As the title suggests, “Shipwrecked: An Entertainment” lives up to the definition of the word “entertaining,” far exceeding it even, leading into a new realm of thought to question what it really means to be entertained. The expertise and professionalism of Broadneck High School’s execution of the show was striking of that of a Broadway show.

“Shipwrecked” follows the tale of Louis de Rougemont, in a narrated autobiography of his life travels. The audience follows his journey from leaving the comfort of his home in England to venturing off with a sailor he barely knows, only to shortly find himself shipwrecked on an island, with his trusty sidekick, Bruno the dog. He falls in love with an Aborigine woman and assimilates to her way of life, only to fall victim to his nostalgia for home. When he finally returns home and recounts his tale, he’s deemed a fraud, leaving it up to the audience to decipher the truth.

Broadneck innovatively interprets a play originally intended for a three-person cast to a cast of eleven, with ten people sharing the role of our protagonist. Each actor seamlessly passed the role along with a subtle tap of the shoulder, passing along Louis’ sense of whimsical curiosity along with it, while still portraying a unique demeanor for each chapter of his life.

The weight of the show was equally held by all of the Louis’, but some of them truly stood out. Hayle Barry opened and closed the show with commanding presence as the charismatic Louis #1, effectively conveying Louis’ reasons for leaving, and then later his frustration and not being believed by the world. Jack Leitess additionally stands out as Louis #3, immersing himself in the disposition of excitement for embarking on such a voyage, and then of distress when he finds the ship to be sinking.

Tyler Heroux perfects his canine impression as his portrayal of Bruno the dog, hysterically embracing the role by shaking his shoulders in excitement and howling along to Louis’ poor singing. Alessandra Lopez embodies good-naturedness in the form of Yamba, Louis’ Aborigine love interest, as her facial expressions and shortness of breath truly indicate her infatuation. Austin Japak provided more laughs as the drunken ship captain, slurring words and exaggerating his physicality to appear intoxicated, yet immediately sobering up when necessary.

The use of a projector in the show was immensely helpful to display maps of where our protagonist was travelling, yet never proved to be distracting. The show’s sound was absolutely impeccable, with a majority of the effects being down by actors on stage, from rolling a sheet along a crank to simulate a blustery storm to the quirky strike of a triangle at every mention of the ship, the “Wonderworld.”

With gags such as bad gymnastics and a violin battle, Broadneck expertly performs a show with immense humor, yet still leaving the audience with a sense of undeniable curiosity for the world.

by Jason Fontelieu of Dulaney