TROPHY FISH AND TROPHY WOMEN ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT CATCHES TO MAKE IN "THE RIVER" AT THE ROGUE THEATRE

By Chuck Graham, TucsonStage.com

 

photo by Tim Fuller

The Man (Ryan Parker Knox) and The Woman (Sophie Gibson-Rush) intently discuss how  important it is to land their own dreams in "The River."

English playwright Jez Butterworth finds philosophical meaning in the locked-on longing of fishermen who can't stop dreaming about the one that got away. This is the hauntingly bittersweet reminiscence that fills “The River” playing at The Rogue Theatre.

Brilliantly directed by Christopher Johnson, a cast of four captures the essential tension that sustains the essence that must be maintained between rationalizing one's past and keeping hopes alive to nourish the future.

It is how a man remembers past events that shape how he responds to future events.

The Man, as he is identified in the program, is played by Ryan Parker Knox. Cast opposite him are The Woman (Sophie Gibson-Rush), The Other Woman (Bryn Booth) and Another Woman (Chelsea Jean Smith).

“The River” is not one of those Point A leads to Point B leads to Point C kinds of theatrical production. “The River” is more of an abstract experience running 85 minutes without intermission, with lots of room for fanciful possibilities.

Butterworth's gift for writing tense dialogue quickly establishes The Man as kind of a control freak obsessed with catching trophy fish.

There is a rustic cabin near his favorite fishing spot where the man brings his women, one at a time, hoping they will latch on to his dream of going for the big one.

As every man knows, once you have The Woman, next will come the Other Woman. 

That dream of making a bigger catch is what keeps the fisherman casting one more time, always believing his next cast will hook the trophy winner.

Each of The Man's conversations begins with conflict that becomes more conflicted with each emotional reveal.

At the performance I attended, a packed house was compelled to follow in concentrated silence – no coughs, no shuffling feet, no shifting chairs or crumpled programs.

This complete silence from beginning to end was the most continuous quiet I have ever known in any theater, so evenly balanced is The Man's determination to convince these uncommitted women.

Knox is white-knuckled convincing in his dedication to this role. Maybe The Man did let a record-setter get away once before, but now he is sure to snag an even larger one on the next try. Or with the next fishing trip companion.

Gibson-Rush finds her hope in watching picturesque sunsets, each one promising brighter times tomorrow.

Booth has a more complicated role, making bigger promises, understanding how a dedicated fisherman will believe in the greater power of a more elaborate lure.

"The River" runs through March 15 in The Rogue Theatre at the Historic Y, 300 E. University Blvd., running 85 minutes with no intermission. For details and reservations, visit www.theroguetheatre.org