If the performances are strong and the story true, theatre can be a magical and transformative experience no matter the location or the set or the fancy lighting. Coal Mine Theatre kicked off their second season with a production of Jez Butterworth’s The River that put that very theory to the test. And managed to succeed despite rather sizable odds.
One row of seating along the wall, and seven rows on either side of a stage (actually just the floor) plunked down unceremoniously in the middle of what could have been a variety store or souvlaki hut in recent months but is now the temporary home to one of the city’s most exciting new theatre companies. That's what they had to work with. And from here sprung a tiny old fishing cabin along the banks of a river apparently teeming with sea trout.
The River tells the story of The Man, played wonderfully by actor David Ferry, who loves fishing and appears to take some satisfaction from hooking the lasses with his great outdoorsy machismo. The story unfolds with two visits to the cabin by The Woman played by Jane Spidell and the Other Woman played by Dani Kind. The stories are cleverly woven together and follow a near identical pattern that shows The Man is a bit lost when it comes to landing true love. Fishing metaphors run heavy.
The play garnered some acclaim in recent years thanks to a Broadway production starring Hugh Jackman (Yes, The Wolverine).
Ferry plays The Man as a somewhat sympathetic character. We scorn his clever manipulations but in the end we see a fragile man who seems destined for a life of loneliness forever searching. Is it by choice? What compels The Man to follow the same pattern over and over? The play raises some interesting questions. It’s a fine performance by Ferry, brave and true, and he even handles the task of prepping a fish dinner (including actually gutting a fish in front of our somewhat squeamish eyes) with aplomb.
Both women are taken by The Man’s combination of rugged outdoorsman and sensitive soul. Both actors fully explore their characters and although they arrive at the same place, take very unique and powerful routes of exploration.
The set hurt the production. How could it not? The way the stage sits, no matter what the actors did on stage, their backs were turned to half the crowd. The audience had to face each other, which was distracting. But these performers managed to connect. It was a struggle, but they got there. At the height of dramatic action, there was indeed tension in the room.
And the intimate environment may have even helped a little. Who didn’t feel like reaching over and giving The Woman a pat on the shoulder? When the fish dinner is taken from the over, my stomach may have growled a little due to the proximity to said vittles.
It was a short production clocking in at around 80 minutes, which is suitable for the space and it buzzes by at a decent clip. There is a bar on-site with good and low-priced adult beverages.
Hopefully, Coal Mine Theatre gets a more appropriate facility soon. This group of creative types that includes artistic curator Ted Dykstra and artistic producer Diana Bentley has a bright future. Until then, The River overcomes its staging limitations and shines thanks to powerful performances by some very talented actors that manage to take us with them from a cramped and dingy storefront on The Danny to a cabin along a babbling, trout-filled brook in the middle of nowhere. Now that’s the power of theatre.
