The Ferryman
Carlsbad’s New Village Arts has spent considerable time renovating its theater into what it calls a “culture hub,” expanding its overall space and creating a people-friendly lobby, drink service, a small performance space and more accessible restrooms. The place is now called the Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center.
The theater’s talented artistic director, Kristianne Kurner, begins her 21st season with Jez Butterworth’s monumental “The Ferryman,” an ultra-ambitious 2019 Tony winner, which will run through March 5. This is the first U.S. production of the show to open since its Broadway run.
The main topic is Ireland in 1981, during The Troubles, and the violence and problems caused by the earlier split of Northern Ireland from the rest of the country and succeeding religious troubles between Catholics and Protestants and other political groups that rose up.
Butterworth tells the story through the eyes of one large family. The script requires a cast of 26 excellent actors, from a baby to two elderly matrons. It’s almost inconceivable that it could be done at all, let alone done as brilliantly as NVA does it.
The show is wonderfully staged and even better acted. It’s harvest time on the farm when word comes to Quinn Carney (Thomas Edward Daugherty) and Caitlin Carney (Jo Yvonne Jones) that her husband has disappeared. Shall they tell, and spoil the party, or keep it to themselves?
Eventually the word will get out, and then the problems really begin. Other members of the family include two elderly women: Aunt Pat (Grace Delaney) ad Aunt Maggie (Dagmar Fields), both confined to wheelchairs. Uncle Pat (Antonio “T.J.” Johnson) plays a sort of uncle to everyone, and is wonderful to watch. Of course, there always has to be a bad guy; this one is called simply Muldoon and you really will learn to dislike him.
The scenic design by Doug Cumming, costumes by Jojo Siu, lighting by Annelise Salazar are top-notch.
Things get rougher for the family, but the story is well acted by all and beautifully presented, thanks to dialect coaches Jude McSpadden, Grace Delaney and Vanessa Dinning.
The topic is a difficult one, but lightened a bit by the presence of a live goose and a live rabbit. The title comes from the mythical ferryman who is supposed to usher some of the dead across the River Styx.
Be aware that the show is in three acts, with two intermissions. I found it a difficult play to watch, but it is wonderfully presented.
The details
“The Ferryman” plays through March 5, 2023 at the Conrad Prebys Theatre at the Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center (formerly New Village Arts),
Shows Wednesday at 2 p.m.; Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m; Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m.
Tickets: newvillagearts.org/the-ferryman
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