Play taps into rich themes

By Patricia Ho

Playwright Philip Kan Gotanda's latest offering at the San Jose Repertory Theater, "The Wind Cries Mary," takes place in the '60s against a backdrop of activism and rock and roll. "Mary" draws its influence from diverse sources - it is based heavily on the19th century play "Hedda Gabler" by Henrik Ibsen and takes its title from a Jimi Hendrix song of the same name.

Gotanda takes the already challenging and psychologically complex "Hedda Gabler" and adds on another layer of race relations. The main protagonist struggles to come to terms with her place in society as a woman and as an Asian American. The play has high-reaching ambitions that it satisfies with mixed success.

The "Mary" of the title refers to Eiko Hanabi, played by Juillard Graduate Tess Lina, a Japanese American woman suspended between expectations of her as a woman and her own desires for agency and independence. While the men go out and join the demonstrations, she is obligated to stay at home, quoting with bitterness the infamous Stokely Carmichael line, "the position of women in the movement is [on their backs]."

Eiko is also at odds with her identity as an Asian, as she is neither fully Japanese nor a member of American culture. Having visited Japan, she vows never to go back again as they do not speak English. Her Caucasian husband, however, is fascinated. Eiko mocks him for his fondness of peasants' tea and for wearing a kimono with colors meant for an old lady.

The role of the fiercely proud and intelligent Eiko is inhabited seamlessly by Lina , whose countenance and stage presence are fitting. Her portrayal of Eiko commands attention even before she utters any lines. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of Eiko's ex-lover, Miles Katayama, played by Stan Egi. Miles' appearance in the play is preceded by much hype generated by the characters gossiping about his return to the academic world. The audience anticipates a charismatic genius, but is let down with Egi's weak performance. There is a dismal lack of chemistry between the driven Eiko and the blathering Miles. Other supporting cast members fare better, with Joy Carlin's Auntie Gladys deserving special mention. Gladys' blatantly un-politically correct statements may have turned her character into a meaningless caricature in lesser hands, but Carlin does an excellent job of making her character believable. All in all, Gotanda may have bitten off more than he can chew. He raises pertinent race and gender issues, but fails to explore them in depth. The politics involved in interracial relationships are hinted at, but that's about it. In addition, for those familiar with "Hedda Gabler" comparisons are hard to resist, especially since plot lines and characters are so similar. "The Wind Cries Mary" will be playing through Nov. 17.