Ship To Shore At The Port Stanley Festival
Like most Norm Foster two-handers, Ship To Shore begins simply. The deck of a cruise ship. One man. One woman. One deck chair. Who will prevail? But then, to quote a catchphrase from this engaging comedy, the plot thickens.
Erin Walsh (Cailin Stadnyk) and James Goffman (Mark Crawford) are cruising from Canada to Ireland. (Please tell me where I can book that trip!)
After the tussle over the deck chair, Ship To Shore settles into that delicate and delicious Foster dance involving two strangers getting to know one another.
Erin is returning to pay her respects to her recently deceased father. James is going to collect his twelve-year-old daughter to take her to Canada for a visit. Both have suffered loss. Erin’s father returned to the auld sod when his wife died, leaving Erin a trifle miffed. James’ ex-wife fell in love with an Irishman and took their child with her when she moved to Galway. As in most Norm Foster comedies, a bit of pain lies just below the many funny lines in Ship To Shore.
James seems intent in attracting Erin’s attention. And why not? She’s extremely attractive. Erin seems intent on avoiding that attention.
James is reading a novel titled “Metal Shoes.” When he finally manages to get Erin to read the name of the author we discover it is his novel. Under Erin’s rather withering questioning he is forced to admit that it is self-published and has sold a mere 48 copies in six months.
Like many of Foster’s male protagonists, James is a trifle pathetic. “Metal Shoes” is the story of a man who makes his living by donning spiked metal shoes and walking around people’s yards to aerate the soil. The novel is based on a real person – James. Like many of Foster’s female characters, Erin has a lot more on the ball than the men fate throws in her path.
But as that catchphrase has it, the plot thickens and the two fall into conversation and then acquaintanceship. As it happens the cruise line has a themed event each night and thoughtfully provides appropriate costumes for each, giving the two more opportunities to get to know one another.
The costumes for Rock n Roll Night are hysterical and Erin’s skin-tight black pants prove a bit “crotch-y” in her words. Her attempts to give her nether regions some breathing room are amusing and risqué in equal measure. Indeed, the gags and repartee in Ship To Shore are far more R-rated than in most Foster plays.
We all know what rock n roll does to young libidos and thus Rock n Roll Night leads to an “intimate encounter” and the plot thickens yet again.
Several days of stormy weather keep them apart until Country Western Night. They are now dressed in even more amusing outfits. The one worn by James gets one of the biggest laughs of the evening and this time he’s the one with crotch issues.
James insists on rehashing the aftermath of Rock n Roll Night. In his mind they “made love,” but as far as Erin is concerned they merely had “a roll in the hay” and, y’know, these things happen. No big deal.
They don’t reach Ireland until tomorrow, so they have time to . . . to what? Do they fall in like? In lust? In love? Or do they pass like ships in the night? This set up could have gone in multiple directions, but Foster always seems to make the most satisfying choice.
Under the attentive direction of Artistic Director Liz Gilroy, Stadnyk and Crawford give delightful performances. The vivacious Stadnyk has an expressive face and deft comic timing. The tall, gangly Crawford is the perfect Foster comic foil, a doofus with a heart of gold.
Emma Burnett’s simple but handsome set does exactly what it needs to do and the costumes by Alex Amini take on a starring role. The Sheriff Woody outfit she has confected for Crawford on Country Western Night is hilarious, on Crawford especially so.
Ship To Shore is enjoying its world premiere at the Port Stanley Festival Theatre and if a glass of wine and the enchanting view from the deck of the theatre building aren’t enough to draw you to this charming Lake Erie town, then Ship To Shore is a great excuse to weigh anchor and moor yourself in Port Stanley. Oh, and nearby Broderick’s Ice Cream Parlour stays open after evening shows!
Ship To Shore continues at the Port Stanley Festival Theatre through September 12, 2026. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Port Stanley Festival website.
Footnote: Mark Crawford is also an accomplished playwright. His works like The Golden Anniversaries, Ruby and the Reindeer, Bed and Breakfast, and others are revived with some regularity. Be on the lookout.
[image: Port Stanley Festival]
For a complete index of reviews CLICK HERE.
Don’t miss another review or blog post! SUBSCRIBE HERE
