REVIEW: THE SHARK IS BROKEN @ THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH

🎭 The Shark Is Broken

📍 The Lyric, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Royal Parade, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2TR 

🗓 Thursday 3rd April 2025

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PURE GENIUS

Take a look behind the cameras of a box office smash hit movie with THE SHARK IS BROKEN, which is currently touring the UK and this week has docked in Plymouth.

Written by Robert Shaw's son Ian Shaw, who portrays his father in the play, and Joseph Nixon, the show was inspired by Robert Shaw's diary and is refreshingly and brutally honest as well as being engaging and funny.

It is well documented that the production of the 1975 movie Jaws was fraught with difficulties. There were tensions between the actors, constant script changes, sinking boats and a mechanical shark that continuously broke down. The actors spent hours between takes on the Orca, wiling away the hours waiting for a functional shark and the lack of other boats in shot. Tensions were high as they bobbed on the water with nothing to do but drink and chat.

This play is utterly flawless and I was impressed with the creative choices. The set and costume design by Duncan Henderson is an absolute triumph, wonderfully replicating the iconic imagery from the movie. Married with Nina Dunn's wonderfully sedate video design backdrop, we are truly transported to the location and drawn into the action. The lighting design from Jon Clark was amazingly atmospheric and the music from Adam Cook was wondrously reminiscent of the supreme John Williams orchestrations from the movie. All of these elements vastly enhanced the nostalgia within the piece.

The story itself has been masterfully crafted and is a thing of utter beauty. There's a wonderful feeling of honesty as Shaw doesn't sugarcoat anything. He strikes a glorious balance of showing the more unlikeable aspects of the actor's personalities whilst also exploring their more vulnerable sides. There's a great rhythm to the piece and everything feels natural. This is the way people actually talk and interact. Nothing is stale or unnecessary. Every line has a purpose and there is so much depth and understanding of the characters and I can confidently say that this is one of the best pieces of writing I have experienced in a long time.

I really enjoyed the comedic elements of the story and references to inept presidents and movie sequels and remakes kept the whole thing relevant and relatable. Most people will have seen the movie Jaws, but in fact the writing here is so strong that it doesn't matter if you haven't. Nor does it matter if you're too young to really know who the actors being portrayed are. Even if it wasn't based on real people and real events, THE SHARK IS BROKEN is just a fantastically engaging piece of theatre.

No review of this play could ever be complete without mentioning the superb cast. Ian Shaw is boisterous and aggressive as he perfectly portrays his father, and the moments when he shows vulnerability are both heartfelt and heartwarming. Dan Fredenburgh is suitably laid back as Roy Scheider, who actually has little personality but is the calming element and the voice of reason for the other two. Ashley Margolis is a fireball of energy who perfectly encapsulates not only the excitement and passion of a young Richard Dreyfuss but also his naivety.

They give authentically glorious performances which are heartfelt and respectful, encapsulating the characteristics and mannerisms perfectly, never giving bizarre caricature which would be so easy to do. You really believe you are watching the original actors on the stage.

It is a genuine pleasure to experience theatre like this. You can feel the passion and the hard work that has gone in to creating this play and it perfectly captures a moment in movie history. It is an intelligent piece of theatre which has been meticulously crafted and the results are phenomenal.

THE SHARK IS BROKEN continues performances at Theatre Royal Plymouth until Saturday 5th April. Click here to check avaliability and to book your tickets now.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of The Shark is Broken was gifted by the Theatre Royal Plymouth who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST LIST:

Ian Shaw as Robert Shaw; Dan Fredenburgh as Roy Scheider; Ashley Margolis as Richard Dreyfus

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 35 minutes, with no interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Frequent bad language; Refrences to drug and alcohol abuse; Tobacco depiction; Refrences to loss