'Overtures' overboard

Pacific Overtures is a musical about the opening of Japan to the West, but Stephen Sondheim's work, like most of his plays, goes deeper than history and digs into themes of human adaptability and tenacity. This is an ambitious production of a difficult piece to put together. The cast, crew, director, and musical forces have obviously put a lot of time and energy into providing inventive lighting and energetic performances of complex music. With visually inventive direction from Ja-Shukry Shia, JE '03, incorporating well thought-out dance moves and various mediums, including split-level staging and shadow screens, this production offers much to enjoy.

TOM ISLER/YH Okay, so it's not as scary as Godzilla -- or even Mothra -- but could they sing?

There are many moments of Pacific Overtures with explosive energy. These are the moments when this production succeeds most, and makes other Yale musicals seem underpowered in comparison. However, this unflagging motion sometimes works contrary to the purpose of the musical. Scenes which are meant to show Japanese culture, sometimes in conflict with those of the West, often lack the correct energy of tranquil authority or horror, and thus start to drag. A scene in which three drunken soldiers scale a wall and proposition a young girl as a geisha until her father returns and murders them is just one of several marred by too much energy, turning what could be horrific and compelling theater into something merely odd.

In spite of this, the production does hammer home the important scenes of the musical, getting many less important but entertaining parts right on. There is a spectacular scene in which a high-ranking official is constantly reminded of ships in the harbor made remarkable by staging that gives it a sense of underlying horror. Unfortunately, this edge was not pursued beyond this scene. Another problem is the meandering first act, partially the fault of Sondheim's often-overambitious script, partly due to the lack of presence put into these scenes. A more careful use of the script might have more clearly delineated this point. But though Pacific Overtures may not be a complete success, the hard work of all involved shines through. Everything comes together in the final rousing number, a celebration of tenacity, adaptability, and Japan.

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