Orient excess in face of looming disaster

THE FEAST OF ANTS
Theatro Technis,
Momington Crescent
★★★★☆

This is described in the publicity material as a modern Japanese Cherry Orchard and indeed there are many similarities.
However, instead of the Cherry Orchard there are fields of rapeseed neglected and destroyed by industrialization. The factories have since failed and the workers have left town.
The original citizens remain a group of foolish indolent people frittering their lives away in the face of impending and inevitable disaster.
It has been raining for three years and the water in the river has become dangerously high.
The citizens devote their lives to committing adultery, borrowing money from each other, complaining about the rains but seemingly incapable of making any effort to save themselves. Why should they care about the future?
There is the festival to enjoy ? the festival dedicated to the ants who first brought the rapeseed to Arizuka. There are moments of pathos and farce as well as tragedy. The dialogue is in Japanese and there is a voice ? over in English to help out although the physical acting of the players might actually stand on its own and be preferable to a rather inept narration.
All is beautiful, funny and almost unbearably tragic. Unlike in the Cherry Orchard there is no redemption for these people.

Until March 5.

ALINE WAITES

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