Review: Moby Dick, York Guildhall

Herman Melville's maritime novel Moby Dick is one of those classics where most people know the story '“ a sea captain pursues the great white whale that robbed him of a leg '“ but have never read the book
Moby Dick at York's Guildhall.Moby Dick at York's Guildhall.
Moby Dick at York's Guildhall.

This stage version written for Hull Truck back in 2002 has been revised and expanded for the latest production from York-based Theatre Mill which specialises in presenting plays in unconventional non-theatre places. Moby Dick surfaces in York’s Guildhall, transformed into a theatre-in-the-round for an immersive production featuring physical theatre, songs and actor-musicians.

Writers John Godber and Nick Lane and director Gareth Tudor Price have done a fine job in combining characters from Melville’s story with people from Hull’s old trawler industry. The approach works extremely well in this setting, making the journey surprisingly moving and highly-charged emotionally as well as exciting as man and beast face each other for the final countdown.

Until November 3.

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