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A review by philipkenner
Suicide Forest by Kristine Haruna Lee
5.0
In Suicide Forest, Haruna Lee creates what they describe as a “Japanese, dark, psychic space.” Inspired by Adrienne Kennedy’s Funnyhouse of a Negro, Suicide Forest tells the fractured story of Azusa, a child’s life-sized doll come into consciousness, and Salaryman, a tortured businessman with no concrete sense of self.
The ending of the play, without giving anything away, is a moving departure from the narrative framework that launches the story. It’s one of those delicious examples of why theater is singular and inimitable as a form.
Simply, this play is gorgeous. It lives elegantly yet harrowingly on the page. Its most recent NYC production, directed by Aya Ogawa, was cut short by COVID-19, but the photos and videos which exist from the show only reify the theatrical feat that is this furious, melancholy piece of writing.
The ending of the play, without giving anything away, is a moving departure from the narrative framework that launches the story. It’s one of those delicious examples of why theater is singular and inimitable as a form.
Simply, this play is gorgeous. It lives elegantly yet harrowingly on the page. Its most recent NYC production, directed by Aya Ogawa, was cut short by COVID-19, but the photos and videos which exist from the show only reify the theatrical feat that is this furious, melancholy piece of writing.