Okonomiyaki Lunch with Nanka Youkai Actors, Nobu-san and Naomi-san
The Obaachan (The Grandmother, played by Nobu-san) is wearing traditional dress of Kimono and kneels on a small wooden platform which is dressed as a room in her tiny house. She has been kneeling that way for about twenty minutes now, waiting patiently for the 150 or so small children to settle on the floor in front of the playing space. Whether in Japan or Australia, it never ceases to amaze me how many kindergarten children you can fit into a relatively small room- they are so tiny!!!
Sound fills the space (from everywhere it seems) and the show begins with the forth wall being broken by the Obaachan who addresses the children. “Konnichiwa” she says. “What beautiful faces you have!” and the children beam up at her. The Obaachan then reminisces about the games of her childhood and introduces us to some of the unusual things that happen in her house. Little furry characters appear from nowhere (the show is full of beautifully executed magic and illusion), we are introduced to a magical mirror, and then we hear the voice of her long lost imaginary friend calling her. The sound design is an integral part of this show and helps to create a full sensory experience as little speakers placed around the room produce ghostly sounds. Early into the show I jump with fright when a speaker placed right behind me produces an eerie sound that takes me by surprise.
Eventually, the voice of the long lost imaginary friend cannot be ignored and the Obaachan disappears through the magical mirror into a strange world (where we meet a magical shop keeper). It is here that Obaachan finds her imaginary friend in a tragic state of paralysis, because it has been so long since she has played with anyone. So the Obaachan, together with a strange shop keeper play game after game after game with the doll like imaginary friend until she is moving around, free as a bird. They play Kakurembo (Hide and Seek), Daruma (Statues)…the list goes on and on and this culminates in a slow motion movement routine, which together with magical illusions and sound created the most moving theatrical experience that I have ever had in an in schools show.
The show finishes with the Obaachan packing up her belongings into a cane basket, which she straps to her back and exits the room through the audience, holding her characterisation through to the very end.
The first time I meet Nobu-san out of character I am surprised to see how young she is- her characterisation completely fooled me. Not only is she a beautiful actor but like all the best actors, she is a great devisor and created this work on the floor with director Ken Nakajima (the man with the midas touch). And with the sound designed by the marvellous Tomokatsu Magario (who also designed the sound for Nan-de Man and Furato Burato) I am not surprised that Nanka Youkai is indeed a masterpiece.
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