Shark in a Boat
Pitt St Theatre, CBD, Auckland
27/02/2025 - 08/03/2025
11/03/2025 - 14/03/2025
Production Details
Writer director Geoff Allen
Galatea Theatre
From the minute the boats leaves, to the final “edge of the seat” conclusion, SHARK IN A BOAT delivers adrenalin, delivers tension, delivers the idea that humans are, by far, the most dangerous creature to ever exist.
Inspired by Quentin Tarantino calling JAWS the greatest movie ever made. Impatient for rights to a West End play by Robert Shaw’s son, Geoff Allen wrote New Zealand’s own horror on the water. JAWS gave us the phrase, “Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.”
Shark in a Boat makes a new one, “It’s not safe on the water either.”
A decorated firefighter, (Joseph Wycoff). A nerdy 21 year old, (Max Easey), and a tough fishing captain, (Suzy Sampson) all have reasons why they need to be at sea, on that particular day.
Land has too many consequences for them all. But the sea will soon make them wish they’d never left home. Running away to sea, on a boat named ESCAPE, turns out to be a really bad idea.
Soon there will be no escape for any of them.
They might be hunting big marlin, but something is hunting them, and at sea – humans are prey too.
Geoff Allen returns to writing for the stage, after a three year break. An Adam Playwriting finalist: His plays include: Speed-daters, Mrs Van Gogh, Sister Anzac, God of Nations, Vincent & Theo, The Secret Life of a Bellydancer, The Madonna’s Mule, A Real Goodbye, Faithful, and Shark in a Boat.
“Allen’s direction was innovative.” Stamp Magazine
“A talent for dialogue.” Briar Grace Smith
“His play was a joy to read.” Jean Betts
With lighting design by Darcy Gray.
The talents of Chicago actor Joseph Wycoff. This Giant Paper Mache Boulder is Really Heavy,
Ash vs Evil Dead, Power Rangers and The Brokenwood Mysteries.
Suzy Sampson, known for her touring show, Shakespeare’s Will, about Anne Hathaway, Sexy Buddha, and Pericles AUSS 2014.
Max Easey, The Welkin at The Pumphouse, and Count Orsino in Allen’s production of 12th Night
and Meg Sara Andrews, half of the innovative new theatre group – Chocolate and Carnage.
Star of Educating Rita 2023.
A new experimental City to Shore kaupapa. The beginnings of a new touring path.
From one side of the bridge to the other.
And only live ones get across!
SHARK IN A BOAT by Geoff Allen February 27th – March 14th 2025
PITT ST THEATRE & THE ROSE CENTRE
Pitt St Theatre 7:30pm shows Feb 27 – 29th, March 6 – 8th
Saturday March 1st 2pm / The Rose Centre March 11 – 14th
Book iticket
Adult $29 Concession $25
Cast
Joseph Wycoff
Suzy Sampson
Max Easey
Meg Sara Andrews
Publicist Bijoux Norte
Lighting Darcy Gray
Fights Joseph Wycoff
Design Marko Nella
Theatre ,
1hr aprox
A hugely pleasing play, witty script, gifted actors & tight, intelligent direction
Review by David Charteris 01st Mar 2025
Certainly deserves full houses.
Writer/Director Geoff Allen has come up with a cracker of a play that should be enjoyed by full houses.
As we enter, I am intrigued by the simple maritime set and as the play progresses, I appreciate how it moves and gives us different perspectives on the action.
A charter boat captain (Suzy Sampson) and her two clients (Joseph Wycoff and Max Easey) are off for a three day fishing trip to the Three Kings Islands and this is the premise of a thriller on the water.
And what a fun thriller it is for us safely in our seats on terra firma, but not so much for the three intrepid sailors.
Suzy Sampson is brilliant as a totally in control skipper who uses tall stories about the sea, to scare and educate and to help explain the addiction of fishing.
Joseph Wycoff as Da Silva and Max Easey as Marv adroitly build their characters, from bland Fire Fighter of the Year and an unfocused Millennial to much more interesting and complex people than first introduced.
The three actors work extremely well together and their perfectly timed physical movement when an orca whale hits the boat is masterful. The sound of that happening is terrific and we can feel it in the audience.
As the boat named ‘Escape’ starts to fall apart with one small engine problem accelerating to many larger problems, our expectations of a logical script also start to fall apart but that is what makes it very interesting.
Clever writing peppers the script with relatable humour and the mishaps layered onto more mishaps is hugely entertaining and stops just short of parody as the tension builds.
Drifting directionless with no radio and at night with container ships bearing down on the hapless trio, is this the end we ask ourselves?
Not by a long shot!
We still have 15 minutes of the 75-minute show to go.
Enter Chantelle. In a dingy. With a pistol.
I will be spoiling the climax if I explain what happens next so all I will say is that Meg Sara Andrews as Chantelle, with great commitment and vocal interest, pulls all the story lines together and a climax happens. Sort off.
This is a hugely pleasing play. Witty, interesting script and four gifted actors. Tight, intelligent direction.
Certainly deserves full houses.
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