The Shark is Broken – Gaiety Theatre – Review
by Brian Merriman

DATES: 13th May. – 17th May.

“DIVE INTO THE DRAMA BEHIND THE SCENES OF HOLLYWOOD’S FIRST BLOCKBUSTER”

Undoubtedly, The Gaiety has been focusing on expanding its programming in recent years. It reminds us again that though the acclaimed stage can house an extravaganza, it is a thoroughly legitimate and intimate playhouse too.

The backdrop to The Shark Is Broken is the lengthy delays in filming the cinematic epic that was Jaws, fifty years ago.

Young director Steven Spielberg was cutting his teeth on special effects, and the efforts he put into scaring us all rigid in the cinema were but a precursor for many movie thrills to come in his career. Such success was built on the back of trial and error, as it should be.

Ian Shaw is one of actor Robert Shaw’s nine children. He must have been regaled many times by his father with the stories that arose on board a small ship between the three movie stars, as they waited endlessly between takes as technological faults bedevilled the mechanical shark. Shaw and Nixon collate these into an entertaining 95 minutes (no interval) that Martha Geelan deftly reinterprets, ensuring her direction has a smooth pace throughout.

Duncan Henderson’s neat set adds to the realism of the often marooned trio, and Nina Dunn’s videos work very well in setting the sea scenes.

There are good gags peppered throughout the script, which can at times veer into send-up.

There’s an endless amount of booze and some insights into the back stories of three men who have earned their place in the encyclopedia of movie stars.

Ian Shaw takes on the enviable role of playing his Dad, Robert. There is a striking physical similarity. Robert Shaw, being an Irish resident Englishman (with nice script touches to his love of Ireland), comes across as quite a caricature. His raspy, almost Basil Fawlty-like delivery seems to overemphasise the cultural differences between the Anglo Shaw and his American co-stars. The relentless over-enunciated vocal pitching has little light and shade, until the final scene – a recreation of the original movie monologue that shows Shaw Senior’s acting vocal range. It’s a difficult thing to suggest any caricature from afar, when the playwright and actor have such a first-hand knowledge of the subject. It’s hard to know if this interpretation is homage or revenge.

Equally, the pitching of Richard Dreyfuss as some kind of buffoon puzzled throughout. It was charmingly played by Ashley Margolis, who fulfilled the obligatory comedy required to lift a three-hander in a confined space. But it does little to respect many of the obvious talents of Dreyfuss that have ensured his iconic status as an acclaimed film actor.

Dan Fredenburgh’s portrayal of Roy Schneider was spot on. It was plausible, mature, focused and delivered with the substance one would expect from a role exploring such an iconic actor. It was a highlight.

You’ll get a lot of interesting background on these screen stars. The programme is worth buying. There are one-liners which greatly appealed to the audience of informed movie fans. It is well-staged, but it left me somewhat less reluctant to go back in the water than the original film!

Written by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon
UK Tour Director Martha Geelan
Starring Ian Shaw, Dan Fredenburgh and Ashley Margolis.
Set design by Duncan Henderson
Duration 95 minutes runs to May 17th.