Geisha

Legendary Japanese Kabuki performer Gojo Masanosuke and American actress Karen Kandel deconstruct what it means to be a geisha, past and present, in Geisha, a new production from Theatreworks Singapore, directed by Ong Keng Sen.

Geisha is a non-linear meditation on the geisha’s secret world, a tapestry of portraits of people affected by the lifestyle of the geisha – geisha themselves, the wife of a geisha patron, the mamasan, and the child of the geisha. In a tour-de-force performance, Karen Kandel morphs seamlessly into many characters culled from oral interviews and Japanese plays and films, all dealing with aspects of geisha identity. In a silent role, Gojo Masanosuke, arrayed in a glorious parade of kimonos, portrays the delicate white faced geisha in their many ritual dances, accompanied by shamisen player Kineya Katsumatsu. Composer Toru Yamanaka has created an electronic score that accents the piece and Mitsushi Yaniahara has designed the stunning and fanciful costumes.

Part of the Lincoln Center Festival.