Although Josh Gates told the story better on Tales From the Explorers Club, the sheer melodrama and hell the Endurance crew endured while attempting the first land crossing of Antarctica is something to behold when retold on stage. Melissa Taylor’s adaptation, The Ice Keeps, offers a different take that generally works.
What’s presented during the Victoria Fringe Festival is clearly more of a work in progress than a finished show. Another producer and proper funding can help elevate the visual elements, so what’s presented feels fuller. Even the playwright mentioned future plans, which means her take will be explored further. I’ll be glad to return to see the updated version, should it set sail, because I want to experience a full-on recreation of the environment rather than the drama itself.
Continue reading “To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before: The Ice Keeps… But How Well?”