The reviews are in for ‘Nice Fish’ at the Guthrie
Guthrie Theater presents the world premiere of a play about ice fishing built around the poetry of Duluthian Louis Jenkins.
The brainchild of Jenkins and two time Tony Award winner Mark Rylance, "Nice Fish" draws on wry Minnesota humor as well as Norse mythology.
Critics find the poetic stage piece both strong and inventive, but more than one complained it went on too long.
[image]
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
Jim Lichtscheidl as Erik and Mark Rylance as Ron in "Nice Fish," on stage at the Guthrie Theater through May 18. Photo by Richard Termine
From Sophie Kerman at AisleSayTwinCities.com:
Nice Fish is nothing less than the Waiting for Godot of ice fishing, punctuating life's long (and sometimes apparently senseless) wait with moments of reflection, physical comedy, absurdity, profound sadness, and startling delight.
From Graydon Royce at the Star Tribune:
We feel part of something that is being created, in fits and starts, out of chaos. The play's wildness courts disaster at the same time it amazes with its bravery. How infrequently we get to see such raw, present and alive work at the Guthrie.
"Nice Fish" howls like a snowstorm -- in April. We can either shut ourselves away from it, or run outside for one last winter romp.
[image]
Mark Rylance as Ron and Jim Lichtscheidl as Erik in the Guthrie Theater's production of Nice Fish. Photo by Richard Termine
From Dominic P. Papatola at the Pioneer Press:
Written by English actor-director Mark Rylance and Duluth prose-poet Louis Jenkins, "Nice Fish" has ample whimsy and magic but calls to mind a charming dinner guest who lingers one glass of wine longer than you'd like...Ultimately, there's not enough narrative or character exploration to make "Nice Fish" a wholly satisfying experience, and -- despite a fanciful final tableau -- the show doesn't justify its two-and-a-half-hour running time.
From Ellen Burkhardt at Minnesota Monthly:
If using poems to form the structure of a play seems wonky, it's because it is. "My first thought was, 'This isn't going to work,'" says Jenkins in his contributor's note in the show's program. But for whatever reason--a.k.a. Rylance's vast acting experience and talent, Jenkins's relatable yet insightful prose, and a superb cast--it does. Just as lyrics taken out of the context of their song may read as awkward and incomplete, so too would much of the poetry used as speeches in Nice Fish. Yet delivered as a whole and given life through the cadence, nuance, and passion of the actors presenting them, each piece works together to evoke an unforgettable and altogether unique theater experience.
[image]
Jim Lichtscheidl as Erik and Mark Rylance as Ron in "Nice Fish," on stage at the Guthrie Theater through May 18. Photo by Richard Termine
From Janet Preus at HowWasTheShow.com:
...After a long, cold winter, the Guthrie's landed a nice, big hit. A collaboration between writer, director and actor Mark Rylance and Duluth poet Louis Jenkins, Nice Fish delighted its opening night audience, but this regionally-flavored little jewel is likely to have a long life beyond Minnesota's borders. Fanciful, imaginative and thoughtful, it's also just plain entertaining.
"Nice Fish" runs through May 18 at the Guthrie Theater. Have you seen the show? If so, what's your review?