02/21/2017
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[from http://willcall.org]
⭐️⭐️⭐️
FUGU by Steven G. Simon & Howard Teichman
This compelling work is based on a true, little known event that occurred in November 1941, just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. In a humanitarian gesture, the Japanese Consul in Lithuania, Chiune Sugihara, issued visas for Kobe, Japan, to 6,000 Jews, thus saving them from the gas chambers. His heirs claim that he also granted visas to European Jews from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia etc, to emigrate to Shanghai, China. This can be disputed by the fact that Shanghai was an open port at that time, consequently 16,000 refugees arrived there in the late Thirties, none of them with visas. It should be noted that it was the last resort, since America demanded an affidavit, preferably from a relative, vouching that no one will pose a burden to the Government. For England, one needed firm employment, Switzerland required a substantial amount of Franks in a Swiss bank. Israel did not yet exist. In Vienna, there was a rash of visas sold, to places like Bolivia and Ceylon(now Sri Lanka) but all proved to be fraudulent. (There’s always going to be someone taking advantage of the disadvantaged).The playwrights, Simon and Teichman, have done an excellent job researching the historical accuracy, presenting vintage photographs and documents, via projections. They keep us in suspense as we become privy to the machinations of diplomacy.
The Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Colonel Yohiro Yassue (Ryan Moriarty), is hosting a Sabbath dinner in his home (set by Kurtis Bedford), for the head of the Jewish Community, which has settled and prospered in Kobe, Dr. Avram Kaufman (Warren Davis), his pretty daughter Sarah (Rosie Moss) and the local Rabbi, Shlomo Shapira (Peter Altschuler). The dinner party is to introduce their Fugu Plan, an attempt to persuade the good doctor to journey to America as Japan's Goodwill Ambassador, to meet with prominent and influential Jews in Washington and Hollywood, to emphasize the splendid hospitality the Kobe Jews have enjoyed, courtesy of the "benevolent” Japanese. This, they believe, will avoid the ravages of war and any bloodshed by the two nations. Unfortunately, we know how that turned out… By the way, a fugu is an edible blowfish, an exquisite aphrodisiac when skillfully prepared but a deadly morsel otherwise.
West Coast Jewish Theatre's Artistic Director, co-playwright and producer, Howard Teichman, directs a first class cast. Adding some love interest to spice up the story. Colonel Yassue has a young assistant, Satruzo Kotsuji (Scott Keiji Takeda), a serious minded, cute guy, who has spent time in Palestine, is a maven of Jewish history and speaks Yiddish with a droll Japanese accent. No wonder Sarah falls head over heels in love with him and he, too, is totally smitten, at first sight. Moriarty is impressive as a man of honor, has an imposing persona and a resonant voice. The Rebbe, (Altschuler), is adorable and spouts amusing rabbinical homilies. Marcel Libera plays the stout Captain Matsuoka, who puffs up like a blowfish and arouses our immediate ire. Even more vile is the sinister N**i, Colonel Josef Messenger, a.k.a. the Butcher of Warsaw, (the perfectly cast David Preston), who is out for Jewish blood and threatens Yassue with the wrath of his German allies in Berlin. Moss is a delight as the rebellious young girl and the matronly Mrs. Davich (Bryan Weiss) is on stage for comic relief. She's the ultimate yenta and anticipates coming to America to find husband #4. The show is framed by two solo dancers, one Japanese (Kaz Matura) and a young Hassidic, (Matt Gottlieb), which adds more time to a rather lengthy production. However, the play, a world premiere, is intense and very well done, leaving us with a feel-good ending which may be apocryphal but adds a final dose of drama, so, in Shakespeare's words, the Play's the Thing and this play is a very good thing. Sound by Bill Froggatt, costumes by Shon Le Blanc, lighting by Ellen Monocroussos and the fine casting by Raul Clayton Staggs.
West Coast Jewish Theatre at Pico Playhouse, 10508 W. Pico Blvd, Los Angeles 90064. Friday & Saturday 8 pm, Sunday 3 pm. $40, seniors $37.50, students $25. Street parking (323)821-2449 or http://www.wcjt.org ends 3/19
REVIEW BY INGRID WILMOT
