SOME ‘BIG FISH’
Actors tug our heartstrings in Sewickley Academy musical
The Kelly Critics is a joint program of the Post-Gazette and Pittsburgh CLO’s Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musicals in which students at Kelly schools review musicals at other Kelly schools. Reviews are edited by Post-Gazette senior theater critic Christopher Rawson.
Sewickley Academy was certainly ambitious in choosing to put on “Big Fish: High School Edition,” a larger than life musical with giants, mermaids, werewolves, witches and even, perhaps most surprisingly, small fish.
But as much as “Big Fish” is a musical about slaying dragons, confronting witches and kissing mermaids, it is, at its core, a story about the relationship between a father and his son. Edward Bloom (Ibrahim Khan) is a dying traveling salesman who spent his life telling his son unbelievable, almost mythical stories about his life. His son, William Bloom (Max Peluso), is trying to reconcile the myth with the man and understand who his father really is before he is gone
This dynamic musical seems to beg for an equally dynamic set. However, Sewickley Academy opted for a more understated, minimalist set composed mainly of two walls, a bed and a few chairs. Rather than drowning the core of this musical, the complex father-son relationship between Will and Edward, in flashing lights, heaps of glitter and an elaborate set, this approach allowed the message of the story to shine on its own. Additionally, the stage came right up to the edge of the audience, bringing onlookers right to eye level with the actors and into the show.
The larger than life aspects were done artfully with lighting and special and practical effects. When Edward told Young Will (Chase D’Antonio) of his adventures with witches and giants, their shadows were cast on the wall, adding to the mystery and majesty of Edward’s tall tales. Later in the play, Edward actually confronts the giant (Logan Carlson), who was kept in shadow, making the secretly friendly giant seem intimidating.
One moment that stood out to me was in the song “Daffodils,” when Edward and Sandra (Avani Venkat) were quite literally showered in flowers. It is one of the most romantic moments, when Edward finally finds his true love after years of searching, and it felt exactly like a starstruck and sappy moment from a rom com. Each daffodil was crafted by hand from paper.
As much as the effects, set and theater itself contributed to both the larger than life and intimate moments of the musical, the actors made the show.
The ensemble was small, but filled the
stage. They were mythical creatures, circus performers, townspeople and many other roles and fully embodied each one. Their range was impressive, and even included well-executed tap dancing.
Edward Bloom was, at some points, an old and dying man and, at others, a high school boy. He often swapped between these roles from moment to moment, barely stepping offstage in between. Ibrahim Khan filled all of these roles perfectly, from the young, lovestruck boy to the embarrassing father and the dying old man. He didn’t even have the aid of a gray wig.
Max Peluso was the perfect stiff son amid so many colorful personalities. As one of the only characters in touch with “real life,” Will’s personality was significantly more understated. Though it would have been easy to overact, Max perfectly filled this role with sharp, almost robotic gestures and snappy words.
In addition to being excellent actors, both Max and Ibrahim are extremely talented singers. They shone individually in songs such as “Be the Hero” and “Stranger,” but they were captivating together. In their duet “River Between Us,” Edward and Will each struggle individually with their quickly deteriorating relationship. “Big Fish” is certainly an emotional roller coaster, and this song is one of the peaks. The emotion was palpable in Max and Ibrahim’s performance, and the way they played off of each other’s energy was entirely absorbing.
I went to see the show with my dad, and neither of us knew exactly what we were getting into. I only know my dad walked in hoping it wouldn’t be a fantasy show, sorry dad. However, in addition to being a fantasy show, Sewickley Academy’s performance of “Big Fish” was a heartfelt and true exploration of family that made me think about my own father-child relationship.
“Big Fish: School Edition” ran March 2-4.