Sea Horse: strong drama at Prospect
About the article
This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from February 1994.
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For those who believe that CDS has been neglecting strong drama recently, this is good time to return to the Prospect Theatre. "The Sea Horse" deals with communication between individuals.
It concerns a seaman, Harry Bales (Tony Rowlands), and the owner of a dockside bar, Gertrude Blum (Penny Phillips) and takes place during off-hours in her bar "The Sea Horse", a dreary, uninviting establishment.
Harry is something of an innocent simpleton. Life many not have treated him kindly but he has bumbled through and survived. He is a dreamer - perhaps with a streak of poetry in his soul - but not a planner, thus most of his dreams have come to naught.
Gertrude is very different. She is brighter than Harry and practical. However, life has treated her cruelly and has badly scarred her emotionally. She has reached a compromise with the vicissitudes of life, a stand-off. Her world is fixed. She seeks no change, especially no further emotional involvement. Prior to the action of the play, the two have had a physical relationship during Harry's shore-leaves. On his last voyage he has realised he loves Gertrude and has decided on marriage.
As the play unfolds Harry, in his own way, tries to communicate his feelings to Gertrude. She tries to parry him, unwilling to comprehend him and frightened of responding.
The first act belongs to Harry as he makes a fumbling play for Gertrude's hand. The second belong to Gertrude as she replies to Harry's advances. In the first we learn about Harry; in the second about Gertrude.
In the end we are left hanging. Will she? Won't she? Certainly they have a far better understanding of what makes each other tick, but is it enough to make a marriage?
The cast and production lists show a phalanx of CDS stalwarts, and it shows through in the production. This is a pretty strenuous play for two actors. It demands stamina to be central to the action without relief for two 45-minute acts.
Both Penny Phillips and Tony Rowlands proved to be up to the job, the play moving forward without flagging.
Both actors gave excellent account of themselves. Penny could have been a little more brazen at the beginning to contrast more with the vulnerable character exposed in the second act. Tony sustained his character well throughout.
The set of the interior of the bar is splendidly realistic, and very much the combined work of Director Bill Bazelmans and Stage Manager Peter Phillips, ably supported by the rest of the crew.
As the curtains open on the first act there is a rain storm going on. The total effect on stage with sound and lights is credibly realistic. The play began is run yesterday, 3 February, and runs each Thursday, Friday and Saturday until 23 February with the usual dinner theatre on Fridays.
The play is worth catching. CDS has not done something this good for some time.
