SALT LAKE CITY – Salt Lake Acting Company (SLAC) kicks their 2026-2027 off at high tide with a co-world premiere of Very Like a Whale by Troy Deutsch. Some spoilers follow, so to be completely surprised by the production, read this paragraph, go see it, then come back and compare notes. SLAC’s Very Like a Whale is utterly charming- hilarious and surprising, with a dash of nuttiness and a flourish of mysticism.
Directed by Alexandra Harbold, the play is indeed a riff on the legend of the whales of the Great Salt Lake. Set in Box Elder County Utah, this local story begins after the death of the Sharp family patriarch, whose family gathers directly after his funeral preparing to sell his lake front home. Family conflict and drama ensue which includes an unexpected visitor informing them of secrets their grandfather never shared. The unfolding drama in the household is seen by the audience and by a mysterious pair of observers. These observers are perched within view of the stage serenely watching and occasionally commenting on the antics in and around the home.
Entering the gold domed historic 19th Ward House of Worship, I noticed a physical payphone in the lobby. This surprising addition is part of an experience operated by The Great Salt Lake Hopeline, who, with Friends of the Great Salt Lake, are partnering with SLAC. Both local organizations work educating about and advocating for the dwindling lake. The phone installation allows attendees using the receiver to record stories and memories about the lake, listen to others’ stories or actual sound recordings from the lake. SLAC partnership with organizations on each of its productions in a mutually beneficial capacity is appreciated and admirable.
The set by Erik Reichert is rich and detailed, evocative of captains quarters on a ship. The ocean blue and sand brown tones appear throughout the space, which is cluttered with nautical details like a ships wheel, a life ring, paintings of mermaids and whale figurines. Complemented by preshow music centered on water and the sea and accentuated by gull sounds, entering the space feels like entering an alternate, quirky, aquatic world.
Deutsch’s script is cleverly written, well-paced, and slightly absurd. It does center on Utah, the Great Salt Lake, and the whales of legend. The script is full of hilarious one-liners like Uncle Greg deadpanning “I’m happy I flew in for this,” or Megan’s lament about her daughter being “first queer, now an environmentalist!”. The script also incorporates well done physical humor, such as the noisily squirting bottle of lotion interspersed with dialogue at inopportune moments.
The description of the Seagull Sandwich Dance is the height of comedy, surpassed only by the actual reprise of the dance. Both dance break moments are well-written and skillfully executed. The first dance, performed by Robert Scott Smith as Greg, sets the absurdist tone, followed shortly by Megan’s (played by Olivia Custodio) reprise where Custodio turns up the absurdity another notch or two, culminating in a bevy of seagull puppets chasing her off stage. The script also intriguingly incorporates two mysterious figures, referred to in the program as Old Woman and Old Man, played respectively by Yolanda Stange and Ben Young, who watch and comment on the scene before us. There are later understood as representing the pair of whales in the lake.
One issue with the script is the two-dimensional nature of Megan’s character. Custodio does an excellent job with the script as written —delivering hilariously cringy commentary about a gay brother and queer niece, and leaning into humor with skilled comic timing. But the character is written with little to no redeeming qualities. There is nothing about Megan prompting sympathy, or even a desire to understand why she’s as unpleasant and clearly unhappy. I don’t necessarily take issue with the lack of a happy ending which is unexpected, a bit crazy, and a little disappointing. As the show progressed, I hoped Megan would have some bit of a redemption arc in providing some hope for change. Megan’s spontaneous decision to reprise the Seagull Sandwich Dance showed a possible softening of character, but I saw no more of that as the story progressed. Deutsch’s intention may be that Megan represents the contingent acting only in their own self-interest rather than thinking of the greater good of family, society, and nature, with regards to the natural resource and phenomenon of the lake.
The show is excellently cast. Smith oozes Greg’s persona from the moment he enters the stage, leaning fully into the physical comedy of the part. M. Scott McLean’s Max is sincere, likeable and establishes his place as a peace bridge between his overpowering wife and the rest of the family. Sarah Shippobotham is fully in their element as Penelope, from tip to toe embodying the eccentric and mystical “Equestrian Mary Poppins.” The rest of the cast rounds out the ensemble with skill and humor.
Costumes by Niamh Helwig contribute to the nautical and comedic aspects. Stange and Young’s costumes become more whale-like throughout as the script describes the whales they represent. Stange’s flowing blue-green gown, long coarse locks and white tactile accents give her the majesty of a whale, while Young’s matching white accents on his slouch-capped head, with large round spectacles do the same. Smith’s first entrance as Greg in flowy black culottes and turtleneck instantly reveal much about the character, and when shedding the funeral garb, the blue dance leotard underneath tells the rest. The bedraggled pink, blood-stained tutu donned by Custodio for Megan’s dance number only adds to the comedy. Shippobotham sports Penelope’s mismatched tights under a neo-Victorian ensemble and topped by a ridiculous orange wig, fully embodying the character’s odd persona.
Harbold’s director’s note recognizes the heaviness of the world and the need for finding moments of joy to fuel our efforts making the world better. Harbold offers a piece of joy in this production where her aptitude as a director shines. The pacing doesn’t drag, the comedy is drawn out expertly from the script and the cast. Harbold uses creative techniques throughout such as the visual creation of the whale legend. The family (except for Megan) create the images of the story as Penelope reads it, using the objects scattered around the home creating boats, trains, and more. The creative staging keeps the visual interest during what might have been an overly long read aloud segment. Lights by Timothy Swenson are used to great effect with advancing the story and adding humor in this moment and throughout the production.
Very Like a Whale is truly delightful—witty, engaging and absurd with a touch of wonder. Whether you’re a long time fan of SLAC’s work, or never been before, this production is worth checking out, and is a great start to SLAC’s new season.
MORE INFO: VERY LIKE A WHALE plays in the Upstairs Theatre at Salt Lake Acting Company (168 West 500 North Salt Lake City, UT 84103) through October 25th. Tickets are $37-$45. For more information visit saltlakeactingcompany.org.
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