The Deep – Eastern Angles Theatre, Ipswich
Based on a true story of a fisherman and his involvement in a sinking of the vessel he is a crewman on is a story that will maybe resonate with Suffolk audiences as the county has long had associations with the fishing industry and the sea.
This is a touring production of a play by Jón Atli Jónasson and features just one actor, Jonathon Savage, as the unnamed Norwegian fisherman. The actor is a trained ballet dancer as well and his dance and physical skills are exploited to the full, never have I seen somebody use their body so well to replicate the image of swimming and floating in water on stage.
The story is a monologue of the young man’s life as he leaves home at 4am in the morning to head for another stint with his fellow crewmen in the cold and savage Icelandic waters.
The trip starts as any normal one as the men reacquaint themselves after their shore leave, some suffering from the effects of over-indulgence the night before.
A few hours into the trip and tragedy strikes and the vessel is overturned resulting in the men being thrown into the icy waters, it’s a battle to survive, of thoughts of home and life, of loneliness in a vast sea. Savage’s brilliant physical acting carry this fight and we feel part of it, the atmospheric lighting and sounds adding to remind us that we need to respect the sea.
Will he survive, I’m not telling. This 60 minute production will certainly hold your attention and is well-worth your time.
The Deep is touring across East Anglia until the end of October and also available to watch at home online, see www.easternangles.co.uk for full details.
Review Mark Keable, Ipswich24 Magazine
Picture Jonathon Savage in rehearsals