In its latest production, the Yale Children's Theater does for young audiences what Disney has done in its most recent animations: given the kids a healthy dose of music, laughter, and morality. Slippery Silver Fish, a new play written and directed by Kelly Nuxoll, MC '97, teaches while it excites and entertains.
The original story shows the daily struggles of the kingdoms of the sky and sea, working hard to maintain their busy schedules of sunrise and sunset, ebbing and flowing, respectively. Each kingdom has a ruler. The sky belongs to Queen Lucy, a role filled at the last minute with commanding grace by Mary Sheridan, BR '98, and the sea belongs to King Aquarius, rambunctiously acted by Vladimir Cole, SM '99. Two sets of prime movers assist the royal duo. The North and South Winds help Queen Lucy, while the Hot and Cold Currents serve King Aquarius. Each assistant has a unique personality. The North Wind, a very funny Alpesh Patel, SY '98, is a fashion designer and creates a striking tiara for the queen, while Gabriella Serruya, DC '98, is an Argentine-tango-dancing Hot Current.
Meanwhile, Mother Earth, played as a Jewish bubbe by Rob Geary, MC '98, frets over the sky and sea. She thinks they should get out more, and so suggests that the two sovereigns do dinner. As can be expected, their two tempers collide, resulting in a heated argument over the color of the mountains. A wise waiter, also played by Geary, steps in to propose that the argument be resolved by the finding of a silver fish. The silver fish represents the truth; whoever finds it will win the argument. Before the Queen and King set out to find the elusive fish, the wise waiter warns them, "Whoever holds the fish holds the truth, but once you think you have it, you don't." What ensues is the strongest and most fun part of the play, in which the two sets of royal helpers team up to find the fish. The quest provides a rousing opportunity for audience participation, and a well-timed revival from the lagging middle section of the play.
With the search concluded, the Queen and King bring what they think are the fishes back to the wise waiter. When they try to present the fishes to the waiter, however, the fishes disappear. The waiter teaches them that the truth is hard to hold, and different for each person who holds it. What is black for Aquarius is white for Lucy. And so peace is established, and the two hot-headed rulers rest.
The setting for Slippery Silver Fish works nicely. The kingdom of the heavens sits atop a scaffolding, of which the middle is the horizon line, while the bottom is an undulating sparkle of ocean (here, a painted drape). The sea kingdom holds court on the ground below, and Mother Earth paces between earth and sky with a cellular phone. Also, a Greek chorus of musicians sits abreast the natural scene playing tunes.
The Greek chorus is a slightly confused addition to the play. Though the Van Morrison tunes and light keyboard melodies offer pleasant background music, why these musicians are considered a Greek chorus never becomes clear. The addition of a saxophone player seems cumbrous rather than necessary; yet overall, the music is a welcome complement to the play.
Parents should be excited to bring their children to this play. Short, bright, and uplifting, their kids will be kept entertained, busy, and will even learn something. Queen Lucy often speaks French, and the Cold Current quotes lines from Shakespeare.
Though the linguistic and poetic references are clearly meant to open and expand children's minds, other references seem inappropriate for an audience of small children. For instance, the astrological musings of the South Wind and mass cultural borrowings of King Aquarius will probably be lost on the young audience. However, in general, the more grown-up humor, like that in Disney's recent movies, makes the film greatly appealing to older audiences, and adds a cultural feel to the show. Also adding culture to the show is the fact that each character is depicted as some kind of artist, from a painter to a poet.
This production provides plenty of dazzling, creative costumes, and exuberant acting. The energy level is kept continually high, and makes up for weak points in the story line.
Though I'm still not sure why the truth is like a silver fish, the moral of the play is pleasing, and the conclusion delightful. Kids will love the play's feverish action, while parents will love the play's cool conclusion, in which each character goes to sleep quietly under the stars.
Copyright 1996, The Yale Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.
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