JAPAN MEETS THE NOISY WEST
This is beautiful, and never solely in Paul Farnsworth’s dreamy set and Ayako Maeda’s costumes, from peasant fishermen to Shogun magnificence. The Menier, at all times good at capturing the bracing intelligence of Stephen Sondheim’s work, collectively with Umeida Arts Theatre affords us a uncommon manufacturing of this atmospheric, severe and chic meditation on the opening up of Japan. The Americans arrived in 1853, over two centuries after an earlier European incursion was decisively ended. The story (e book by John Weidman). expresses what occurred when brash new America – after which the remainder – crashed unwelcome right into a “floating empire, untouched kingdom”. its earth so sacred to its gods that the grudgingly constructed ‘treaty house” on an island was immediately burnt and the land disinfected after the first ship delivered its fraternal greetings from President Fillmore. It was a “pacific” approach (see what they did there) for trade rather than a colonial grab, but its effect was shocking to an old world,, hierarchical and bound by custom. “Out there are wars..here we grow rice, paint screens, more beautiful than true” explains Jon Chew’s full of life ‘reciter’ of the story, as delicately choreographed motion evokes a countryside and a reverent bowing to customized and authority.
It is a spot the place when American ships are noticed, the stiff Shogun (Saori Oda) can brusquely appoint a peaceful Samurai Kayama (Takuro Ohno) to be chief of police, and depart his peaceable fishing by the riverside to “order them” to go away (the river is gently evoked by gentle, flowing between the tiers within the elegant trans staging). Kayama recruits a former fisherman who had been picked up at sea and hung out in Massachusetts , and will get a number of the method after the lad assures him that to deal,with Americans “you just shout louder”… But in fact the overseas barbarians come again. And others observe. There is beautiful character and pathos in each of the hapless envoys, quiet comedy within the central colonialist absurdity , and for some time excessive comedy within the subsequent arrival of the opposite powers, all carrying their ships spherical their waists and applicable hats and tunes (the British Victorian is given pure G and S, good to listen to in among the many extra meditative Sondheim evocation of previous Japan with bell, flute and drum). Dutch, comedy French and Russians vie for house. Only the native Madam, fan-drilling her women (Saori Oda once more, a witty performer) welcomes them, although as foreigners pour within the exoticism of three- piece fits, bower hats and pocket watches beguiles some. Notably Manjiro (Joaquin Pedro Valdes) . But in a really alarming, brief and delicate quantity “Pretty Lady” three British sailors strategy a pale very younger woman (Joy Tan) in a backyard: first admiring, then coaxing, then oafish and eventually threatening till avenging samurai swords minimize it, and them, off. There have been loads of such murders, understandably. And samurai resented the ‘disrespect’ of the invaders. This isn’t any Madama Butterfly.
Balanced to perfection, gentle and darkish and mournful and fascinated, Matthew White’s course strikes us on to the top and a land divided, saddened, however impressed; the Emperor ultimately decides the one method is for Japan to grow to be as fashionable, well-armed and wealthy as these invaders. Which it has. The entire factor is attractive, evocative, thoughtfully severe amid the absurdity. It runs straight for 105 minutes, each one valuable .
Menierchocolatefactory.com. To 24 feb
Rating 5.
