REFLECTION AND INTENTION: Big Dawg’s ‘The Hermit of Fort Fisher’ to play April 2-5, 9-12 at Thalian Hall
- Jose Mario Cortes Rosas
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
What would drive a man to run away from the world?
Earlier this month, I had the privilege to attend a documentary screening about The Fort Fisher Hermit, a man who did just that. As a non-native Wilmingtonian, I had no idea who Robert Harrill was, and I was enthralled once I heard his story. It seemed like the perfect dream scenario: to let go of all the baggage we pick up, going through the motions of our 9-5 all-work-no-play system; like proof that all of my problems could disappear if I decided to make it so. However, Harrill’s story is more than just a fantasy, and the impact he left on this town’s history is more sincere than I thought. He lived by his own philosophy and encouraged others to think critically about the status quo.
In preparation for the upcoming Big Dawg Productions play about Robert Harrill, “The Hermit of Fort Fisher” at Thalian Hall this April 2-5 and 9-12, we reached out to the play’s director, Steve Vernon, to inquire about why he felt Harrill was and remains such a captivating figure.
This is the sixth time Vernon has directed “The Hermit of Fort Fisher,” which grants him a unique relationship with the material and a deeper understanding of Harrill’s story—and how much more there is to it. According to Vernon, the ambiguous nature of what information about Harrill is and isn’t available is part of the appeal of Harrill’s story.
“I’m still discovering new things about Mr. Harrill and about the play,” Vernon says. “The research process is interesting because Harrill’s story lives in both fact and folklore. There are documented details about his life, but also a lot of personal recollections that vary depending on who you ask.”
To appreciate who Robert Harrill truly was, it is important to demystify his life and living conditions. When hearing the term “hermit,” it is easy to imagine a social outcast who chooses to distance themselves from others, or an aimless “crazy” person. However, Harrill’s situation seems a lot more deliberate.
“It was a physically demanding way to live,” Vernon describes. “While some people see that lifestyle as freeing, it was also physically demanding. It was a deliberate choice, but not an easy one.” But this was nothing new for Robert Harrill.
Born in Shelby, NC, in February of 1893, he was no stranger to hardship. His early childhood is marked by extreme poverty and family tragedy. A pattern that followed him into his adult life. He married in 1913 to a woman by the name of Katie Hamrick and had five kids. Harrill struggled to support his family financially, which, alongside some mental health issues, eventually led to the separation of the two.
“I think Harrill felt constrained by what most people would consider ‘normal’ life,” Vernon says. “He seemed to reject its expectations in favor of something more self-directed and meaningful.”
However, the reality of a man abandoning his family still looms over the myth of the Fort Fisher Hermit. Before he escaped to Fort Fisher, Harrill had run away from his wife and five children on various occasions. Concerning Harrill’s family, Vernon adds, “The play reflects some of Harrill’s flaws as a parent and husband, which goes a long way towards making him more of a human and less of a legend.”
For Vernon, an important part of the play is to highlight Harrill’s strengths, while treating the more serious subject matter with respect. “The tone of ‘The Hermit of Fort Fisher’ is reflective and deeply human, with moments of warmth and humor woven throughout,” he describes. “It invites the audience into Harrill’s world in a way that feels intimate rather than distant.”
Harrill’s story is intriguing not because of the hardships he endured, such as his tumultuous family life and grueling living conditions, but because of how he found his own happiness. “His choices suggest he was searching for a different kind of freedom,” Vernon notes.
Despite Harril living out in Fort Fisher, he was a notoriously social guy. It is what made him so popular. He would greet and entertain tourists and build relationships with many of the locals. He famously had a guest registry in which he recorded numerous signatures from tourists from all over the country. Harrill was aware of his influence and went as far as writing to the State, encouraging them to use his likeness to promote tourism in Wilmington. By all accounts, Harrill was a smart man. He was known for wanting to open what he called “the school of common sense,” wherein he would teach people to think for themselves, question authority, and simplify their lives.
Though it was never official, I would argue that Harrill did have that school in a way. Rather than a classroom, he had impactful interactions with many of his visitors. For many, Harrill represents a radical rejection of conventional ideas of happiness and fulfilment. He showed contentment with his life and was able to spread that joy to others. There are many people in more favorable positions who can’t say the same thing.
“His ideas definitely spark reflection within the cast and crew, but we try not to present them as answers so much as questions,” Vernon explains, and credits playwright David Anthony Wright for keeping the production as honest as possible. As the story of the Hermit is not meant to encourage everyone to run away from their lives, but rather something much more subtle and attainable.
“Harrill’s philosophy invites people to pause and consider what a meaningful life looks like for them,” Vernon explains. “You don’t have to reject society to do that, you just have to be willing to question it.”
For many, what has made Harrill’s life such an admirable one was his intentionality; he reflected on what was important to him and cut out what wasn’t. “Harrill took that idea to an extreme, but the core of it is something anyone can apply,” Vernon adds. “It’s about living with purpose rather than habit.”
If there is one lesson we can all take away from Harrill’s “school of common sense,” it’s to live for yourself and what gives you purpose. Question whether the things you wish for will truly make you happy, or if you’re doing it because it’s what everyone does.
“This production represents something special for us,” Vernon says, “and it’s a story we’ve returned to over many years, and it continues to evolve each time. We hope audiences will come to experience it, whether for the first time or all over again.”
See “The Hermit of Fort Fisher” at Thalian Hall’s Red Box Theater from April 2–5 and 9–12.
Purchase your tickets at thalianhall.org.
