Colin Donnell, Alex Brightman, Richard Dreyfuss and Ian Shaw pose backstage at the new play “The Shark is Broken” on Broadway at The Golden Theater on Oct. 18, 2023 in New York City.Photo:Bruce Glikas/WireImage
Bruce Glikas/WireImage
Richard Dreyfuss went back in time Wednesday afternoon — well, sort of.
The actor attended a matinee of Broadway’sThe Shark Is Broken, the comedic play that explores the behind-the-scenes drama that took place when the cameras stopped rolling between takes of Steven Spielberg’s 1975 classic blockbuster,Jaws.
Alex Brightman and Richard Dreyfuss backstage at ‘The Shark Is Broken’ on Oct. 18.Bruce Glikas/WireImage
Ian, who is making his Broadway debut with the project, penned the play alongside Joseph Nixon. The actor-playwright, now 53, was just 8 years old when his father died at the age of 51 in 1978, but created the play with the help of his father’s diary, which chronicled the English actor’s lifelong struggle with alcoholism and tormented attempts to stop drinking.
The action takes place on the set of The Orca, the fictional boat where the three actors wait forJaws' famous mechanical sharks to be repaired so they can shoot. Much of the play depicts the rumored complex relationship between the veteran Robert and the newcomer Dreyfuss, who clash over Robert’s perception of Dreyfuss' ambitions and career insecurities.
Despite the supposed strife, Dreyfuss appeared to be in good spirits as he greeted Ian, Donnell and Brightman backstage following the performance.
Alex Brightman, Colin Donnell and Ian Shaw in ‘The Shark Is Broken’.Matthew Murphy
Matthew Murphy
An insider on the scene tells PEOPLE that the Oscar winner was complimentary of the cast, hugging them and posing for pictures alongside EGOT champWhoopi Goldberg, who was also in the crowd.
“Richard said very nice things about the show, but joked that he was on the fence about it,” the source shared. “He teased he’d love to go into it; make a surprise appearance, turn around and tell the audience, ‘None of it is true!’ "
Dreyfuss has a particular history with Ian. The two reconnected in 1994 when Ian auditioned for a production ofHamletthat Dreyfuss was directing. “Richard was so happy to see Ian,” the source said. “It was very sweet.”
Richard Dreyfuss and Whoopi Goldberg, backstage at ‘The Shark Is Broken’ on Oct. 18.Bruce Glikas/WireImage
TheMr. Holland’s Opusalum also shared stories of his time onJaws.
Prior to Broadway, the comedy played critically acclaimed runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and on London’s West End.
Richard Dreyfuss, Roy Scheider and Robert Shaw in ‘Jaws’.Universal Studios/Courtesy of Getty Images
Universal Studios/Courtesy of Getty Images
Back in September, Ian opened up to PEOPLE about his trepidations of bringing his father’s story to the stage.
“I’d spent my whole life trying to avoid association with my dad. He was a very successful film star, but I wanted to be an actor in my own rights,” Ian said. “And I thought, as you do as children of these successful people, it’s in poor taste if you cash in on their success — you want to do your own thing.”
But with grieving his father “behind me,” Ian said doing the play “felt like it was quite a release taking a fresh perspective on this, having the bravery to play him.”
Ian Shaw in ‘The Shark Is Broken’ (left) and Robert Shaw in ‘Jaws’.Oliver Rosser; Everett Collection
Oliver Rosser; Everett Collection
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“Although it was with a lot of help [from] my friends and family, I still felt it was an enormous risk and that it would carry potential backlash of possible shame on my family because I didn’t want to put [him] on a pedestal,” Ian noted. “But equally, I didn’t want to throw him under a bus either. So the tone made me feel very nervous.”
“It’s about love, I think. And you feel it in the audience,” Ian added, of the play’s themes. “It’s moving.”
For tickets and more information aboutThe Shark Is Broken,visit the play’sofficial website.
source: people.com
