Commissioned by the Singapore Arts Festival,
in
association with the Spoleto Festival USA (Charleston)
and
the Lincoln Center Festival (New York)
TheatreWorks (Singapore)
Conceived and directed by Ong Keng Sen
Sea of remembrance:
"How cruel the floating world
Its solaces how few –
And soon my unmourned life
Will vanish with the dew"
Geisha - a name that suggests a host of images.
Yet how much do you really know about "her"?
Singaporean director Ong Keng Sen, who has successfully brought Asian theatre into the international limelight, here focuses on this exotic, mysterious symbol of Japanoiserie. Using new theatrics – and by turning tradition on its head – he explores the fascination and fantasies associated with the geisha's arts.
Geisha combines top talents from Asian and Western theatre. Three-time OBIE award-winner Karen Kandel takes on multiple roles employing contemporary Western acting techniques, forming an interesting contrast to performances of kabuki and nihon buyoh (classical Japanese dance) by legendary Japanese kabuki performer Masanosuke Gojo. Coupled with live performances by shamisenmaster Katsuyoshiju Kineya and electronic music wizard Toru Yamanaka, this colourful piece peels off the superficial layers of the geisha's world to reveal its intrinsic cultural heart.
