If you read about Plenty of Fish in the Sea and expect a metaphorical story about dating apps, you might spend the first few minutes (or perhaps the entire show) wondering, “Is this really what I think it is?” As it turns out, the title is meant to be taken quite literally—at least, most of the time. The play is an adventurous tale about a man who is fished out of the sea and introduced to a foreign, fascinating culture of fishing by a cook and – wait a minute – a holy nun. This is about fishing/dating as a sacred mission. Yes, they have a cross and religious readings.
The show’s opening perfectly balances the outsider’s confusion as a comic effect and efficient introduction to the story’s background. The women who capture our hero speak in a foreign language and possess a certain authority in the marine world—a realm of desire, temptation, and satisfaction. Here, one must carefully master the art of securing a catch, with the delicate push-and-pull technique. The training for the protégé is choreographed like a rhythmic dance, as the foreigner evolves from awkwardly handling a fishing rod to confidently measuring his catch like a seasoned fisher.
It is difficult to keep the topic “dating” in mind when you see the actors actually gutting fish on stage, with glistening, red entrails in their hands. The fishing details are too specific to be purely symbolic, and that’s what makes the show extraordinary. It teases your imagination, luring you to interpret the seemingly realistic scenes in unexpected ways. This uncertainty mirrors the experience of decoding confusing signals of your date.
As the layman becomes a master, the group accumulates so many fish that the activity itself becomes enslaving. They can’t stop fishing, not because they need more, but because the act of fishing has become an obsession. Under the eerie red light, the holy nun declares that passion and abundance are in perpetual motion—you can’t stop fishing, for there is always Plenty of Fish in the Sea .
The never-ending cycle of fishing is fully revealed after the show’s climax, both literally and metaphorically. Can the poor foreigner survive this dangerous, all-consuming adventure? See for yourself! Plenty of Fish in the Sea is a playful yet deadly serious masterpiece that will keep you hooked from start to finish.
