Executing plays which have been the foundation of Japanese theatre including "No," "Bunraku" and "Kabuki," a troupe of eight Dartmouth students performed a trilogy of famous "No" plays last week and this weekend to audiences at the Moore Theater.
The plays, which employed themes steeped in Japanese tradition, were written by Yukio Mishima, one of Japan's most daring and controversial authors. Mishima is also a playwright, actor, and director. "Mishima," a movie based on the artisan's life, was presented as a Loew Theatre special earlier this month in cooperation with the Department of Drama's "No" play production.
Director Mara Sabinson spear-headed the cast and crew which featured a wide array of professionals and Darmouth students including Neil Patel as set designer, Margaret Spicer as costume designer and Daniel Kotlowitz as the play's light designer.
The tri-partite program featured a cast of budding artists including Tercelin Kirtley '98, Nate Levine '97, and seasoned performer Jennifer Javornik '95.
The first vignette entitled "Sotoba Komachi" told the legend of Komachi, a beautiful girl who had many lovers. As the curtains opened on this scene, the audience was swept into a park dotted with lovers sitting on benches in a surreal haziness. The lighting also added a sense of mistiness to the scene, as the poet played by Levine walked on-stage for his opening lines.
Sabinson does a great job of weaving together different facets of Komachi's life. The characters seem to effortlessly move from scene to scene with the periphery changing to accomodate the storyline.
The Damask Drum, the second of the three skits, featured an incredible set resplendid with special effects. The scene featured Levine, this time in the female role as Hanako Tsukioka. The other main character, the janitor, was played by Andrew Slesinger '95.
The plot employed the theme of unrequitted love which the Janitor had for Hanako. However, the plot takes a strange turn when the Janitor reappears after committing suicide.
The last set entitled, The Lady Aoi, again featured a magnificent set of a simple white bed backdropped against the grey walls of a hospital. The highlight of this skit was Javornik's portrayal of the the eccentric nurse, which she interspersed with comedy.
