In 1911 five Englishmen took part in the Terra Nova Expedition, which was a race to the South Pole. “Terra Nova,” Riverwalk Theatre’s latest production, written by Ted Tally and directed by Jane Falion, is their story, which is one of not only great adventure but of friendship, love, fear and extreme bravery.
“Everyone loves a race,” Captain Robert Scott tells the audience mere moments into the play. Scott is a man on a mission, determined to beat the Norwegians. He is in charge of the expedition, putting the lives of his fellow men in his hands.
The story goes on to tell the struggles, and brief moments of success, that the men had trying to make it to the South Pole on foot, such as actually making it to the South Pole, only to find that they had come in second.
Among his men Captain Scott is the standout, played with so much passion by Joseph Baumann. Whether he be simply talking to his men or getting to show his more vulnerable side when he talks to his wife, there is something about him that brings a presence to the giant white stage that can’t be ignored.
His scenes with Amanda Whitehead, who plays his wife, were his best. The two had moments that were adorable, such as when they are simply bickering, funny and also heart-wrenching, bringing tears to many eyes in the audience.
Kathleen Scott isn’t seen as often as the men but she proves that she can leave her mark on an audience. In her first non-musical Whitehead portrays her as a strong woman that wants to support her husband so badly, even though she knows what he does is dangerous and could end with him never coming back.
While there were parts of the play that I thoroughly enjoyed at other times I was left confused, especially when it came to Roald Amundsen, the Norwegian man whose crew of dogs took part in the race to the South Pole. I was left wondering if he was real or part of Scott’s imagination. Was Scott going crazy the whole time and that’s why he kept seeing him? Was Amundsen the evil part of Scott’s conscious trying to break free? Unfortunately I left un-sure which of these was true.
Even though I wasn’t sure if Amundsen was actually there or not I was impressed with Richard Helder’s performance as the villain. Helder has a cold expression and a creepy element to him that can’t really be explained, but those simple elements make him seem extremely sinister, somehow managing to mold the minds of Scott and his men, and the audience.
Throughout the play elements, mainly photographs, of the actual group of men are shown, adding a nice touch, showing viewers what these men looked like. Along with the historic touches the costumes, while simple, work perfectly, with each man donning a heavy coat, boots, a hat, scarves and fur mitts, an outfit that one would expect to see worn in the Antarctic, bringing a realistic element.
Unfortunately this element of realism also brings about the tragic ending these men faced, dying only 11 miles from One Ton Depot, ending the play on a farther depressing note. But when the final bows are taken there is a sense of awe in the audience, grateful for the fact that Tally and Failon told such a story, informing viewers of a time so long ago.
“Terra Nova” is showing in the Black Box from Oct. 13-15. Check out the Riverwalk Theatre website for details.
Thank you for the kind review. It was a difficult show, but well worth the effort.