FOR ALL IT’S GIRTH
Sumo is a Japanese sport in which two bulky Japanese wrestlers clutch and grab at each other within a circular ring. The goal is to either eject the opponent from the ring or knock him on his back. The typical match runs a few seconds and rarely as long as a minute. The top sumo wrestlers are considered national heroes in Japan (think Michael Jordan in the U.S.A.).
Red Concepción, Kris Bona, Paco Tolson, Ahmad Kamal, and Scott Keiji Takeda
You are about to enter an elite training center in Tokyo where we meet a group of Japanese men trying to reach “makuuchi,” the highest division on the pyramid of sumo achievement, and ultimately become “yokozuna”—champion.
David Shih and Scott Keiji Takeda
At the Anspacher Theater, Lisa Sanaye Dring’s Sumo—which opened tonight at The Public—is an exhilarating and culturally rich theatrical experience. A co-production of Ma-Yi Theater Company and La Jolla Playhouse, the production is skillfully helmed by director Ralph B. Peña, who brings a compelling blend of tension, tradition, and spectacle to the stage. The fight sequences, crafted by co-fight directors James Yaegashi (sumo consultant) and Chelsea Pace (intimacy direction) are both raw and mesmerizing, capturing the intensity of sumo combat with exactitude.
Paco Tolson and the company of SUMO
It is a rare treat to be immersed in a world so unfamiliar to many theatergoers. Sumo not only educates audiences about Japan’s national sport and its deep-rooted Shinto rituals but also delivers a profound and emotionally charged narrative. The play centers on Akio (Scott Keiji Takeda), an 18-year-old novice who enters the rigorous and disciplined world of sumo in search of fame and fortune. The fortune would come from wealthy sponsors who attend the six major tournaments held each year, their financial support urgently sought by all competitors. Akio is alone in life and seeks sumo as a way to give his existence meaning and purpose.
David Shih
His journey takes him to the most esteemed training facility in Tokyo where he endures both physical and emotional trials at the hands of veteran sumo wrestlers, including the revered Mitsuo (David Shih), who becomes a kind of mentor to the teenager. Subjected to harsh traditions that position him as more of a servant than a student, Akio fights through relentless adversity.
The second act delves into the complexities of mentorship, success, and tradition. Themes of masculinity, love, and the evolution of age-old customs are thoughtfully explored, making the play resonate beyond the sumo ring. As the play progresses, we learn about the strenuous training regimen, as well as the rivalries and personality clashes within the group.
Scott Keiji Takeda
Earl T. Kim and Scott Keiji Takeda
Sumo demands a strict mix of athleticism and obedience to rituals and customs that go back thousands of years into Japanese mythology and is definitely one of the world’s most demanding sports. As we find, it’s an intensely male environment. Yet, notably, Sumo is written by a woman—a fascinating paradox given that, traditionally, women were not only forbidden to step in the ring, they were excluded as spectators at sumo tournaments—yet the sport is spiritually overseen by powerful goddesses. Based on Dring’s riveting dialogue, it’s no surprise that La Jolla Playhouse commissioned the Hawaiian playwright to write an original play, even though she is still in the early stages of her career.
David Shih (center) and the company
Red Concepción, Ahmad Kamal, and Michael Hisamoto
The production’s design elements elevate the experience to exceptional heights. Wilson Chin’s minimalist scenic design provides a stark yet evocative backdrop, allowing to take center stage Paul Whitaker’s dynamic lighting and Hana S. Kim’s stunning projections, which bring to colorful life the traditional Japanese setting, especially with the reproductions of Japanese woodcuts. Mariko Ohigashi’s costume design vividly illustrates the hierarchy within the sumo world, while Alberto “Albee” Alvarado’s wig designs add another layer of authenticity.
Viet Vo, Ahmad Kamal, and Kris Bona
Kris Bona, Paco Tolson, and Viet Vo
The traditions of Japanese music were well-served by sound designer and composer Fabian Obispo, and by composer Shih-Wei Wu, who thunderously boomed on a giant taiko drum to electrifyingly dramatic effect high above the stage, infusing the production with pulse-pounding energy.
Earl T. Kim
The ensemble cast, including Red Conceptión (Fumio), Michael Hisamoto (So), Ahmad Kamal (Ren), Earl T. Kim (Shinta), and Paco Tolson, Kris Bona, and Viet Vo (“Kannushi” 1-3), is truly remarkable. Their physical commitment is evident, with each actor pushing themselves to the limit, donning bandages and medical tape as they endure the rigorous demands of the production. In real life, sumo wrestlers generally weigh 300 pounds and more. They are mountains of flesh and the task of moving such bodies for even a few feet is daunting. A couple of the Public performers approach the real-life weight requirements of sumo girth but viewers are invited to adjust their imaginations while soaking up the rules and lore of sumo culture.
Scott Keiji Takeda
Under Peña’s direction, the play maintains a gripping pace, seamlessly balancing moments of raw emotion with the grandeur of sumo. His expertise ensures that the two-hour and twenty-minute runtime flies by. Truly, I was captivated from start to finish.
Sumo is quite the achievement—both an education in an ancient tradition and a deeply moving human story. Through its exceptional cast, striking visuals, and thought-provoking themes, it cements itself as an original, praiseworthy theatrical event.
Scott Keiji Takeda and Red Concepción
photos by Joan Marcus
Sumo
The Public Theater, Anspacher Theater, 425 Lafayette Street
2 hours and 20 minutes, including one intermission
Tues-Sun at 7:00; Sat & Sun at 1:30 (check for variances)
ends on March 30, 2025
for tickets, call 212.967.7555 or visit The Public
Scott Keiji Takeda and David Shih
