It’s one of Hollywood’s greatest ironies: the less we saw of Jaws’ mechanical shark, the scarier it became. But, behind the scenes, the real horror story was three men stuck on a boat, waiting for the thing to work. The Shark Is Broken turns this legendary production nightmare into a tightly wound comedy of frustration, as Robert Shaw (played by his real-life son, Ian Shaw) clashes with Richard Dreyfuss, while Roy Scheider tries to keep the peace. There’s booze, bickering, and a very unreliable fish – but does the play manage to stay afloat?

Let us think of this production as the dorsal fin of plays. Opening with the iconic two-note motif which was penned to “grind away at you, just as a shark would do”, straightaway Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon have fans of the 1975 film in the palm of their hands. Duncan Henderson’s set with Nina Dunn’s video design work in harmony to recreate the set at Martha’s Vineyard. A canny cross-section of a boat- which occasionally rocks- is utilised well throughout before the time-elapsing sky and ocean.

Back to the dorsal fin element. The play has a purpose; it’s a voyeuristic delve into the monotony of the filming of the original summer blockbuster, but it just about surfaces, leaving us wondering what else is to come? This could well be intentional to build the tension the movie exudes but, when it comes to naught after 90 minutes, I’m left wondering, why? Yes, there is character development throughout which is a joy to watch by the three strong cast, especially given the book is based on (Robert) Shaw’s diaries from the time. There are also one-liners a-plenty that have the audience laughing- some hysterically come and go- though a few too many rely on profanities or playing on the audiences awareness of the future against the character’s 1975 perspective.

As dry as the plot is, the cast make the most of their time together and it is a joy to watch their growth and relationships evolve. Ashley Margolis, as Richard, milks every line to his advantage and oozes charisma throughout, whilst Dan Fredenburgh thrives as peacemaker, Roy. It should come as no surprise that Ian Shaw’s portrayal of his father, Robert, has the most depth and is both redolent and, at times, haunting- particularly during ironic conversations around his father’s untimely demise.

Adam Cork’s sound design and original music is both nostalgic and fresh and leaves the audience wanting more, facilitating the dialogue’s narrative drive.

It is worth mentioning that, having not seen the movie, could I have missed easter eggs meant for the fanbase? Potentially. But, as a standalone play fifty years later, the audience need a little more escapism than what is essentially a behind-the-scenes mockumentary. Although humorous and, at times, melancholy: if these scenes were the highlights of two months at sea, I take my hat off to the cast for not jumping overboard.

The Shark Is Broken plays at Lowry until Saturday 8th February. Further information and booking details can be found here.

Tickets gifted in exchange for an honest review.

Photography by Manuel Harlan.