Review of ‘Moby Dick’: ‘A fishy affair’

The Barbican Theatre hosted Plexus Polaire’s puppet-based reinterpretation of Henry Melville’s classic novel, presented as part of the London Mime Festival. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show, to let us know if this fleeting montage ended up being a shipwreck.

“Call me Ishmael”. Just three words any writer could come up with. There’s nothing special about them. Basic, direct, and holding no meaning other than what they so plainly state. And yet, no-one can’t help but feel how the hairs at the back of their neck completely stand up at the very moment that simple line is said. It’s no secret than Henry Melville’s masterwork continues to be a subject of fascination for today’s audiences – even those who know nothing about its plot apart from its antagonist’s reputation as that fearsome, invincible beast lurking in the middle of the ocean, bringing anyone who crosses its path to their inevitable demise.

I must confess that, beyond a few scattered summaries, some mentions at school and an absolutely reliable Simpsons adaptation, I hadn’t coasted along much to discover the adventures of the Pequod and its journey to find the so-called monster that once dismembered its captain – though I was looking forward to diving into it. And so, last week I ventured back to the Barbican Theatre for a new theatrical adaptation of the literary classic – put together with a twist, nonetheless; for this time, hardly any actors would be seen onstage.

An almost empty black box hides the wonders that will lately come up to the surface. On the right, a set of drums stares at its imminent partners in crime – across the deck, a bass and an electric guitar rest, guarded by the gigantic, almost menacing rib cage that towers right in the centre. Lights go down. A shy beam of light pours in, as a shoal of fish swim in mid-air. The illusion is now completed. From then on, we will be sucked into its tidal wave of visual awe – and we won’t be returned to the harbour until the very end.

Designed by the French-Norwegian puppeteer company Plexus Polaire, the montage is an complete triumph from a staging perspective. Soaked with inventiveness and shored up with intricacy, all the technical aspects in the production are presented with impeccable craftsmanship – making an absolute splash through the uncanny realism of its delivery, where reality is sublimed but never replaced, plunging audiences into a sea of captivating storytelling and bubbling pizzazz.

There are, however, some of other elements where the imagination seems to have run a bit dry. Though making a faithful revision of the original material, the script fails to bring the same level of grip its graphic counterpart achieves so vividly. And though it manages to navigate through the plot with some command, there’s a soft, but noticeable lack of heart that prevents it from moving in full swing – while also letting too many ships sail away in terms of character introspection and connection with the viewer.

On the other hand, the pacing is slightly off at some points – never losing the engagement, but struggling to develop a smoother voyage where all the elements in the recount swim with better flow. The reason may be anchored in its excessive initial exposition, spending too much time covering Captain Ahab’s hateful obsession with Moby Dick, as well as Ishmael’s solitary reflections, but constraining too much of the action into an overly rushed conclusion.

In any case, despite its narrative skills probably not being the catch of the day, many key features in Plexus Polaire’s version of Melville’s immortal novel remain afloat – rocking the boat with its lavish display of spectacularity, talent and creativity. Knowing the ropes of their art form and interlacing them to convey an own, unique language, the show is nowhere close to sinking in deep water, nor should their audiences think they must batten down their hatches – because, after all, chances are they will still have a whale of a time.

All pictures credit to Christophe Raynaudde Lage.

Upcoming shows at the Mime Festival are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara