The Bee

26 July 2007 (Thurs), Tokyo

A mini-play imported with cast intact from the U.K., where it had a brief but critically acclaimed run last year. Though based on a Japanese short story, the show was developed in London and written in English by the ever-popular Noda Hideki, who also directed. I’ve never liked Noda’s frenetic style; he is clearly uncomfortable with quiet and constantly has his characters running around the stage meaninglessly in a desperate attempt to generate energy. That was the case some years back with his Red Demon, a sophomoric play about a strange creature landing on a desert island. In that case, the British critics were on my side, giving the English version of the play a mercilessly brutal drubbing in London. The knives were thus out for The Bee. The general feeling, though, was that Noda had redeemed himself, and the play had a successful run, if only for one month at a tiny theatre. I figured if he could win the critics over, I’d give him another chance. Also, the cast of four included Kathryn Hunter, who was such a great Lear a decade ago. I tried to get tickets for the Japanese version as well, but that was sold out instantly. So I settled for just the English show, which was after all the original. Continue reading →