My overall impression
Both of these shows sport interesting concepts and movement to convey the narrative.
While Hanjo is compelling and makes good use of power-plays via a long, red scarf, one is left with the impression that more time and technical prowess could have been given to this show. The lighting is uninspired, and the movement is at times graceful, at times full of pain, but occasionally clunky. A moment should be taken to give credit to the violin player on stage. Both her presence and her talent are not lost in melding with this piece, and I found the very idea of her to be novel and intriguing. It left me wondering how this show would have appeared had Japanese performers been cast; a thought which was reinforced when I was treated to the strong performances delivered in Left to Tell.
Minimalist in approach, the monologues in this heart-breaking rendering of the genocide in Rwanda were engaging and terrifically done. I’m not sure if these actors were locals, but if so, they had the correct accent and cadence of speech down to an art. I was left believing that they had lived through what they were describing, and what’s more, I found them all likable, even when portraying the most horrific of war crimes. The show ends on a bit of an odd note, more of a sigh and less of a gasp, but perhaps that is intentional. After all, how many human tragedies have we as a culture witnessed in our time, only to be forgotten with the next news cycle?
