“You are never too old for a good story.”
Big Fish: An odyssey through a storybook
By Eric George Tauber
SAN DIEGO–The storyteller’s art is alive and well in the deep South, made all the more charming by its musical drawl and colorful colloquialisms. Big Fish is a magical, musical odyssey through a world of giants, witches, mermaids and werewolves. This is a storybook world artfully crafted by Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman who is so busy that he is often absent even from his son’s games. His son, Will, now a journalist obsessed with fact-finding, makes it his mission to get to the bottom of his father’s fanciful tall tales.
I recognized Brandon Joel Maier from his role as the Narrator in Urinetown at SDSU. Perfect for the yarn-spinning Ed Bloom, he’s quite the animated character. Michael Cuisimano plays a deeply conflicted Will Bloom. He genuinely loves his father, yet he also resents him. He must put his doubts to rest before there can be any reconciliation. Kelsey Venter with her soaring soprano is endearing as the wife and mother trying to keep the peace between father and son. Her sweetness makes us want to believe Ed’s spiel about slaving in a circus for her hand.
The music by Andrew Lippa harkens back to the Golden Age of Broadway, the likes of Hammerstein and Harburg with a just a dash of Sondheim, that many of us grew up with.
The set by Mike Buckley, a textured white brick wall were the perfect canvas for projections by Michael McKeon and Patrick Duffy, allowing us to drift like a raft on a river through time and space. We float on the waters of fantasy, occasionally running aground on the sandbars of reality, then get back on our way.
Costume Designer Jeanne Reith captured the storybook magic and really kept the Ensemble on their toes with a slew of costume changes. I especially liked the Swamp Witch and the Giant.
The Swamp Witch herself, Anise Ritchie, is enchanting, belting out her predictions like a Motown diva. John Rosen is, as always, delightful as the shady ringmaster who also happens to be a werewolf. And child actor Gavin Reid August is remarkably focused and professional for a boy his age. His subtle reactions to the crazy goings on around him are a pleasure to watch.
Theologians have heated debates about stories like the Book of Jonah, whether it’s to be taken as literal history or fantastic parable. But I think the debate itself misses the point. If we listen to stories with ears obsessed with what we can’t believe or must believe, we miss the lesson behind the story. Stories are told to teach us how to live, love and, most importantly, how to treat each other.
If you’re looking to be spellbound, dive in to the fantastic river of Big Fish playing at the Lamb’s Players Theatre in Coronado through July 30.
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Tauber is a freelance writer who specializes in coverage of the arts. He may be contacted via eric.tauber@sdjewishworld.com