Review: THE MONEY FI$H

John Cox is a definite "fish-out-of-water." A natural actor (in his late-thirties, I imagine), average-looking, with an average-build, who has eschewed an acting career to continuing working his blue-collar interests, he has written and stars in an absorbing 85-minute intimate history of his three years on a fishing boat in Alaska's Bering Sea, out of the port of Dutch Harbor.

Working his way up from low-level grunt to 1st Mate, only to leave it for a less dangerous job of longshoreman (specifically, driving a forklift) on Terminal Island in the Port of Los Angeles, Cox studied acting here in L.A., took a workshop on writing, wrangled experienced director Michael Arabian to helm his piece, with the end result a spirited piece about focus, dedication, lack of love and full-on, fearless, presentation.

It's a lovely work, unique to Cox, and totally informative about the joys and dangers of fishing in ice-cold waters for rapidly-declining product. Not to mention skirting live polar bears.

On a representation of the insides of a large boat, all weathered wood in steel-gray and dirty-white, splendidly designed by John Iacovelli, he plays himself, his corrupt captain, his fellow workers and some of the women in his life, accurately, movingly, wittily and with enormous honesty. Cox's powers of concentration, sense-memory and dialogue have been remarkably honed by Arabian.

This is a special guy in a special production. There's only us and him (no understudy), with a powerful form of communication established. You have to see this if only for its unique view of human tenacity and guts.

The Money Fi$h plays through December 20th (Saturdays and Sundays only) at The Hudson Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood. Tickets: 323.960.7780.

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