In a daring move, Julia Izumi brings her personal journey to life in her autobiographical play, ‘Akira Kurosawa Explains His Movies and Yogurt (With Live and Active Cultures).’
However, early indications that the show may struggle to engage audiences emerge from Izumi’s self-referential humor, which raises concerns over the comfort level many might have while witnessing a playwright’s introspection.
The play lasts for an hour and 45 minutes without an intermission, and it seems to lack the depth and connection necessary to genuinely captivate its audience.
Throughout the performance, Izumi’s approach repeatedly emphasizes her own narrative, minimizing the audience’s involvement and urging them to simply admire her perceived cuteness and the significance of her personal story.
Frequent interactions with the audience, such as asking for a show of hands regarding shared feelings of perfectionism, appear as attempts to forge a connection but ultimately reinforce the idea that this is predominantly ‘The Izumi Show.’
While self-exploration in theater can yield rewarding results, it often demands a level of wit and relatability.
In this case, with Izumi’s comedic antics—including ensemble members dressed as the legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa and comically revealed pots of yogurt—the play tries to inject humor, yet falls short.
The core of the play revolves around Izumi processing a relatively minor childhood regret through the lens of Kurosawa’s cinematic legacy, a task that proves underwhelming.
While one might expect that her Japanese heritage could provide a deeper commentary on identity through her relationship with Kurosawa, Izumi herself quashes those expectations by admitting to having seen only a single film of his.
This kind of disarming revelation, when layered onto the performance, happens too frequently to retain any genuine charm.
In a pivotal moment when Izumi finally meets her idol, her obvious delight in his revelation about the yogurt is awkward rather than heartwarming, indicating a lack of authenticity in their interaction.
For a production framed as a whimsical exploration, audiences frequently find themselves yearning for true emotional catharsis.
Although Izumi asserts that her narrative illustrates how grief can inspire art—referring to both Kurosawa’s works and her own—the thematic insight feels insufficiently developed and ultimately stale.
The narrative peaks during a montage featuring clips from Kurosawa’s films, yet even that moment cannot overshadow the vague sense of indulgence in a project that seems better suited for casual sharing among close friends rather than for public performance.
While the review appears harsh, it arises from a place of genuine frustration over missed opportunities.
Izumi does touch upon an intriguing aspect of her relationship with her mother, a character who is deeply loved yet may have been constrained by societal pressures and the burden of familial responsibilities, leaving her own artistic potential unexplored.
This aspect begs for further exploration, which is sadly lost amidst the playful but superficial dressing as Kurosawa.
The directorial efforts by Aileen Wen aim to elevate the performance; however, uneven pacing and clumsy choreography undermine the effectiveness of the ensemble’s execution.
The innovative mixed media elements incorporated into the mockups of Kurosawa’s scenes showcase potential but rely heavily on context for their resonance, yet here, they largely miss the mark.
Performance-wise, Izumi succeeds in bringing an infectious sense of joy and humor that lingers in the audience’s memory.
Additionally, Jihan Haddad captivates the stage with distinct charisma across her multiple roles, and Kento Morita contributes a beautifully articulated voice-over that hints at the potential for a different kind of production.
While the heart of ‘Akira’ undoubtedly resides in the right intentions, the production itself struggles to deliver on the meaningful commentary that Izumi aspires to convey.
image source from：https://www.metroweekly.com/2025/05/akira-kurosawa-explains-his-movies-and-yogurt-quickly-sours/
