This ambitious new production uses Melville’s 19th-century monster as a metaphor for the modern plague of opioid addiction, exploring the ruinous effects of the epidemic on the commercial fishing industry. More…
"Chasing the New White Whale" follows the plight of legendary New England fishing Captain Robby Foerster and his boat The Northern Star as he falls deeply into addiction after a fateful first encounter with heroin. Drawing inspiration from "Moby Dick," the play connects Robby's addiction with Ahab’s obsessive pursuit of the Great White Whale, and re-imagines Captain Ahab's final thrilling chase in Moby Dick.
See it if Story between moby dick and addiction was muddled. If you want a new concept play.
Don't see it if Where the music drowns out the actors.you want a show that ties out properly.
See it if you want to see a dramatic evocation of the current opioid crisis.
Don't see it if you want to see a play, not a visually inventive pageant of vaguely related abstractions.
Also Over the course of "Chasing the New White Whale," cast members wheel i... Read more Read less
See it if you like experimental theater done in a huge space that is well-used by a talented cast with great music.
Don't see it if you want a solid story - it doesn't come together in the end and the hard folding chairs are not kind. Program is digital only.
See it if You are really interested in Moby Dick. Or opioid addiction. You are better at making sense of confusing shows than I am.
Don't see it if You like shows to be coherent. It was dramatic. There were interesting enough characters. I have no idea what was happening.
See it if .. you're interested in seeing an ambitious attempt to whaling with and opioid crisis... which falls short of coherence.
Don't see it if you don't like experimental theater
See it if you like being preached to; you support indie experiments; "Moby Dick" by Melville is a favorite book; the fishermen's problems interest you
Don't see it if you like linear narratives; you'd like to understand how addicts get addicted; you prefer a cohesive plot with actions & consequences
See it if You want to see a show with not much of a story but that tries to find parallels between Moby Dick and opioid addiction
Don't see it if You like your shows with a clear story and message. This one is sadly quite confusing
See it if You are interested in an analagous play about addiction and Captain Ahab's chase of Moby Dick. You need to make the connection.
Don't see it if You can't think outside the box.
See it if you like to see a production with great staging and a profound topic that is not what you would usually expect.
Don't see it if You're not looking for something different and deep or you're looking for something frivolous.
See it if you're a member of the niche community of commercial fishermen affected by drug use.
Don't see it if you like stories that tell more than one side and have female characters with their own, independent arcs.