Hanjo/LEFT TO TELL

There were some very effective storytelling moments in Hanjo that created a dream-like reality on stage. The struggle between Jitsuko and Yoshio as they were tethered together and, at the same time, the history of Hanako's relationship with both of them being played out was one of those strong moments. The combination of Jitsuko's movement as the puppeteer, and Hanko as the puppet, along with the music supporting the action all came together wonderfully and it deepened my perception of all the characters and the pain that they were struggling to free themselves from. Left To Tell was a beautiful and gripping experience. From the beginning, there was a chilly balance between Imaculee's warm welcome into her life in Rwanda, and the horrors... full review

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... full review