What I liked
Each actor’s performance is SO strong, all across the board. Each character is distinct with their own unique charm that deepens throughout the play, and the performances never feel trope-y or two-dimensional.
The stage direction is also polished to a sparkling finish; between the scene changes, the lighting/sound cues, the play-within-a-play scenes (plus the audience interaction moments? Stellar!), managing this kind of controlled chaos is tough to pull off, and the cast/crew accomplish it seamlessly.
Lastly, there were a few fun props added to the outskirts of the staging that helped make the world feel fully lived-in, in addition to the bevvy of other fun props used throughout the play (the cat food dish when the cat was only mentioned a few times was a notable standout for me).
What I didn't like
The only improvement I can recommend is purely a staging one: find a way to secure the bottom of the divider wall for the flashback scenes/puppetry scenes. Maybe it means adding some tiny triangular braces to the front and back to reduce any wobble, so the actors don’t have to struggle to hold up a wall while simultaneously staying fully invested in the current scene.
My overall impression
This show is a WILD ride! It’s easy to tell, from an audience perspective, that a tremendous amount of love, care, and attention to detail went into making this production the very best it could be; everyone was so present and clearly having fun that the audience couldn’t help but get swept up in the tide of their excitement.
The Fisherman’s Wife is not to be missed!
