The pace of life is different out here on the ice.
All of the world’s everyday stresses tend to disappear in the close confines of an ice shanty. Heartbreak and anxiety aren’t so serious when you’re bundled up in a good snowsuit and reeling in that big catch from the frozen waters. Joshing and joking with a buddy over cold Leinenkugel beers and even colder ice is more than a simple escape — it’s a more effective release than any therapy.
Sound a bit overwrought? It’s the reality for the characters in the Aurora Fox theater’s heartfelt production of the musical comedy “Guys On Ice,” a show that details the distinctive subculture of Wisconsin ice fisherman. The comedy by Fred Alley and James Kaplan is a straightforward look into a chilly rural world where ice fishing and the Green Bay Packers are among life’s most important cornerstones. For Marvin and Lloyd, the show’s two lead characters, the ice offers the sanctuary of a church and the escape of a neighborhood bar. It’s a place where life’s most critical questions find resolution in the simplest ways.
That lifestyle may sound like a stretch for anyone from even a semi-warm climate. Even Aurorans who’ve had to deal with their share of snow may be hard pressed to fully relate to the tale of these two working-class heroes whose lives revolve around ice, fish and beer. Luckily, director Charles Packard and the trio of actors put the culture of Door County, Wisc., in proper perspective, even for those who’ve never ventured out onto the ice.
The Fox production conveys the spirit of Alley and Kaplan’s comedy without getting hokey. Honesty and simplicity are the keys to the success in this show, which ran as a touring Fox show at Stapleton before returning to the theater’s home base for a limited run. As Marvin and Lloyd respectively, Josh Nelson and Charlie Schmidt offer performances that are all about the power of simple gestures and understated delivery. That goes for the score as well, music marked by simple melodies and unadorned arrangements.
That approach fits in this story about two working-class protagonists from Sturgeon Bay with plenty of ambition. What the show lacks in depth, it makes up in pure heart.
The show opens as Marvin (Nelson) finds himself within reach of a long-held ambition. He’s been asked to host the taping of a popular local TV show about ice fishing in his ice shanty. Naturally, he invites his best friend Lloyd (Schmidt) to join him for the taping. As the pair set up their poles and await the arrival of the TV crew, the talk turns to fish, fishing and heartaches. It’s a two-person dialogue straight out of “Waiting for Godot,” without all the existential angst.
Lloyd’s having marital problems that stem directly from his loyalty to the Green Bay Packers. Marvin has his own issues when it comes to love — his crush on a local super-market girl is unrequited. The heart-to-heart talks come as the pair look to get rid of Ernie the Moocher (Steven Burge), another local fisherman who has no qualms about dropping into the shanty to “borrow” beer, bait and food.
Tunes that detail the Wisconsin lifestyle follow all of this action. That much is clear in the titles of songs like “Ode to a Snowmobile Suit” and “Fish is a Miracle Food.” While both Nelson and Schmidt earn plenty of yucks from their slightly exaggerated Wisconsin accents, their performances offer more earnestness than sheer silliness.
Burge’s performance, meanwhile, is all about silliness. Marvin is the cartoon of Fred Alley’s script, and Burge plays that role well, hosting a faux game show for the audience after intermission and laying the Wisconsin accent on as thickly as possible.
Such moments are straightforward, as is the larger comedic approach of the piece. The show relies on pointing out the foibles of this world for its laughs, but it doesn’t overdo it. Along with a simple set design by Packard, the stark orchestration by Martha Yordy and the unadorned choreography by Kelly Van Oosbree-Ross, that straightforward approach works.
The formula behind this show isn’t complicated, and the show lacks any utterly profound messages. Still, there’s enough wit and heart to make the comedy work the way it’s supposed to. “Guys On Ice” is as relaxing and refreshing as an afternoon spent on the ice.
“Guys On Ice”
Runs at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 20 and 21 and at 2 p.m. on Dec. 22 at the Aurora Fox tehater, 9900 E. Colfax Ave.
Tickets start at $26.
Information: 303-739-1970 or aurorafox.org.
* * 1/2
Reach reporter Adam Goldstein at 720-449-9707 or agoldstein@aurorasentinel.com