REVIEW: "Way Downriver" Ensnares Audiences

There ain’t no limit on bad luck. Thus the prisoners of Parchman State Penal Farm in Mississippi believe, and thus they are unfortunately proven right. The North Coast Repertory Theatre’s production of Way Downriver, adapted from Willian Faulkner’s 1939 novella "Old Man," tells the harrowing tale of bad luck, morality, and history in a mesmerizing way. 

This west coast premiere—adapted by Edward Morgan—offers a quick glimpse into Mississippi in June of 1927, when a great flood swept away 27,000 square miles and displaced nearly a million people. Morgan’s narrative follows Aikins (Richard Baird), an inmate imprisoned for a botched train robbery, as he tells the tale of his fateful (and accidental) departure from the Parchman State Penal Farm and subsequent journey down the Mississippi River. Filled with regret and prone to self-flagellation, Aikins struggles to return to the prison system and live out the rest of his jail sentence.

Morgan’s script thrives on the North Coast Rep’s stage, melding the past and the present in a manner that preserves both sentiment and comedy. As Aikins struggles to navigate the treacherous river, he encounters the stranded Ellie (Sara Fetgatter), a young pregnant woman in desperate need of help. Though the pair possesses a slightly cantankerous relationship at first, as the story unfolds, so do Aikins and Ellie. Through the masterful hands of portrayers Baird and Fetgatter, the pair grows closer, displaying an astounding amount of chemistry and even tenderness.

Aikins and Ellie face an almost fantastic journey throughout Way Downriver, so the lively and versatile supporting cast certainly helps to ground them. John Herzog excels as the sympathetic warden, while Max Macke is deliciously slimy as Deputy Buckworth. Geno Carr, in particular, earns strong laughter and applause for his take as an energetic Cajun.

The real standout for this show is cast member Robert Grossman. Grossman shines as the quippy and jaded old inmate, but he adds so much more to Way Downriver than a modest bit of sass. Grossman plays the guitar live onstage throughout the majority of the production, entwining music with the action in a remarkable fashion. Joining Grossman within the North Coast Rep’s jail cell is fellow inmate Benjamin Cole, a young, naive, and overtly talkative fellow.

The show is adapted from a William Faulkner novella, "Old Man," found in his collection The Wild Palms. Adapted by Edward Morgan, Way Downriver offers an expansive take on Faulkner’s original story—though the production adds more racial tension to Way Downriver than Faulkner had originally written in "Old Man," these additions stay true to Faulkner’s themes and work well in the production.

The play is directed by North Coast Rep Artistic Director David Ellenstein, who has been with this theatre company since 2003. The performance showcases beautiful lighting, designed by Matt Novotny, using brand new LED lights thanks to a grant from the county. The lights are energy-efficient and create less heat. The intricate and timely sets for Way Downriver were designed by Marty Burnett.

Way Downriver is showing at the North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach until May 8th. Tickets are $46 and available via the North Coast Repertory Theatre’s website. Don’t miss out on this walk through American history!