![]() Shih has a rich voice and a stillness in his manner that makes his cruel words linger. Scott Keiji Takeda leads the cast as Akio, the shaggy-haired teen so small he’s nicknamed “shrimp.” But Takeda brings rage, impatience and suitably oversize confidence to the character.ĭavid Shih is excellent as Mitsuo, the stable’s lead wrestler. But they are all fine actors who throw themselves physically and emotionally into their roles. It would be impossible to field a cast of truly sumo-size and -fit Asian American actors for this play, so it requires some suspension of disbelief to see the show’s nine actors as the supersize athletes. Mariko Ohigashi’s authetic costumes add a great deal to the story as well. Playing a large taiko drum on a platform above the stage, Shih-wei Wu builds anticipation and momentum, and the lighting by Paul Whitaker and Kim’s projections add flash, color and drama. Peña’s direction is fluid and economic in its use of time and space as the script weaves artfully between scenes of combat in the ring and more intimate encounters over meals, in a hot tub and at a karaoke bar. “Sumo” is directed by Ralph B Peña, artistic director of New York’s Ma-Yi Theater Company, which is co-producing the play. Will he ascend to the level of national champion, known as Yokozuna, or will he learn his lesson and see the error of his ways? ![]() Under the tutelage of the cruel and self-absorbed superstar wrestler Mitsuo, Akio begins his climb through the rankings - but in his single-minded quest to succeed, he tramples the careers and lives of his friends and fellow stablemates. The protagonist, Akio, is a scrappy and impulsive 18-year-old orphan determined to make it to the top of the sumo world, no matter the cost. ![]() “Sumo” is a classic mythological hero’s journey wrapped in the skin of a traditional American sports film tale. Then, despite setting her play in a heya (a training stable for elite wrestlers) in contemporary Tokyo, Sanaye Dring takes the audience on a pleasingly familiar journey. ![]()
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