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By Ji Hyun Lim
At times, art mirrors reality so closely, it’s disturbing. It brings us closer to the truth of human suffering. Yoshiji Watanabe’s Reunion attempts to mesh drama with life experiences to create a “real” theatrical experience. The play leaves audiences with an aftertaste that makes them question the nature and consequences of human cruelty and the human need for closure in relationships.
Reunion, written in 1991, explores the pain and complexity of war’s aftermath. The protagonist, Shinzo, is the 79-year-old president of Fujita Machinery who comes face-to-face with his past. His first wife, Haru, abandoned in Manchuria during WWII, decides to sojourn to Japan to confront the demons of her past. However, Shinzo has since created a new life, family and home in Japan. His life is disrupted, and he is torn between bringing Haru back to Japan and burying the ghosts of his second wife’s suicide.
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