The Shark is Broken by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon – Theatre Royal Plymouth – until 05 April 2025 and touring, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: Cormac Richards.

Photo Credit: Manual Harlan.

The Shark is Broken by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon – Theatre Royal Plymouth – until 5 April 2025 and touring,

5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: Cormac Richards.

“The cracking script and the production is a complete triumph.”

‘The Shark is Broken’ could be seen as a more modern take on Jerome K Jerome’s ‘Three Men in a Boat’, not with a dog, this time, but with a shark called ‘Bruce’. There are story similarities, but they diverge rather widely.

The behind the scenes story of the making of ‘Jaws’ is a tremendously entertaining piece of theatre with great breadth and depth. Borne out of a diary written by Robert Shaw, the play was developed by his son Ian and Joseph Nixon; it is a cracking script and the production is a complete triumph.

The less-than glamorous life of actors making a movie are laid bare as the trio of characters – Robert Shaw, Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss – battle boredom as delays follow delays, largely caused by the malfunctioning mechanical shark. By the time ‘Jaws’ was being made, Shaw was a highly regarded actor with an impressive back catalogue of stage and film work, Dreyfuss was still trying to make a name for himself and Scheider had recent successes such as The French Connection, for which he was Oscar-nominated. The dynamics between the three create the drama and the comedy. The aggressive, hard-drinking Shaw, the taciturn (rather dull) Scheider and the ball of nervous-energy that is Dreyfuss. All have a bucketload of insecurities about their profession and, indeed, about the film they are making – Shaw, passes it off as something of a trifle – little did they know. Shaw and Dreyfuss are from opposite sides of the spectrum and Scheider plays the role of peacemaker, the banter creates wonderful comedy, but the three come together when discussing their scarred childhoods – all had issues with their own father; Shaw recounts the suicide of his Father and hoped to live a longer life – he wouldn’t. There is heart here.

Nina Dunn’s beautifully realised video design gives a wonderful backdrop to the detailed recreation of the boat from the film (super work from Duncan Henderson) – the audience really gets to feel they are at sea with the trio. With nods to the score by John Williams from composer Adam Cork and atmospheric lighting, there is a lot of attention to detail.

With a script which references the folly of remakes and sequels, an unhinged President of the USA and some very funny benefits of hindsight, this is one of the best written plays I have come across for a while.

The three actors are quite wonderful. A barnstorming performance from Ian Shaw – playing his Father – is very much at the centre. He can dish the insults with abandon and by contrast quote Shakespeare with utter grace, it is a bravura and tender performance, done with honesty and affection. Ashley Margolis has comedy bones, his timing and physicality is perfect; he captures the youthful arrogance and almost complete lack of confidence in his abilities with such ease. In the least showy role, Dan Fredenburgh is the quiet Scheider and it is his stillness and lack of emotion which makes it such a clever performance. As ensemble acting goes, this sets the bar very high.

Though you need not have seen ‘Jaws’ to enjoy the play, if you have – and were alive to witness the extraordinary success of it at the time – then it adds something extra. References to theatre and film personalities can also be appreciated more if you have previous knowledge. However, none of that is necessary as the interplay between the three men, as they consider life, death, sex, masculinity, alcohol, acting and other matters in a claustrophobic setting, is  powerful enough to carry the play.

A fabulously entertaining and original piece of theatre, performed with energy and great humour and tightly directed by Guy Masterson and Martha Geelan – 95 minutes without an interval – it goes so fast and is a really rewarding experience.

Cast

Ian Shaw – Robert Shaw

Dan Fredenburgh – Roy Scheider

Ashley Margolis – Richard Dreyfuss

Creatives

Writers – Ian Shaw & Joseph Nixon

Director – Guy Masterson

Tour Director – Martha Geelan

Set & Costume Design – Duncan Henderson

Lighting Design – Jon Clark

Sound Design & Composer – Adam Cork

Video Design – Nina Dunn