A trio of WWII GIs stranded on a storm-tossed island off the north Icelandic coast learn the hard way that it’s not just the Nazis who are out to get them in Cailin Maureen Harrison’s supernatural-tinged action-adventure thriller Defenders, a World Premiere guest production at Hollywood’s Broadwater Blackbox.

The year is 1942, and with World War II raging in Europe, it’s up to the Yanks to prevent Iceland from being invaded by Hitler’s armies as the similarly neutral Denmark was two Aprils before.

With that end in mind, Lieutenant Marcus Jansen (Bryan Porter), Sergeant Frank McKinley (Tavis Doucette), and teenage Private Fred LeFleur (Spencer Martin) find themselves seeking shelter in a village church on the tiny island of Hrisey with only a damaged machine gun for self-protection and a kaput two-way radio to attempt communication with the outside world.

Fortunately for the soldiers, the uniformed threesome are soon visited by village preacher Geir Stirdson (John P. Connelly) and his nubile blonde daughter Vigdis (Una Eggerts) with offers of coal for heat, food for empty bellies, and some local moonshine to take the edge off.

Less welcome is Geir’s revelation that the lighthouse which signaled them to turn back has in fact been unoccupied (and unoccupiable) for years, the first hint of mysterious phenomena on and around the island, though far from the last.

The soldiers’ reconnaissance mission is quickly aborted when Lieutenant Jensen gets doused by a suddenly spewing hot spring only to have Geir inform him that despite multiple dangerous pitfalls in the surrounding areas, no hot springs have ever been found near the church.

As for the tempest raging outside, Geir claims never to have seen such “angry gray, almost black, clouds swirling above while out at sea skies remain clear blue in every direction,” making it sound suspiciously similar to the storm once conjured up by the islanders when pirate invaders arrived in search of slaves and other assorted booty.

No-nonsense men that they are, Lieutenant Jansen and Sergeant McKinley insist there must be a logical explanation for these seemingly paranormal occurrences.

Louisiana Bayou native LeFleur is less convinced, coming as he does from a land where bad things lie ahead for those dumb enough to hang around the swamps for a longer look at the otherworldly lights the natives call fifolet.

If it’s not already obvious, Jansen, McKinley, and LeFleur will have more than just bad weather and bad Nazis to contend with in the hours and days ahead.

It should also be clear that Defenders requires a certain suspension of disbelief, but for those willing to abandon logic, it makes for one trippy, suspenseful ride under Reena Dutt’s dynamic direction.

Recent UCLA grad Martin delivers the evening’s most heartbreakingly indelible performance as a young G.I. finding himself increasingly unfrazzled while doing his Louisiana Cajun best to make his superior officers proud and come out alive.

Porter and Doucette do edgy, electrifying work as soldiers well out of their comfort zone, Connelly makes for an authentically crusty Icelandic reverend, and native Icelander Eggerts is Nordic loveliness personified.

Lighting designer Dominik Krzanowski and sound designer Jesse Mandapat join forces to create the most menacing of storms surrounding David Goldstein’s terrifically rendered abandoned oceanside church.

Michael Allen Angel’s military/church props are design winners too as are costume designer Shon LeBlanc’s WWII uniforms et al. Jen Albert merits snaps for her realistic fight choreography. Eggerts and Tracy Wren have coached Connolly and Martin on their authentic-sounding accents.

Seira Murakami is production stage manager. Casting is by Michael Donovan, CSA. Richie Ferris, CSA is casting associate.

Defenders is presented by Pandelia’s Canary Yellow Company and produced by Racquel Lehrman, Theatre Planners. Misha Riley, Theatre Planners, is assistant producer.

I can’t ever recall seeing a WWII-era action-adventure thriller on stage, let alone one performed in as intimate a setting as the Broadwater Blackbox, just one reason the high-testosterone Defenders stands out among the multitude of light comedies, heavy dramas, and Broadway musicals that surround it. It’s also a heck of a lot of fun to watch.

Broadwater Black Box, 6322 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles.
www.Onstage411.com/defenders

–Steven Stanley
November 11, 2019
Photos: Darrett Sanders

Tags: Broadwater Blackbox, Cailin Maureen Harrison, Los Angeles Theater Review