John Hewer sails his one man show Maybe Dick into London, docking at the White Bear Theatre for five nights of playful parody. Moby Dick is of course the source material here with Hewer guiding us through his somewhat liberal interpretation of the American classic. The story centres on Captain Ahab’s pursuit of a giant white sperm whale. Seeking vengeance on the creature that bit off part of his leg on a previous voyage, Ahab will stop at nothing to catch it.
Hewer does a remarkable job at sustaining high energy levels, commanding the stage space and effortlessly morphing into a great many characters, all of whom are suitably heightened to excavate as much comedy as possible. Starbuck (the novel’s character was the inspiration for the name of a certain coffee chain) is forever bringing the captain hot beverages, for instance. A mad minister has the room guffawing. Then there’s Stubb, Flask and the eccentric Elijah alongside our narrator Ishmael and a whole host of other oddities. The slightest change in stance or facial expression indicates when Hewer is portraying someone new, and we revel in the array of personalities he vividly conjures.
Director Bruce Knight balances the ability to reel Hewer in and provide some sense of cohesion while also permitting the performer the freedom to take his time and make the most of the material. Interacting with the audience and feeding off their energy allows the show to at times feel more like stand-up than a play. This only injects further fun into proceedings. There is always the sense that Hewer could spontaneously improvise before us, and it is truly joyful to see this engaging performer having such a great time on stage. That said, this is an uneven voyage. Not all the jokes land and on occasion we drift too far from our moorings. While a tighter script would allow for a more concrete structure, one could argue the endearing elements are in the play’s casual, off-the-cuff knockabout air.
Maybe Dick has stellar support behind the scenes. Ian Hewer and Tom Crawshaw offer an impressive set consisting of part of a ship with sail, mast and crow’s nest. The clever design is well utilised throughout and houses some ingeniously used and carefully considered props, such as Captain Ahab’s crutch – part of which turns into a telescope. Emily Clark, Kirsty Sharman and Alan Trevor have all done a brilliant job here. Life and Limb Puppets also deserve special mention for Steven Seagull – a memorable addition to the show with puppetry direction courtesy of Jane Crawshaw. Christopher Peters adds further layers with music and sound design. It’s evident a great deal of love and enthusiasm has been invested into the production.
While it might simply be down to Hewer requiring a well-deserved break from performance, the interval impedes momentum and feels rather redundant as a result. It would be fair to say the second act lacks the vivacity of the first. This could be down to the ten-minute respite, or it might be because the format and even the jokes coast towards becoming repetitive. Hewer’s energy and commitment to the show is, however, infectious. The actor continuously pulls us back into the world of the play and for most of the evening smiles and spontaneous clapping are firm fixtures.
With all that is going on in the world some simple escapism is exactly what is needed. For those willing to climb aboard and allow themselves to embrace some slapstick alongside plentiful puns, copious ‘dad jokes’, comical misunderstandings, a sea of innuendos in the vein of the Carry On films and sheer silliness, Maybe Dick is one for you. In keeping with the humour of the show, you are guaranteed a whale of a time.
Maybe Dick is at the White Bear Theatre until 23rd March
