Big Fish Review

The Winter Musical Triumphs!

credits to Delbarton School.

credits to Delbarton School.

Aidan McLaughlin, Arts Editor

This February, the Delbarton Abbey Players put on their winter musical “Big Fish”.  The story follows a father, Edward, and his son, Will, as they navigate their tumultuous relationship; the play focused heavily on themes of love, storytelling, and truth. As his father approaches his deathbed, Will must delve into and sort through Edward’s mythic stories to find what he hopes will be the truth. However, as Will quickly finds out, there is a difference between factual truth and universal truth. Whether or not Edward’s stories turned out to be factually true in the end, they’re all connected and made real by his most prominent universal truth: his unfailing love for his family.

I was lucky enough to be a part of this production, and I can happily say that it was far and away the most fulfilling and meaningful experience I’ve ever had in my life, let alone my time here at Delbarton. Although the dancing and the grueling hours of rehearsal were tough, I always felt like I was having fun along the way thanks to an amazing cast of friends.

The most important message that I took away from this show was one of eternal optimism. I realized as I progressed further into our rehearsals, that Edward’s outlook on life is one to emulate. He’s a man who sees every day as an opportunity to do something extraordinary and be the hero in his very own story. In my experience, senior year so far has consisted mostly of sitting in my room doing homework. Yet, seeing how one man (even if he is a fictional character) can always make the best of a situation inspired me. I have certainly tried since then to do the same.

And I think if we all tried a bit harder to make our lives extraordinary every day, the world would be a better place and real love for others would be a lot easier to come by.