Words: Elodie Marriott

3 stars

Looking for adventure and encountering plenty more than he anticipated, an Irish
backpacker finds himself on a prawn trawler cruising on the Coral Sea, Australia. In this one-
man show, Eoin Ryan transports himself back 25 years to play his younger self in a true
story about survival.

Ryan is a gripping storyteller; the audience hang off his every word. His calm and measured
delivery is enthralling as he recalls tales of swarming sharks, brutal storms, and a never-
ending supply of weed. These events are enacted with simplicity, yet the apprehension of
these life-or-death situations are felt acutely.

The set cleverly divides the stage into sections of the trawler: the cabin, kitchen, and prawn-
sorting station. This gives a real sense of space that immerses the audience even further
into Ryan’s story. By making the entirety of the set constantly visible it allows us to feel the
confinement that the protagonist feels as he fights against the bullying from his crewmates
and declining mental and physical health.

Eoin Ryan’s Trawled is an enticing and emotional play with a benevolent message.

Trawled – When Adventure Becomes Survival,
theSpace @ Venue 45,
16:05
Aug 13-17, 19-24