The Whale

Rarely do I review a play where I am unable to make comment on an area for improvement or a characterisation that just didn’t quite hit the mark, but The Whale, presented by the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild is flawless. It is visceral, powerful, claustrophobic and uplifting all at the same time. Geoff Brittain is to be lauded for assembling a wonderfully talented cast of five who bring the play to life with empathy and deep understanding of character.

The play centres around Charlie (Sam Wiseman), a morbidly obese 600 pound man, who works online as a writing tutor, essentially trapped in his house and his own body. His only friend is his nurse Liz (Annie Matsouliadis), who regularly visits. He is deteriorating in front of us, with complications from his size and congestive heart failure and refuses to visit the hospital. We are witnessing the last week of his life- a tragedy of his own making, the reasons for which we understand more fully as the play unfolds.

Three other characters visit his home- Elder Thomas, a Mormon missionary (Liam James), his daughter Ellie (Tianna Cooper) and Mary, his ex-wife (Jessica Merrick)- each providing mirrors not only into their own trauma but shining a light into the true heart of this man. We could easily be revulsed by Charlie and the way he lives, but instead, feel despair and empathy for him. He is so full of grief and regret; but at the same time is an optimist – a binary conflict- a recurrent theme in all of the play’s characters.

We learn that many years earlier, Charlie left his wife Mary and daughter Ellie, aged two, for a Mormon man, Alan, a few years younger than he. Alan, left his Mormon church and so, lost his parents. Rejected by his religious father, he is lectured at the church about his life and behaviour and hears his father give a sermon on Jonah. Alan starves himself out of life, and we now understand why Charlie is feeding himself to death. Charlie spends much of the play trying to find out what was said at the church that day.

The entire play is about redemption. Each character is tortured in their own way, seeking to find forgiveness and grace. Ironically, it is the man whose radiating positivity despite being enveloped with self loathing and grief, that guides them to the light.

The story of Jonah and the whale is pivotal in this play. Charlie constantly refers to a poorly written essay about Moby Dick, holding it as a talisman- a beacon of hope. When we first meet Elder Thomas, a seemingly naïve Mormon missionary visiting the house, Charlie is in respiratory distress and demands Thomas read the essay to him. This calms Charlie- it is his mantra and guiding light. It is only near the end of the play that we understand why.

The story of Jonah refers to a biblical man who runs from God's command to preach. In fleeing God, he is swallowed by a whale. It is only when he prays and seeks redemption that he is freed. Similarly, Charlie's character is isolated and running from his past. He is trapped inside his own whale, his own self- imprisonment and self-destructive behaviour. He seeks redemption through reconnecting with his daughter Ellie.

Sam Wiseman is outstanding as Charlie- we feel every pain, every bulbous grunt, and are tortured by his shuffling load as he struggles to move. Wiseman has captured the inner light of Charlie- his joy is palpable as he calls his daughter ‘amazing’, his smile warm and loving, even when she calls him a ‘monster’. Originally, the company had intended on using facial prosthetics for Charlie, but I believe that having Sam’s natural face within the huge body illuminates the metaphor of what he really was inside all of that bulk- we see his true humanity. This performance by Wiseman is a first-class study in characterisation.

Ellie is played to perfection by Tianna Cooper. Every inch the petulant miserable teenager – her own self-loathing is evident. She fights against Charlie at every turn, despite him offering to pay her to be with him. She, likewise, is trapped in her own negative world, viewed only through the lens of her mobile phone. This young woman is a huge talent and is one to watch.