Sea Cabinet - Theatre Elision

photo: Jolie Morehouse-Olson

Well, Sea Cabinet is the second Theatre Elision show I have seen and again - a gorgeous and wonderful work. So far 2 for 2 when it comes to taking a musical or a song-cycle (in this case) and knocking it out of the park. I know, I know... sports metaphors? who am I? 

Let me tell you about Sea Cabinet. It is based on a song cycle by Gwyneth Herbert that was commissioned by Snape Maltings, part of the Britten Pears Arts music education organization in England. Yes, Britten Pears as in Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears. The song cycle was created as part of an artist residency, with the request of writing, recording, and performing a new work based on stories of the sea. I have not listened to the original album fully, but in what I heard there are only songs, no narration. Heidi James wrote the book which is wonderful narration about the main character who we never see. The main character is a woman who walks along the beach every day, picking up detritus that the sea brings to her. She takes it all back to her cabin, analyzes it, and catalogs it completely. Within the context of this work, sometimes those pieces that she picks up are directly related to the song that follows. Other times, it is a feeling that the item creates in the woman that brings about the song.

photo: Jolie Morehouse-Olson

Regardless, the 70 min work is fantastic. The four singers....no, performers come on. Christine Wade plays a few notes on the piano, then sits down and starts the Sea Theme/Opening. I was struck by the first few notes because they reminded me of the opening to Jason Robert Brown's work "Songs for a New World." Later I discovered that they are a few notes from a bigger theme, however I find it interesting that the first lines of the JRB work are about crossing the ocean to find a new world, and this work is all about the ocean bringing new worlds (in the form of objects) to this woman. Unintentional but that is how my brain heard the music. Joining her is Bex Gaunt, Vanessa Gamble, and Emily Dussault. All of them play instruments through out, and they are also joined by a slight off-stage ensemble of drums, bass, keys/clarinet/accordion. The performers talk about the woman and what she is finding, how she catalogs the items, memories that the items bring up which segue into a song. I would strongly suggest reading the program before the work just for context to some of the songs. However there isn't a strong narrative that I could find, and that works well for this piece. Some of the songs are solos with the other performers singing backing vocals, or just playing music. Other songs are group numbers, and one "The King's Shilling" is a sing-along. The show is cohesive, yet still made of all these different parts. It is wonderful how it all fits together - how telling the story of Alderney, leads into a song about the "drowned" Suffolk village of Dunwich, which leads into a wonderful story about the Fishguard Ladies. 

photo: Jolie Morehouse-Olson

Each performer is so strong in their own way. Wade plays piano, Gamble plays guitar, Gaunt plays violin, and Dussault plays the ukelele...to start with. They switch up sometimes and play percussion, but they all sound great together and are clearly enjoying themselves. Vocally they are all fantastic. I found one performer to be a bit difficult to understand during one specific song, but beyond that every word is clear. And honestly, even if the word isn't clear the feeling behind it is. That is also part of story telling. This really is a wonderful work and should be seen by more people. So, take a chance and a little bit of time and go wading into this wonderful sea of songs and stories.