REVIEW: Swept Away (Arena Stage)
Preview: I can’t say I’ve ever seen this much hype put towards a jukebox musical. (Granted, I rarely enjoy them, so perhaps I’m projecting.) But with the March announcement of folksy marooner tale Swept Away — playing now at Arena Stage — there seemed to be a palpable excitement shaking the DC theatre world, and that was before casting was even confirmed. The casting that, between its four leads, includes two Tony nominations and one award; and is directed by the Tony-winning Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), on space architected by Tony-winning set designer Rachel Hauck (Hadestown). Yes, this has all the markings of a Broadway-bound production, especially after a warmly-received run in Berkeley, but the difference this time is that New York’s call rattles down the Acela tracks on which carry some of the most important eyes in American theatre. In what is potentially the most anticipated show of the season (besides STC’s upcoming Macbeth), a lot is riding on Swept Away.
Book/Music: As mentioned, this is a jukebox musical. Swept Away is both inspired by and borrows songs from Grammy-nominated folk band The Avett Brothers’ 2004 album “Mignonette”, which chronicles the real-life sinking and subsequent carnage regarding the titular ship in the late 1880s. (For narrative purposes, it also takes from elsewhere in the discography.) Much like the Mignonette, Swept Away’s premise involves the sinking of a whaling ship off the coast of New Bedford, Massachusetts in the same period, stranding four shipmates in a rinky-dink-dinghy with little hope. A simple, dark premise is uplifted to great heights by the attention to detail in characterization put forth by John Logan. From the beginning scenes aboard the unnamed ship, establishing the tight-knit camaraderie of the crew and establishing solid character motivations, to the second half of the 90-minute play which knocks down the entire thing via terrifyingly gruesome and heart-wrenching twists, the book is so precise in its storytelling that it serves as excellent example of how great something can be when kept simple. Of course, this is expanded to great proportion with the incorporation of The Avett Brothers’ acoustically twined folk sound. I had never listened to their music before but this musical made me a fan, seriously. You can tell how diegetic some songs were even though they were written a decade or more before hitting a stage, and the vibe of mariner sensibility leaks through damn near each lyric. Harmonies and shantyesque energy radiate in several numbers, and the ballads are rife with both rancidity and sweetness. I seriously need a cast recording, Broadway or not. 10/10
Acting: Yeah, there’s some talent, I guess. Tony-winner John Gallagher, Jr. (Spring Awakening, 2006) as hardened, jolly yet disillusioned “Mate”. Two-time nominee Stark Sands (seen recently in &Juliet on Broadway) as the pious, risk-averse “Big Brother”. Adrian Blake Enscoe, a promising newcomer overripe for a main stem starring role, as aspiring sailor “Little Brother”. New York stage regular (and DC local!) Wayne Duvall is the jaded and ironclad Captain. The show opens centric on Mate, overridden with tuberculosis, and then tells the story via flashbacks which then loosens the focus to tell the audience about the other three. Coupled with the outstanding ensemble of sailors, the main four are each absolute powerhouses of performance. For starrters, Gallagher, Jr. is pure magnetism; from his briney, podunk accent to mannerisms to the careless malice that overtakes him as he remains evermore stranded, you cannot help but feel his stage impact. The energy he creates feels needlelike to the point you can barely move in your seat in fear or missing something or of mental injury. Enscoe’s turns as Little Brother snap the attention away on several occasions, by bringing a unique brand of twisted acrobatic physicality to their spunky, bright-eyed-and-bushy-tailed persona, as naïve as it may be. The vocal chops satisfyingly sine their way from optimism to heartbreak, and I say this is an actor to be on the lookout for. Stark Sands, conversely as the Big Brother, combines angst with piety in an expectedly impressive way, but the way he meshes with his fellow cast elevates what I thought would be a simpler role into something much more memorable, culminating in a stellar turn of edgy dramatism in the third act. Wayne Duvall is much more understated as the Captain than the others, yet his silence speaks volumes as the overseer and personification of the ship (and the dying industry that wrought their fates). His songs are powerful, his presence magnanimous, and rusted persona in swell contrast with the increasingly polished array of crewmates he becomes stuck with. 10/10
Production: A tale of two halves; two separate, but mesmerizing, halves. The first being aboard the ship, which heavily features the ensemble and creatively grimy sailor costuming by Susan Hilferty, and moves them around with David Neumann’s stompy, raucous choreography. The set across both halves is largely sparse, but to good effect on many fronts. The first half does leave some to be desired in accent work; yes, there is a boat, and the deck is rife with ropes, pulleys, and the like, but the backdrop is barren and lighting (Kevin Adams) rudimental. What this does allow is a greater focus on the characters as they are established, but leaves you wondering when, or if, the other shoe will drop. (Minor spoiler, I guess, but it does. It drops hard.) When the other half begins, at the tail-end of a stunning ensemble sequence of immaculate lighting, choreography, set design, and music, things return to their minimalism with a renewed context that creates a new, much smaller platform of performance. At this point, it is a testament to the performers for making their tiny little boat feel as impactful as any other stage. Often you’ll find that the artists who are somehow restricted in their craft are the most creative as they work within it. There’s no doubt here. 9/10
VisDev: This was a 10 already, like months ago, when they dropped the visually stunning marketing art by Ken Taylor. Not only are the main four figures resembling of the actors, which is unusual for DC show art, it’s a detailed posterization of the lifeboat bobbing around at sea, trapped by cascading walls of frigid ocean and cloud cover, the only reprieve being a moon that seems to be sucking the life (and light) from the boat. It’s one of those incredible theatre posters that you’d actually want as a proper art piece; if it moves to Broadway, I hope they keep it. It sets the show so dramatically, prepares people for the vibe and aesthetic, and does not waver in its intensity. Pre-show staging is largely empty, save for Gallagher, Jr. asleep on a cot aboard the ship, but with such great show art to prepare you it is not a missed opportunity whatsoever. 10/10
VERDICT: Arena Stage’s production of this ambitious castaway musical is a resounding success, featuring can’t-miss acting, an intrepid, tragic book, and jaw-dropping production effects.
39/40
