REVIEW: Lovers of ‘Jaws’ should take a bite out of this new Broadway show
Photo: The Shark Is Broken stars, from left, Colin Donnell as Roy Scheider, Ian Shaw as his father Robert Shaw and Alex Brightman as Richard Dreyfuss. Photo courtesy of Matthew Murphy / Provided by Polk & Co. with permission.
NEW YORK — Confession time: There probably is no other movie that I’ve seen more times than Jaws, the influential Steven Spielberg-directed film that essentially created the summer blockbuster. I can probably recite the entire script, point out all the Easter eggs (yes, original Jaws author Peter Benchley is the TV reporter), and still enjoy the thrill of Bruce, the great white shark, making mincemeat of the people of Amity.
So, when The Shark Is Broken, a new play by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon, was announced for New York City’s Golden Theatre, I was ready to swim to Broadway. And thankfully the show delivers a wonderful bite into Hollywood history — and then some. This is 95-minute entertainment perfectly tailored for lovers of Spielberg’s film, which means it’s a play for everyone because there are few people left in this world who haven’t experienced Jaws.
The premise of this behind-the-scenes show is that the three main actors in Jaws — Robert Shaw (Quint), Richard Dreyfuss (Hooper) and Roy Scheider (Chief Brody) — are struggling to fill the time on the set of the film. The mechanical shark keeps breaking down, and the production keeps getting delayed and delayed. This leaves the three actors with long stretches of time to hang out, commiserate, and talk about life and legacy. However, beyond the Hollywood stories, the show also delves into the important topics of fatherhood, professional ambitions, personal vices and just how real movie stars can be.
Portraying Robert Shaw is none other than his son, Ian Shaw, the co-writer of the show. He looks exactly like his father and sounds like him to boot. He is offering a masterful portrayal that goes beyond impersonation and truly gets at the power of theatrical interpretation. The fact that he’s playing his father adds so many layers to this storytelling.
Portraying Richard Dreyfuss is Alex Brightman, recently of Broadway’s Beetlejuice. His acting is so spot-on that it’s almost scary. He brings a physicality and vocal range that precisely matches Dreyfuss, but again, he elevates the material beyond mere impersonation and truly gets at the heart of this young actor trying to make a name for himself in a cutthroat business.
Finally, portraying Roy Scheider is Colin Donnell. He looks the part, with tanned skin, oversized glasses and a police officer’s gait. He also serves as a perfect in-between for the fighting Shaw and Dreyfuss, who often line up on either side of the Roy character and try to win verbal spats. Donnell’s take on the role is that of quiet peacemaker, a man who enjoys the sun and lets the disappointments of the production delays roll off his shoulders. Deeper though, he’s got as many issues he’s grappling with as the other two. They might not be as obvious as Shaw’s penchant for alcohol or Dreyfuss’ questioning of his career choices, but there are layers to this police chief, for sure.
Guy Masterson directs the play with a tautness and skill that keeps the plot humming along, but also lets each character shine in the spotlight. They sit on the set of the Orca, the boat used in Jaws, and bob up and down with the undulating waves, which are broadcast on a curved screen in the background. Thanks to Nina Dunn’s video design, audiences will believe that the boat (which, of course, needs to be bigger) is actually moving on the ocean near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. There’s an actual uneasiness achieved from the audience’s perspective, as if the sitting patrons are also standing on the boat. Big kudos to Duncan Henderson for his exact replica of the Orca and Jon Clark for his exquisite lighting design.
The Shark Is Broken is a tale of three men at different stages of their lives and careers. Robert Shaw is the veteran of the bunch, a man who can be as difficult as his character of Quint. He’s also a man with a love of his art form and an uncommon skill to offer a unique line delivery. Dreyfuss is the up-and-comer who tasted success with American Graffiti and reads about himself in the pages of Variety, mostly due to insecurity. Scheider is the cool, calm, collected “it” actor, who is actually not as cool, calm and collected as meets the eye.
The play is a winsome story of Hollywood and humanity, friendship and foils, struggles and survival. For Jaws fans — meaning all of us — it’s a rare chance to go behind the scenes of a landmark film and see what’s actually happening on the deck of the legendary Orca.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Shark Is Broken, written by Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon, stars Shaw, Alex Brightman and Colin Donnell. Guy Masterson directs. Currently playing at the Golden Theatre on Broadway. Click here for more information and tickets.
