The Seafarer

Another old review of a show still running, and fyi I'm giving away the ending--

The Seafarer
Written by Conor McPherson
November 1, 2008
Mezz B12, with Aaron, $33.00

Aaron and I have a tradition of going to see every Conor McPherson play that comes around. He's written a ton. I recently found outhow old he is, (born 1971) and got a little sick. Anyway, we think highly of him. He's Irish, and so are his plays. An apt (and more entertaining) subtitle would be: How My Brother Invited My Ex'sBoyfriend To Dinner After I Told Him Not To And I Ended Up Losing MySoul To The Devil In A Poker Game And Falling Off The Wagon.

That's really all you need to know, except that title implies humor of a consistent type. David Morse, is 'Sharky'. (The night's biggest reaction came from the declarations at intermission as the entire audience searched the program to figure out his name. 'Jackie?' 'Ohh! Sharky'.) He's the soul-at-risk sod who is trying to take care of his recently blinded elderly brother (a minimum of 30 years between them, if looks are anything to go by), does well with what he's given, which is basically to look fed up while his brother and his drunk friends lark about, including Ivan, who has slept over and now cannot find his glasses.

The first act is all composed of this, and it basically goes nowhere until Nicky (the ex's boyfriend) turns up with a guest, the 'mysterious' Mr. Lockwood. (Cieran Hinds). We know he is mysterious because he keeps his coat on. After an hour and thirty minutes of Irish malarkey, everyone except Sharky runs out to chase some hoodlums off a car, and that's when Mr. Lockwood reveals that (brace yourself) he's really Satan(omg!!) and he's there so Sharky can pay up on a bet he made 25 years previously in order to get out of a murder charge. You can guess what that was. Naturally, Sharky is skeptical (he has no memory of the murder). And then he's writhing on the floor groaning and screaming (and being lectured sharply not to cry b/c Satan doesn't like that sort of thing.) Plus, the lights flicker, so Sharky starts to believe. Then there's a long monologue from Lockwood about what Hell is like. (Pretty darn bad.) (McPherson always puts at least 1 huge monologue in his plays. The last play, Shining City, had a powerhouse one that Oliver Platt gave about his dead wife. This didn't even come close to that.)

Not long after that, Sharky has his first drink in a year. Then he tries to beat Nicky up because he's Nicky, and then he goes for Lockwood. That was about the only exciting moment of the evening--seeing David Morse being held back by two men, who were hanging onto him for dear life as he tried to hurl himself atLockwood. Finally, he's shoved into the kitchen to calm down. When he emerges, he makes apologies to everyone except Lockwood and sits down to lose his soul. Which he does. So, off he goes with Satan. But wait! Ivan has found his glasses. Turns out those 4's he had were really Aces. What do you know! Lockwood has lost! Sharky is saved! Lights go down on him standing alone holding a Christmas card from a woman he once tried to have an affair with. He sighs (perhaps with relief (that the show is over), perhaps with hope (that he won't have to do it again--oops, that was my reaction)), a movement that encompasses his whole body. Lights out. The End

Unless you are a huge huge huge fan of one of the actors in this, don't bother with it. The acting was all good. (Hinds the one weakspot.) But the play is far too long-winded for its own good. I know it got great reviews, and reading them, I called Aaron and asked if we had seen the same play. He was just as confused as me.