Istvan Dugalin ➤

A moment from “Mukashi, Mukashi”, Photo by Yoshikazu Inoue

In Mukashi, Mukashi (Once Upon a Time in Japanese) creator David Danzon employs an eclectic array of stylistic flourishes to explore iconic fixtures in Western and Japanese folklore: the Wolf and the Crane. Presented by CORPUS and The KIO Company, he and the ensemble (Kohey Nakadachi, Sakura Korin, Takako Segawa and Kaitlin Torrance) engage in playful celebration of the mythological hold these archetypes have on our collective cultures.

In broad comedic sketches, the Little Red Riding Hood story plays out in a series of clashing presentation modes—from J-pop concert and Looney Tunes to staged Manga with life-size puppetry and a sensationalistic talk show. The theatrical recreations of cartoons were aesthetically the most compelling aspect of these segments. Overall, though, I didn’t connect to the humour.

Designer Yann Becker’s screen panels with ink-work bamboo imagery are elegant and allow for some inventive reveals as they glide past each other and the actors. The performers’ expressive physicality is especially impressive. Of Atsuko Kiyokawa’s many striking costumes, I was particularly taken with the adorable furry wolf tails. 

The second half of the show delves into The Crane Wife tale and is significantly more sombre and poignant. There is a particularly eerie sequence in which the entire stage is drenched in rolling fog. The elegant crane headdresses are quite stunning. 

Perhaps the most simultaneously ominous and goofy bit comes early on, when the cast, crouched in shadow, snarl and howl as a spotlight representation of a moon drifts about in the background. The on-stage origami art is pretty neat and the hand sprinkles of snow are a lovely little detail. A blend of spoken English and Japanese with French and English sur-titles further complete this aesthetic mishmash.

Though I appreciate each and every individual aspect of this, as a whole, it never quite felt properly cohesive. At only an hour, though, even this potential shortcoming isn’t particularly problematic. And there are moments of stirring beauty. I imagine children would be the most fully transported by its giddy charms.

Mukashi, Mukashi (Once Upon A Time)
running September 24 to 29, 2024
The Theatre Centre, Franco Boni Theatre (1115 Queen Street W,)
running time: 60 minutes

The Ensemble of “Mukashi, Mukashi”, Photo by Yoshikazu Inoue