"Sumo" Offers a Glimpse into a Ancient Japanese Discipline, but Struggles to Connect Emotionally
"Sumo," a production by the Ma-Yi Theater Company and La Jolla Playhouse, opened at the Public Theater, offering New Yorkers a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of sumo wrestling, a discipline steeped in tradition and spirituality. Director Ralph B. Peña’s visually stunning staging transforms the nearly naked bodies of the wrestlers into living sculptures, creating a powerful and immersive experience. The play captures the pageantry and poetics of sumo, blending its spiritual essence with its existence as both a sport and a business. However, despite its authenticity and respect for the tradition, the play often falls short of achieving the emotional depth and dramatic intensity it seeks, leaving audiences with a sense of detachment.
A Glimpse into the Hierarchical World of a Sumo Stable
The story unfolds in a fictional Tokyo heya, or wrestling stable, where a strict hierarchy based on competitive achievement is ruthlessly enforced. At the top of this hierarchy is Mitsuo, played by David Shih, a wrestler on the brink of reaching sumo’s highest rank. Below him are Ren, Shinta, Fumio, and So, each wearing traditional loincloths and carrying the weight of their respective ranks. So, the lowest-ranked wrestler, spends much of his time performing menial tasks like serving rice and cleaning the ring. Yet, there is someone even beneath him: Akio, an unranked newcomer from a troubled background who dreams of becoming a sumo wrestler despite his small stature. Akio’s journey from arrogance to humility is a central theme of the play, as he learns to scrub away not just Mitsuo’s sweat but also his own pride and desire.
The Spiritual and Brutal World of Sumo
The play delves into the spiritual ethos of sumo, drawing parallels to Shinto purification rituals and the mythical struggle between human and divine. The wrestlers’ brutal initiations and humiliations are framed as necessary steps in their spiritual growth, with characters like Ren telling Akio that “parts of us must be destroyed to make way for what comes after.” While this philosophical approach is intriguing, it often feels overly abstract, leaving audiences struggling to connect with the characters on an emotional level. The play’s attempts to explore themes of toxic masculinity and the commercial pressures on athletes are likewise underdeveloped, feeling more like surface-level observations rather than deeply explored ideas.
A Play with a Focus on Ritual but Little Emotional Depth
Despite its visually striking production and intense action sequences, "Sumo" often feels more like a nature documentary than a play. The wrestlers’ physicality and strength are used to great effect, creating moments of raw power and elemental force, but the characters themselves feel thinly drawn. The play’s structure, which relies on a series of competitions to provide momentum, struggles to balance the numerous crises and subplots, including a gay subplot that is handled with such delicacy it becomes hard to follow. The result is a play that feels overly focused on ritual and tradition, with little room for the kind of emotional exploration that would make the characters feel fully realized.
The Production’s Visual Splendor and Narrative Weaknesses
The physical production is undeniably impressive, with a simple 15-foot sumo ring serving as the primary setting. The projections, lighting, and sound design evoke the hush of a bath, the buzz of a restaurant, and the clamor of competition, creating a immersive atmosphere. The costumes, designed by Mariko Ohigashi, tell vivid stories about the wrestlers’ roles and ranks. However, the play’s narrative struggles to match the production’s visual splendor. The characters’ internal lives are often told rather than shown, leaving audiences with a sense of distance. The play’s use of three priests as narrators, while well-intentioned, only exacerbates this problem, making sumo feel like a museum exhibit rather than a living, breathing world.
A Respectful but Distant Portrayal of Sumo
"Sumo" is a play that clearly respects the tradition it portrays, but its reverence often feels at odds with its ability to connect with audiences on an emotional level. While the production’s visual and physical elements are undeniably impressive, the play’s narrative struggles to balance its many elements, leaving audiences with a sense of detachment. The play’s themes of spiritual growth, hierarchy, and the pressures of modern commerce are timely and thought-provoking, but they are often overshadowed by the play’s focus on ritual and tradition. Ultimately, "Sumo" feels like a missed opportunity to delve deeper into the complexities of its characters and the world they inhabit.
