There’s nothing better than a tall tale, or an ‘entertainment’ as Louis de Rougemont himself said at the opening of Shipwrecked! An Entertainment- The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself), on stage at Road Less Traveled Theater until October 13.

I’ll say it right now: this was one of the most entrancing, funny, and moving productions I’ve seen. The story itself is quite simple: Louis is reflecting back on his life and sharing it with the audience. Whether his story is true or a fabrication is up to your own theater in your mind. He spins a story of being a sickly, sheltered child who couldn’t wait to venture out into the world at the tender age of not quite 17. He was mugged, marooned, marauded between London, Australia, and the sea and shores in between. He fell in love, lost his best friend, captained a ship, and walked across all manner of terrain.

What makes this show so extraordinary is the cast, the staging, the props, and the overall execution under John Hurley’s direction. It’s a three hander, with the incomparable Gregory Gjurich as Louis, and countless characters played by Gabriella McKinley and Jeremy Kreuzer. Oh my, those two. Actually all three of them are amazing. It’s McKinley and Kreuzer though who are rapid-fire changing character through the 90-minutes. Seriously, your head will spin in the best way possible. When you’re done marveling at their storytelling, you’ll be in complete awe of their theatrical mastery. McKinley is a Louis’ mother, a drunken sea captain, Louis’ bride, and I lost count of how many other vividly portrayed characters. Ditto Kreuzer: he was at his best, though, as Bruno the dog. Seriously. Including when he would howl along with a sea chanty.  I know, I’m not doing these actors justice: just see the show. Their frenetically changing accents and demeanors, the clever use of mini-props-on-sticks, the skillful use of a hat or shawl or jacket to suggest a persona….so incredibly well done. And then there are the mentions of flying wombats, giant and rideable sea turtles, and who can forget the enormous man-eating octopus. Set design and Properties master Dyan Burlingame had her hand’s full for sure. There was plenty of “power of suggestion” props, too, like when Louis was describing his infanthood as a cut out crib was being dropped over his shoulders.

Gjurich is breathtaking as Louis, a 19^th century British gentleman (or charlatan) who is dapperly dressed and oh-so convincing.   He and McKinley and Kreuzer had a great dynamic and connection that was palpable: another reason why this is a stellar experience.

The story spinning was reminiscent of Big Fish and the rapid pace reminded me of the last iteration of 39 Steps. The spot-on execution, attention to detail, over-the-top production values, however, are elements of pure Road Less Traveled Productions. Yes, there are plenty of laughs and there are some sweetly thoughtful moments, too. It’s all so really, really, good.

Shipwrecked! An Entertainment- The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself) runs 90 minutes with no intermission. Details and tickets and more info about the season can be found at https://www.roadlesstraveledproductions.org/.