 |
| The cast of Calligraphy, photo by Jason Ganwich |
By Alec Clayton
Based on a quick look around the
audience, there were no more than two empty seats at the opening of “Calligraphy” at Dukesbay Theater, which is as it should be,
because Dukesbay offers Tacoma something few other area theaters do: excellent
comedy and drama presented by an ethnically diverse cast — ethnic diversity
being a prime mission of Dukesbay.
“Calligraphy”
is an intense family drama centered on a Japanese-American family, and it
proves that no one culture has a monopoly on dramatic intensity and complexity
of plot, characters, and relationships. Except for the intentional ethnic
specificity, “Calligraphy” could easily be taken for a contemporary comic drama
by Israel Horovitz or Tennessee Williams or even Edward Albee. As with
Horovitz’s depictions Massachusetts fishermen, Williams’s decadent Southerners
or the vicious academicians in Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf,”
playwright Velina Hasu Houston presents a satisfying drama sprinkled with
comedy as an intense picture of place and time. “Calligraphy” offers something
that is the goal of much of theater: universality presented through specific
and identifiable characters and situations.
Noriko
Jameson is a Japanese woman living in Los Angeles with her single, mid-30s
daughter Hiromi (Amy Van Mechelen). Years ago, she had married an
African-American soldier, Eamon Jameson (Charles
Reccardo) and moved to America. Eamon has recently passed away, and Noriko is
just diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, which she adamantly denies. Her older sister,
Natsuko (Joy Misako St. Germain) still lives in Japan, as does her daughter,
Sayuri (Tomoko Saito). The cross-Pacific cousins keep in touch via the
Internet, and emotional family ties play out on their computers and between
mothers and daughters on the two continents. Reccardo, the only male actor in
the play, appears as Eamon in flashback memories, and as an unrelated American
policeman whom Noriko mistakes as her dead husband.
The small
cast if terrific. Van Mechelen underplays the complex character of the
supportive daughter and sometimes antagonistic cousin. St. Germain is strong in
the role of the autocratic older sister who has a few surprises up her sleeve.
Saito almost overplays overly exuberant Sayuri, who comes across almost as a
willful teenager even though she is creeping up on middle age. She throws
herself into the role with enthusiasm and is a delight to watch. Reccardo is
charming as the young soldier and appropriately caring and somewhat confused as
the policeman. He comes across as totally natural and believable in both roles.
And finally, Cardona is a marvel to watch as the plays the complex and nuanced
role of a woman slipping into dementia. Her memory scenes with Eamon are sweet
and touching, and her scenes of anger and confusion as she loses her touch on
reality are gripping.
The action takes place on an
elegant and minimalist set designed by Burton Yuen. The show is skillfully
directed by Maria Valenzuela. “Calligraphy”
runs 90 minutes with no intermission.
Check
Alec’s blog at alecclayton.blogspot.com for reviews of other area theatrical
productions.
SIDEBAR: Calligraphy
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2
p.m. Sunday, through Nov. 12
WHERE: Dukesbay Theater in the
Merlino Arts Center, 508 S. Sixth Ave. #10, Tacoma
TICKETS: $15
INFORMATION: dukesbaycalligraphy.brownpapertickets.com,
253-350-7680
No comments:
Post a Comment