*** Curious Theatre Branch is presenting “The Ship and the Sea,” a musical written and directed by Chris Bower. The play is inspired by the sinking of the royal warship Vasa, which was the most powerful and beautiful warship of its time. The Vasa sank on its maiden voyage on August 10th, 1628, just 1300 feet out of the docks after it had been under construction for 2 years. “The Ship and the Sea” is an imaginative and whimsical take on the historical event, offering a blend of theatrical creativity and dark humor rather than a factual retelling. It’s important to note that the play leans heavily on fictional elements, with only a few historical details rooted in truth, such as the ship’s name and the circumstances of its sinking. If you’re looking to learn a bit of history, you may be disappointed, as the musical is 97% fiction. The only true aspects are the name of the ship, the king who commissioned it, the date it sank, and the mysterious reason behind its sinking.
Lola Zimmerman plays the role of the ship, suspended on stage and singing the famous song “I am a Ship”. Vicki Walden portrays the sea and is the only character able to communicate with the ship. The two fictional characters Ny, played by Andrew Schoen, and Gamel, played by Kristy Lockhart, are the captain and first mate of the vessel. Both do an excellent job as the stern and intelligent captain and the First Mate, who doesn’t understand why he was picked for this job or why the king switches the role the night before they sail. Charlotte Lastra does show design and stage management, and they have a simple yet versatile set that suits the show well.
The original music is composed by Paul Brennan and performed by him and Lena Brun, who also serve as narrators in the story.
The play runs for 80 minutes with no intermission.
“The Ship and the Sea” is based on the history of one of Sweden’s largest tourist attractions. The musical runs until September 29th, with performances :
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm,
Sundays at 5 pm.
To order tickets, visit www.curioustheatrebranch.com
The Facility Theatre is located at 1138 N. California Ave in Chicago. Tickets are priced at $20, or you can pay what you can afford. There is plenty of street parking available, and after the show, you’re just 5 minutes away from Margie’s Candies, the oldest ice cream and candy shop in Chicago. You might want to stop by afterward for their famous Hot Fudge Sundae.
To see what others might be saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “The Ship and The Sea”.
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