Stage Page
By Shari Barrett
‘Yohen’ reveals how cultural differences challenge a marriage
It is more than appropriate that East West Players (EWP) and The Robey Theatre Company (RTC) are presenting Philip Kan Gotanda’s YOHEN, directed by Ben Guillory, featuring screen, stage, and television actor Danny Glover and Emmy Award-winning actress June Angela as James and Sumi Washington, an interracial couple struggling to maintain their 37-year marriage after James retires from the US Army and becomes a stay-at-home husband.
The dramatic change in routine prompts questions about life, love, and aging, as the couple attempts to repair what’s broken and decide what is worth saving.
Sumi studies the art of pottery-making with many of her pieces displayed on the open box shelves on the beautifully designed set by Christopher Scott Murillo, lit with amazing color displays by Michael Ricks which never distract from the actors and highlight the displayed pottery during long scene breaks. When Sumi discusses her imperfect pottery pieces with James, she informs him that in Japanese pottery, the term “Yohen” refers to unpredictable changes that take place in the kiln, which often causes pieces to be called “ugly” or works of art, deepening upon the overall look of the final piece.
The same is true of their marriage, referred to as taking place in Japan after WWII when American G.I.s stationed there arranged for their foreign-born wives to be brought back to the United States. June Angela perfectly plays Sumi as a long-suffering but devoted wife, both shy when her reserved native society values come into play, and outspoken when she confronts James with what she feels is lacking in their marriage. In fact, it’s apparent from the start when James pays her a visit for their “first date” that the two are no longer living in their home together. She seems disinterested in allowing him back into her life, claiming his all-day lounging around, drinking beer while watching TV lifestyle disagrees with her own.
Glover portrays James as a retiree who enjoys his well-deserved rest or hanging out with the “boys” at his local gym where he coaches boxing. The arts and advanced education mean little to him, while they are the center of Sumi’s world. Glover gracefully defers to Angela in most scenes, allowing her to dominate their conversations as she expresses her joy as well as disappointment with the way her life turned out. Her description had me wondering how the two ever managed to get together and get married in the first place if they could not even speak to each other, until she said that every Japanese woman hoped to snag an American G.I. after the war and live a better life in the USA. And after living apart for so long, having him home 24/7 obviously is weighing on Sumi’s patience and love for her husband.
Director Ben Guillory shares, “The examination of a marital relationship is not new, but the intricacies of its inner workings are always fascinating. The revelation in “Yohen” is that there are no fixed and absolute answers; there’s only that ephemeral element we each define as love.” But just imagine how a Muslim wife brought home by an American G.I. might be treated now, and the relevance of this play comes into focus about how cultural, religious and racial differences can ultimately threaten a marriage.
Tickets for “Yohen” at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center of the Arts, 120 Judge John Aiso Street, L.A. Purchased tickets online at eastwestplayers.org or by calling 213-625-7000. General Admission ticket prices range from $40 to $60, with performances through Nov. 19.
