Missing People (Online), Leeds Playhouse, 10 Oct 2020 ***1/2

Written by Brad Birch

Produced by Leeds Playhouse & Kani Public Arts Center (sic) co-production

Filmed at Kani Public Arts Center, Japan, on 26 Feb 2020

Performed in English and Japanese with subtitles on video

Reviewed by Kate Herbert online, 10 Oct 2020

Stars: ***1/2

This review appears only on this blog. KH

Fortunately for those of us outside the UK, Missing People, written by Brad Birch, can be viewed online. Unfortunately for the company, this fortuitous turn of events is because the in-theatre season was cancelled on press night, 26 February 2020, in response to the Covid Pandemic.

 

This co-production between Leeds Playhouse and Kani Public Arts Center, Japan, is performed in English and Japanese subtitles and is co-directed by Mark Rosenblatt and Nobohiro Nishikawa, so language and cultural differences and clashes are at the forefront of the play.

 

Sakiko (Susan Hinkley) and Dan (Simon Darwen), travel from the UK to Japan to visit Sakiko’s parents, where their communication is clearly more problematic than simply a language barrier.

Dan’s mum, Linda (Ishia Bennison) accompanies the couple to Japan so that the two families can finally get to know each other and assist Sakiko and Dan to plan their upcoming wedding.

 

However, Sakiko’s mother, Chiyo (Natsumi Nanase), and father, Masaru (Yutaka Oda) are defensive, anxious and so secretive about their son’s whereabouts, that Sakiko suspects there are problems far more serious than issues at her brother's workplace.

 

This is a story of a prodigal daughter returning home, only to find that the ‘good’ son who followed the family’s rules has now become the prodigal.

 

The story is both a family drama and a mystery with the absent brother at the centre. The families must struggle with awkward, extremely formal communication and the beleaguered Sakiko is responsible for all slow and complex translations.

 

The cast brings depth, warmth and anguish to the characters and relationships as they struggle to understand each other and their predicament.

 

The stylised and austere, Japanese-inspire set design features tall columns and floating beams that loom over the characters and also act as narrow screens on which to project translations.   

 

The blend of languages intensifies the drama and suspense as we follow the trials of the family members and await news of the prodigal son.

 

Missing People can be viewed through this link:

https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/stage-shows-musicals-opera-free-stream-online_51198.html?utm_source=dailynewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=30september2020&fbclid=IwAR28zE7z_JqmMJY2-al4wduuxxRLHeoOfZ6M5Idrq3Rm9HxKsUQ9Iwp_958

 

Cast

Sakiko -Susan Hinkley

Dan -Simon Darwen

Linda -Ishia Bennison

Yasuko -Yuri Eikawa

Chiyo -Natsumi Nanase

Masaru -Yutaka Oda

Koji/Genki -HirokiTanaka

 

Set Design --Rumi Matsui

Costume -Rie Nishihara

Lighting -Elliot Griggs

Sound Design Matt Padden

Movement- Director Sachi Kimura