-->
How close is too
close?
An urgent appeal (駆け込み訴えKakekomi utae) by Dazai
Osamu
Adapted, acted and directed by Kodama Ta chi
児玉泰地
（役者でない）No actors
On April 8 2019 at the small Cafe Figaro near the University of the Arts in
northeast Kyoto, a former student of mine Kodama Taichi performed a new play
from his one-person series, “No actors.” I had seen a video of his earlier,
absurdist actor’s nightmare play and liked its physicality and precision. I
looked forward to his live performance, one that had already toured four cities
and is on its way to Tokyo in the Fall. I hastily read Dazai Osamu’s short
story (helpfully online in translation) before the performance. With the one
drink served as part of the reasonable 1500 yen admission price, I had a ginger
ale.
As the dozen or so spectators
entered the chandeliered, mirrored café with beautiful porcelain cups and
saucers lined up, I was surprised to see the actor, barefoot, dressed in black,
lying sprawled on his stomach. After 30 minutes—we waited five minutes for some
reservation no-shows--he coughed and stood, groggy from liquor, and danced and
pranced his way through the narrow aisle between chairs and bar. I was afraid
we would be summoned into the action, a dread for audience participation among
strangers. There is a dangerous thrill to confronting an actor so close: there
but for the love of god go I? Fortunately, the audience interaction went no
further than proximity and eye contact
Kodama is
tall and gangly, but showed good control of his body weaving in and out, and a
falsely high voice for the troubled Judas Escariot. Guilty at having revealed
Jesus’ whereabouts to the Romans, and lying to himself and them that he truly
hated the hypocrit son of God, Kodama’s expression showed the visceral anger at
himself for giving up his guru to the authorities. At one point he even went
into the toilet to “throw up,” yet returned to recall Jesus’ lecturing him. He had admonished the poor prostitute Mary who
wasted her precious perfumed oils in washing Jesus, but Jesus scolded Judas: “she
is washing me because soon ince I would
be buried”. Then Judas is incredulous remembering Jesus washing the feet of all
the disciples and telling them to do to others as he had done for them.
Finally, he uncomfortably relates Jesus stuffing bread into his mouth, telling
the others that this is the man who would betray him.
As Jesus,
Kodama was calm and his orotund base conveyed the holy spirit of the young
Jesus; as Judas, his body wracked, rolling on the floor, arms and legs akimbo, or
shrunk into himself, he well-conveyed the torture of conflicted feelings.
Reluctantly and then gladly taking the 30 silver coins, as if they explained
his act of betrayal rationally, they became a clasped prayer, then deformed
bow, like a Rodin sculpture of the haunted Burghers of Calais.
Kojima is
young, and is his own director, and from my point of view this leads to the
same mistakes. He rushes from one beat to the next, sweat pouring from him,
confronting the spectators (there were a dozen?) with his eyes, but not
conveying clear emotion in them. Instead of pivoting to a new “beat” or
layering his emotions, in transitions he tended to a “blackout” before
staggering on to next scene. Anxiety and fear were the constant emotions, and
its only so long that one can look at this without wishing it would stop (it
was less than an hour). The moments of Jesus’ quoting and his own silence were
welcome respites along the way.
Still,
Kodama has obvious talent, and is brave to take on a solo tour-de-force with
minimal props inches from spectators in a normally-lit café theatre.. I look
forward to his next venture.
Comments