Big Fish: A Review
Review by Mali Delargy
I first encountered Big Fish as a child too young to understand it, leaving the Tim Burton film starring Ewan McGregor to lurk in a haze of nostalgia at the back of my mind ever since. To see Director Emma Koonce’s feel-good production lit up in a blaze of glory last night was nothing short of magical. As the larger-than-life Edward Bloom (Dylan Swain) and his twisting tales become too much for his son Will (Callum Wardman-Browne), he decides to sort fact from fiction to find out who his father really is. With an unprecedented production team 70-strong, Big Fish dreamed big, reimagining what can be achieved on the St Andrews Musical stage.
Bloom walks through life in a reverie of imagination, attracting his characters and stories to greet him on stage. It becomes his cornucopia, marked by Band Director Ben Williams’ the swelling symphony, hardly able to contain his abundance. Swain, seemingly omnipresent in student theatre, proved his showmanship in his vocal ability and delivered his finest performance yet.
Accents were strong throughout the play, with the Deep Southern drawl carrying through songs, arguments and physical exertion. This brings me to Calia Reilly’s beautiful choreography, be it tap, western or even brawls. Coordinating a cast of this scale is no mean feat, especially in conjunction with live music and technical arrangements (plenty of microphones to go wrong!). I will limit myself to three song commendations: Ayla Jafri as the titular ‘The Witch’, Wardman-Browne in ‘Stranger’, and Hanna Ward in ‘I Don’t Need a Roof’, all of which blew the audience out of the water, so to speak. Where has this talent been hiding!
There were some minor microphone problems at first, becoming more intermittent throughout the night, with the beginnings of many lines lost to the music. Despite this, the cast prevailed, bringing the best out of the script, connecting the past, present and future through boughs of fast-paced comedy — look out for the tornado! — exceptionally well.
The audience were engaged by the Circus scene, with Eddie Williams playing Amos, the ringmaster. Here the show’s dynamic physical theatre was put to the test, from acrobatic visuals to objects being thrown across the stage. It was a feast for the eyes. There was always something new to see; a new gag, a new intrigue. Before you knew it, a fresh imaginative landscape appeared, suspending disbelief.
During the intermission, it was heartwarming to see the mass of supporters who had flocked to the opening night. I was fortunate to find myself sat by Director Koonce, who shared with me the challenges involved in a production of this size.
“We try to put as much fairytale in as you can, but inevitably you have to leave things for the imagination.” — which sounded like Bloom was causing problems not just for his son, but for the production too! — “but also the logistics of managing so many people. It is very rewarding!”
I cannot recommend Big Fish enough. It is a triumph unlike any student production I have seen, and I felt lucky to have been privy to such joy. It proved to be a captivating night of ‘love’, ‘imagination’ and ‘sincerity’, leaving its audience dewy-eyed and dreamy, never again to underestimate the power of nostalgia. Was it the charming narrative, vocal mastery, or immersive score that was so effective? It was all of this, as well as the lofty ambitions of cast and crew that drew everything together, creating a resounding success of a production.
See Big Fish at the Byre Theatre, Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th November, 7:30pm.
Photo by Mali Delargy
