Japanese playwright Hisashi Inoue’s script must make for some tender reading. Translated by his long-time friend, Australian Roger Pulvers, The Face of Jizo is brought to life onstage inside the intimate space of the Reginald Theatre by co-director and actor Shingo Usami and Mayu Iwasaki. Omusubi Production’s The Face of Jizo delicately unravels the ache in a heart, drawing the audience in for an emotional journey for a sensitive topic.
Set in the aftermath some three years after the dropping of the atomic bomb, the story opens to a severe thunderstorm. Lightning flashes and Mitsue (Iwasaki) umbrella in hand, enters her house, (a neat shack, designed with Japanese authenticity by Tobhiyah Stone Feller) with elevated tatami mats and a small, tidy kitchen. She is terrified. Calling for her father, “Daddy, I’m scared!” her father appears and there, Takezo (Usami) calms her, and we see the first glimpse into a beautiful father and daughter relationship. He tells her, “You got your reasons for being scared and you shouldn’t be ashamed of it. Nobody blames the victim of the bomb for getting shook up over something that flashes, even if it’s just an innocent little firefly.” I loved the significance of Takezo’s reference to a firefly; it beautifully captures how even something as small and delicate as a firefly can traumatise the innocence of the victims, making their pain all the more poignant and justified.
Mitsue’s job as a librarian brings her in contact with Kinoshita, (unseen) a man who collects items related to the atom bomb. Mitsue is in possession of some items, notably the face of Jizo, the guardian of children and travellers, which is half destroyed in war. A blooming relationship appears to be growing, but as the audience hears, Mitsue’s belief in finding true happiness for herself is shadowed with self-sabotage. Iwasaki brought the barbed sharpness of survivor’s guilt pain to the stage in a raw and genuine performance that brought tears to my eyes, and I know I was not the only one in the theatre who felt this deeply.
In this performance, on the 80-year anniversary in August 2025, it felt one message was clear; an act of inhumanity affects everyone – the innocents, for years to come and this unnatural act should never occur again. Despite the tears though, The Face of Jizo is a story of hope, love and courage. Usami’s portrayal of Takezo was captivating; his blending of a wise, paternal presence with a playful, larger-than-life humour added depth, warmth and levity to some scenes.
Composer Me-Lee Hay created a backdrop to Hiroshima in the late 1940’s with some beautiful music to accompany some scenes, as did Zachary Saric’s sound design throughout the play. The lighting by Max Cox captured the horror of the atomic bomb’s flashes, conveying an unspeakable event.
The vision of co-directors David Lynch and Shingo Usami for this timely production was outstanding, with their insight enhancing the emotional impact for which it was intended.
The Face of Jizo, a Japanese / Australian production in the Seymour Centre is theatre that tenderly addresses generational trauma as well as imparting courage and resilience.
The performance I attended on opening night, August 22, was a sold-out show that concluded with a well-deserved standing ovation. I highly recommend watching The Face of Jizo, as it is sure to continue moving audiences throughout the entire run.
Seymour Centre: Corner of City Road and Cleveland St, Chippendale
Season: 21 August – 6 September 2025
Time: 80 minutes, no interval
Tickets: www.seymourcentre.com/event/the-face-of-jizo
To book tickets to The Face of Jizo, please visit https://www.seymourcentre.com/event/the-face-of-jizo/.
Photographer: Kathy Luu
