'Pacific Overtures': Bravo to Kunoichi's rare San Francisco revival at Brava Theater!

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 6/3/25 at 6:38pm

''Pacific Overtures,'' Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's amazing musical about Japan, turns 50 years old next year. But the advantages of seeing this Tony-winning show, about the Westernization of this Far East country, onstage "remain remote." I first saw the original Broadway Asian-American cast, led by the legendary Mako, play the Curran Theatre in 1976. Has ANY San Francisco theater company revived it since? That's all the more reason to offer kudos to Kunoichi Productions' strong and striking revival, now playing through June 15 at the Brava Theater, 2781 24th St., San Francisco. Staged on Yusuki Soi's elegant set, it's being co-produced by the Brava! For Women in the Arts, Theatre of Yugen and Playland Productions.

The theatrical and musical challenges of ''Pacific Overtures'' are many. It blends the sights and sounds of East meeting West, and incorporates elements of Kabuki and Noh, plus samurai swordfighting. Fortunately, it's directed with flair by Nick Ishimaru, co-founder of Kunoichi and former director of Theatre of Yugen, with musical direction by Diana Lee. It features an excellent ensemble of 11 and a fine 7-piece orchestra.

The original ''Pacific Overtures,'' directed by Hal Prince, offered a mostly all-male cast. And true to Kabuki tradition, they also played the women. But in this Kunoichi revival, women have a more pivotal role, like Keiko Shimosato Carreiro, a member of the S.F. Mime Troupe Collective. She not only plays the Reciter with gravitas and grace, she designed the show's cavalcade of lovely costumes. Also, Mayadevi Ross gleefully leads the geishas in 'Welcome to Kanagawa,'' and at our matinee, swing Julie Wright spilled the ''Chrysanthemum Tea'' as the Shogun's Mother.

On the men's side, Nick Nakashima anchors the show the way Commodore Matthew Perry's gunboat sat in Tokyo Bay in 1853. He portrays Kayama with presence and a beautifully vibrant voice. Originally, the haunting song of ''There Is No Other Way'' was sung by two Observers, watching Kayama and his wife, Tamate (Sarah Jiang). But here, we hear Nakashima and Jiang sing it exquisitely themselves. Nakashima's other duet, ''Poems,'' pairs him with Vinh G. Nguyen, who's boyishly charming as Manjiro, and they're a dazzling duo. And ''Someone in a Tree,'' which Sondheim often has cited as his favorite song, gets a soaring rendition from Edward Im (as the Boy), Lawrence-Michael Arias (as the Old Man) and Stephen Kanaski (as the Warrior). These are among Act I's highlights. However, Act II is a little more of a mixed bag. As a trio of British sailors, Ryan Marchand, Im and Kanaski sound sublime with ''Pretty Lady.'' But the ''Please Hello,'' where Lord Abe greets a comic quintet of foreign admirals, comes off rough and underrehearsed. Sondheim's score is tricky, and overall, most of the show's singers negotiate their notes better than others; with any luck, the latter will improve with more performances.

Next? ''Pacific Overtures' '' remaining dates are from June 4-15, so if you love Sondheim, catch it before it says ''Sayonara!''

https://www.kunoichiproductions.org/

[Hest88]

Posted: 6/3/25 at 7:36pm

Thanks for the review. I've been trying to figure out if we can fit it into our show schedule (and if it would be worth it). "Poems" is my favorite from Pacific Overtures, followed by "A Bowler Hat." Oddly enough, I've never cared for "Someone in a Tree" even though I know that was Sondheim's favorite. I always preferred "A Bowler Hat" -- which is similar thematically while appealing to me rather more melodically.

[bear88]

Posted: 6/8/25 at 3:03am

I saw the production Saturday night and really enjoyed it. The seven-person orchestra is terrific and several of the actors give excellent performances, especially Keiko Shimosato Carreiro as The Reciter and Nick Nakashima as Kayama. The latter has a powerful voice and is a strong actor who carried me through his saga with a mournful gravitas. Vinh Nguyen is good as Manjiro. I had never seen any of these actors before and I thought they acquitted themselves quite well. 

”Please Hello” is a tough song for a small theater company to pull off because it requires many actors to manage rapid-fire, overlapping comic patter. I was either more forgiving than Wayman Wong or they have gotten better since he saw it. The actor who played the Russian was very funny. ‘Don’t touch the coat!’

There were a few times when the actors’ voices were overwhelmed by the orchestra or didn’t build to the crescendo I hoped, but those are minor quibbles.

A lot of thought has been put into this adaptation, some of which was outlined in a sheet of paper written by the dramaturg about the history of Japan during this period that I read before the musical. The musical is staged beautifully and the costumes are striking given the budgetary constraints.

For anyone in the San Francisco Bay Area who has never seen Pacific Overtures, as I had not in person, it’s worth checking out. The show closes June 15.

 

Updated On: 6/8/25 at 03:03 AM

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 6/11/25 at 2:49pm

Kunoichi Productions' strong and striking revival of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's ''Pacific Overtures'' resumes tonight (6/11) and closes this Sunday (6/15) at the Brava Theater, 2781 24th St., San Francisco, Calif. If you're a Bay Area lover of Broadway and especially Sondheim, this 1976 musical about the Westernization of Japan is a must-see. Directed by Nick Ishimaru, ''Pacific Overtures'' showcases a marvelous Asian-American cast and a 7-piece orchestra. East meets West in Sondheim's ravishing score, which features his favorite song, ''Someone in a Tree.'' This show is rarely revived, and, sadly, rarely reviewed. I Googled and found only TWO full-length reviews: One by Lily Janiak in the S.F. Chronicle and one by Chad Jones at Theater Dogs.

Speaking of ''Pacific Overtures,'' one terrific actor who has experienced its ''cups of tea and history'' is Francis Jue. He did the 1984 York Theatre revival, as well as one at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto, Calif., in 1988 and the Roundabout's Broadway revival in 2004-05. At Roundabout, he shared the stage with the legendary Alvin Ing, who originally appeared in ''Pacific Overtures'' in 1976 and reprised his role as the Shogun's Mother, spilling the ''Chrysanthemum Tea.''

At Sunday's Tony Awards, when Jue won for David Henry Hwang's ''Yellow Face,'' he saluted Ing: ''I'm only here because of the encouragement and inspiration of generations of wonderful, deserving Asian artists who came before me and never got the opportunities that I've had.'' If you come to Kunoishi's ''Pacific Overtures'' this weekend, you'll see today's talented Asian-American actors who stand on their shoulders. And maybe someday a future Tony winner.

P.S. Bear88, thanks for your review! I'm so glad you saw this!

https://www.kunoichiproductions.org/

 

Updated On: 6/11/25 at 02:49 PM