits uptight and super clean Alannah against her dirty and rebellious sister. Alannah treats her sister as a persona non grata because Fianna served a seven years prison sentence for setting the fire to their childhood home. This same fire leads to the death of their mother.
Complications ensue when Fianna wants to take revenge against their abusive father Peter Devlin (Robert Allen). This revenge takes its inspiration from the Asmat tribe of New Guinea. The Asmat believe the only way to overcome the evil spirits inhabiting the Crocodiles who terrorize their village is to eat them (hence the Crocodile reference in the play’s title). I won’t go into the way this connects to the plot for fear of spoilers. However, a British soldier (Ben Dudley) makes a surprise inspection at an inopportune moment.
Crocodile Fever falls into the tradition of Black Irish Comedies and the work takes great pains to highlight the darkly comedic side of the situations of its characters. There are plenty of twists and turns within the script that contribute to the humor and horror of the situation that is best left for when you see the show.
This Production
Director Ted Weil assembles a fine cast of actors. Samantha Joy Weil beautifully balances her uptight neuroticism with genuine expressions of pain and passion at the losses in her life. While it is a small scene at the start of the show, I particularly love when she is eating her crisps, the Irish/British name for potato chips. She has an expression akin to a smoker who decides to indulge in the favorite vice after a long absence. It is priceless. Add to this her precise comic delivery, and the result is a performance where Samantha Joy Weil is at the top of her form as an actor.
As a side note, there are a LOT of bags of these crisps being used within this production and they are all authentic Northern Irish crisps called Tayto. According to Artistic Director Ted Weil, buying all the bags of Tayto crisps from Jungle Jim’s takes up a large share of the production budget.
Performances
Alaska Dunn is also strong as the rebellious Fianna. With a background in dance (she has a BFA in dance and dances for Pones Inc.), she gracefully moves around the stage and easily embodies the rebelliousness of her character. I think one moment which stands out in her role is where she is singing along to the Toto song “Africa” with her sister. Her abandon and total engagement with the moment reveal the care which Dunn brings to her role.
Rounding out the cast is Robert Allen as the father Peter Devlin and Ben Dudley as a Soldier interrupting events. While not a large role (we just hear Allen’s character off stage for most of Act I), Allen delivers a believable and sympathetic portrayal of the father. Allen also gives us tiny glimpses of the abusiveness belying his character. This is a good thing because he could have easily emotionally hijacked the play and taken the emphasis away from the sisters.
Finally, Ben Dudley delivers a believable performance as the soldier who barges into the Devlin household. The fact that Dudley is clean shaven is an added bonus. He is always wearing a beard and I had forgotten what he looked like without a beard.
Kudos to the production’s dialect coach Kate Glasheen whose work shows through in the believable Irish dialects of the performers which greatly accentuated the production. Similarly, Ted Weil’s work as a Scenic Designer makes the set feel like a well-maintained Irish home. There is a middle-class blandness to the set that acts as a blank canvas upon which the play’s wild proceedings can take place.
Conclusion
Overall, Crocodile Fever is a darkly comedic ride through recent Irish history and one family’s struggle to come to terms with their past. Full of strong performances, this play is the perfect way to celebrate the Irish around St. Patrick’s Day.
Ticket Link for Crocodile Fever
Crocodile Fever runs March 13-28, 2025 at Falcon Theatre on 636 Monmouth Street in Newport, KY. Click here for tickets.
RUNNING TIME: Approximately 2 hours 10 minutes with an intermission. (Act I is approximately one hour fifteen minutes.)
