On Theater: ‘Moby Dick’ makes a splash at SCR
Is there a more gripping, breathtakingly exciting story in the annals of literature over the last century and a half than Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick?” Whether on the page, the screen or the stage, it remains a whale of a tale.
Local theatergoers hardly are strangers to theatrical versions of this classic seagoing saga. Both Orange Coast College and Golden West College have hurled their harpoons at the great white whale in recent years, and now South Coast Repertory has joined the party with an imported production from Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre Company.
Director David Catlin, who also adapted Melville’s prose for the stage, has come up with a stunning, robust production that often spills out over the proverbial fourth wall, at one point flooding the entire audience with a watery effect. It should leave a lasting effect on those who witness it.
Catlin’s “Moby Dick” is as much a circus as a drama. Actors ascend ropes and descend on moving platforms. Staged drowning is accomplished in mid-air. The whaling ship Pequod trembles as it’s struck by an imaginary leviathan
All these bells and whistles, however attention-grabbing, would be ineffective without the presence of some equally stirring performances, and here Catlin’s production truly flourishes. Sailors caught in life-or-death situations rise heroically to the occasion with emphatic ensemble excellence.
And, as it must, the true thrust of any version of this classic is its captain, the mad, frenzied Ahab, whose rantings and ravings would make those of future martinets Bligh and Queeg seem like the mutterings of fresh-faced ensigns. Christopher Donahue plays this role with a single-minded vengeance as he charges hell-bent toward a climactic showdown with his finny foe, threatening the life of any crewman who would oppose him.
As Ishmael, the play’s narrator and sole survivor, the balding, bespectacled Jamie Abelson more resembles an accountant than a seaman, yet delivers splendidly. The staunch first mate, Starbuck, who veers between loyalty and mutiny, is particularly well depicted by Walter Owen Briggs.
A standout in support is Anthony Fleming III as the African harpooner Queequeg, fearsome in manner yet gentle in spirit. Micah Figueroa also impresses as a young seaman driven mad by Ahab’s vengeful quest.
Three women provide a sort of chorus as Fates and various supporting performers, including the targeted whales. Kelley Abell, Cordelia Dewdney and Kasey Foster fill these roles admirably. How they “roll” around the stage in hoop skirts is truly puzzling.
Courtney O’Neill’s multi-function scenic design provides a terrific backdrop for athletic acting, as do Sully Ratke’s costumes and the lighting effects of William C. Kirkham.
“Moby Dick” (why Melville chose to put a hyphen in the original work is anybody’s guess) is a theatrical experience not soon forgotten. The show, and Donohue’s awesome performance, command the stage and the audience at South Coast Repertory.
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TOM TITUS reviews local theater.
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IF YOU GO
What: “Moby Dick”
Where: South Coast Repertory’s Segerstrom Stage, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
When: 7:30 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. weekend matinees until Feb. 19
Cost: Tickets start at $22
Information: (714) 708-5555
