Men On Boats
Reviewed by Dana Martin
Son of Semele Ensemble
Through July 28
Playwright Jacklyn Backhaus is navigating uncharted territory with her adventurous play Men On Boats, which tells the dramatic (mostly true) story of the first government sanctioned exploration of the Grand Canyon in 1869. Son of Semele’s current production is youthful and heartfelt, though the production design is uneven.
Fiery, one-armed Civil War vet Major John Wesley Powell (Melissa Coleman-Reed) is as fearless as he is optimistic. After the war, he’s commissioned by the United States Government to explore and map some of the nation’s last uncharted territory: the Green River, the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Powell assembles a ragtag crew of convicts, misfits and wanderers — a total of 10 men — and together they embark on a dangerous and uncertain adventure. They navigate rapids, chart terrain and regularly risk their lives — both for the sake of discovery and for one other — at the river’s every turn. The explorers are tough-as-nails, fearless and good-hearted. They hope to be remembered, they hope to make history, they hope to survive.
Backhaus pulls the story largely from real-life John Wesley Powell’s published journal of his moderately successful 1869 expedition. Powell has a flare for storytelling, and he describes the stunning landscape, the river, and his beloved crew with precise and juicy detail.
While the script is often silly, sometimes bordering on cartoonish, it does manage to poke fun at the audacity of the white man and the brash ignorance of white people in general. The show features women and non-binary individuals playing the men on the boats, which creates a social commentary that’s timely and immediately compelling. It’s exciting to see a diverse group of women and non-binary people play cisgender white men, without commentary or apology. The casting is the commentary.
The ensemble’s performances range from adequate to excellent. They manage subtly intricate choreography in a tight playing space admirably. Melissa Coleman-Reed strikes the right balance of cock-eyed optimism and fierce, compassionate leadership as Major John Wesley Powell. Taylor Hawthorne’s English gentleman and fish-out-of-water Frank Goodman is great fun. Cindy Lin’s enthusiastic young Bradley is full of wonder and excitement. Thea Rodgers is wonderfully brazen and brutish as mapmaker/old soul Andrew Hall.
Carlo Maghirang’s unusual set uses scaffolding, ladders, plastic tarps and wooden pallets. His design also features a large mural ill-fitted for the playing area. It’s an interesting concept that only partially works. When the set is in motion during the river scenes, it’s imaginative and well executed. But too often it appears as if the stage is being prepped to be painted. Overall, the concept falls flat. And while director Barbara Kallir mines endless creative ways to use this apparatus, the large, clunky pieces ultimately hinder the play’s momentum. Still, Kallir keeps the action well-organized. David B. Marling’s sound features the ever-present euphony of the river and does much to fill in the world of the play.
Men On Boats uniquely captures the thrill of adventure and the prospect of discovery, with the hope of being remembered. But the play’s larger theme speaks to inclusivity: Representation matters. It’s almost as if we’re on the threshold of something completely new and undiscovered, while keenly aware that many have been here before.
Son of Semele Theater, 3301 Beverly Blvd., Rampart Village; Tues., 8 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 p.m.; through Jul. 28. (213) 351-3507 or sonofsemele.org. Running time: 105 minutes with no intermission.
