Should one man be held responsible for the crimes of an army? You be the judge! -- The National Arts Centre English Theatre presents Tiger of Malaya by Hiro Kanagawa
November 19, 2003 -
Ottawa -- The National Arts Centre English Theatre Studio Series - theatre that tangoes - kicks off the 2003-2004 season with the World Premiere coproduction of Vancouver playwright Hiro Kanagawa's gripping historical drama Tiger of Malaya. Directed by Factory Theatre Artistic Director Ken Gass, Tiger of Malaya runs in the intimate NAC Studio from November 25 to December 6 (preview November 24) with performances at 20:00 and Saturday matinees at 14:00 on November 29 and December 6, and a special 12:30 matinee on November 27. Tickets are available in person at the NAC Box Office at 53 Elgin Street, by phone through Ticketmaster at (613) 755-1111 or on-line via the Ticketmaster link on the NAC web site at www.nac-cna.ca.
Surprising and moving, Tiger of Malaya explores a fascinating episode in American military jurisprudence. In September 1945, after a fierce and lengthy battle, Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita surrendered the Philippines to American General Douglas MacArthur. Shortly thereafter, the Tiger of Malaya, as he had come to be known, was put on trial for war crimes committed by troops under his command during those waning days of the war in the Pacific.
Hiro Kanagawa's compelling play explores the subjectivity of history and the vagaries of individual fate through a fictionalized imagining of the relationship between Yamashita and his American defence team. When a good ol' boy lawyer from the Southern States and a young, idealistic Jewish lawyer from New York City come together with a young Japanese-American translator to defend the man they have heard described as "the Butcher of Bataan," each brings his own preconceptions, fears and foibles to the task. Increasingly, the defence team is forced to attempt to reconcile the evidence of the atrocities with a man they come to know and admire. Yamashita himself is haunted by a filipino witness who challenges him to confront the truth of his personal culpability.
Tiger of Malaya is directed by Ken Gass, Artistic Director of Toronto's Factory Theatre, and features Set Design by David Boechler, Lighting Design by Bonnie Beecher, Sound Design by Todd Charlton and Costume Design by Julia Tribe.
Denis Akiyama plays ill-fated General Yamashita; Ginger Ruriko Busch is Daisy; Aura Carcueva is Rosario; Ken James plays Colonel Hilroy and Jordan Pettle is Captain Lederman.
Fiona Jones is Stage Manager for this NAC English Theatre/Factory Theatre coproduction. Apprentice Stage Manager is Sandy Plunkett.
Tickets for Tiger of Malaya are available at the NAC Box Office in person or through Ticketmaster at 755-1111, and on-line through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC's web site at www.nac-cna.ca (a service charge applies to all purchases made through Ticketmaster). Students should visit the Live Rush™ page online at www.liverushnac.ca to find out how to obtain Live Rush seats ($9.50) available on a first-come, first-served basis after 18:00 on the day of performance.
Tiger of Malaya - Listings Info.
- November 25-December 6 (Preview, Monday, November 24). No performances Sundays or Mondays
- NAC Studio
- 20:00 Tuesday through Saturday
- Saturday matinees 14:00, November 29 and December 6; Special matinee 12:30, November 27
- Tickets available at NAC Box Office in person; through Ticketmaster 755-1111 or on-line through Ticketmaster link www.nac-cna.ca
- Tickets from $27.50 (preview $18)
- Pre-Show Chat - An informal discussion before the Saturday Matinee performance
Saturday, November 29 at 13:00 in the NAC Salon ; Guest Speaker: Playwright, Hiro Kanagawa
- Thursday Talkbacks - A Post-Performance Question and Answer session with performers - Thursday, December 4
- Round Table Discussion with Moderator Ken Rockburn and Panelists Major-General Jerry S.T. Pitzul, Q.C., CMM, CD, BAD, LL.B., MBA Judge Advocate General of the Canadian Forces; Gilles Paquet, President of the Royal Society of Canada (2003-2005), and Hiro Kanagawa, Playwright, Actor -- on November 27 at approx. 15:00 following the 12:30 matinee performance. See attached for details.
