‘Sarachi’ full of mystery
By John Berger
Star-BulletinMAINSTREAM American theater generally establishes the context of the action beyond a doubt. Japan's Ohta Shogo writes from well outside the mainstream. His play, "Sarachi" (Vacant Lot), leaves many questions unresolved -- like, are the characters alive or dead?
In Kumu Kahua's presentation, a man and woman survey the vacant lot where their house once stood. Wearing trench coats, pajamas and rubber slippers, they arrange bricks and pieces of wood to establish location of rooms. They pick up a window frame and imagine that they are watching themselves through the glass.
Woman (Cora Yamagata) and Man (Christopher Ludlow) discuss the genetic urge to travel, speculate about the emotional range of gorillas and act out significant experiences in their lives -- birth, dating, a family picnic.
Eventually they begin repeating the dialogue and action from the beginning of the play. And so we wonder: Did this couple die when the house was destroyed? Are they spirits doomed to review their life experiences forever? Does that interpretation reflect American cultural perspectives? Might a person from Japan draw a different conclusion? If they're alive, why did they return to the site?
Naoko Maeshiba (director/ sound design) follows her enigmatic production of "Blue Bird Rhapsody" with another challenging theatrical experience. The performance area takes on new life as Yamagata and Ludlow suddenly shroud it with white cloth and burrow under the covering. Maeshiba and Kurt Wurmli (scenic/light design) embellish the action with sound effects, music clips and slides projected above and behind the performance area.
Robert T. Rolf's English translation provides few clues that Man and Woman are Japanese. (Their children have Japanese names, and there are references to school uniforms, but school uniforms are growing popular here).
Woman and Man share thoughts, fears and memories. Man sulks at being asked to boil water for tea. Woman suggests with a hint of jealousy that his previous girlfriend must have appealed to him for strictly physical reasons.
Yamagata and Ludlow are particularly convincing as babies; Ludlow had the opening night audience laughing with every murmur and gurgle.
Man suddenly kneels and hugs Woman and clings to her in an act that defines an ideal in human relationships. How wonderful to have that special someone to cling to when you need them. How sad -- living or dead -- to be without it.
Review
What: 'Sarachi'
