The Ephemera Trilogy NYC Reviews and Tickets

84%

(32 Ratings)

Positive

97%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Absorbing, Thought-provoking, Great staging, Clever, Ambitious

About the Show

The Tank presents a trio of sand drawing and shadow performances that examine memory, home, and transcultural identity. Created and performed by Japanese-American artist Kimi Maeda.

Paper and sand, light and shadow, memory and identity, the familiar and the strange; woven together these are the elements that compose Kimi Maeda’s 'Ephemera Trilogy.' Developed over a period of six years, these three short solo pieces employ a range of innovative storytelling techniques and visuals to explore the artist’s bicultural identity and family history, from a Japanese American internment camp during World War II, to postwar Japan, to suburban New England. Part of The Tank’s Flint & Tinder series.

Show-Score Member Reviews (32)

Absorbing, Great staging, Intelligent, Resonant, Creative

See it if You enjoy alternative theater forms (shadow puppetry, sand drawing, documentary); raw creativity, personal histories, identity exploration

Don't see it if You're looking for acting, on-stage interaction, traditional story lines

Absorbing, Entertaining, Enchanting, Great staging, Thought-provoking

See it if you're interested in very cool shadow puppetry, sand art, or learning about Japanese internment camps. Very relevant to ideas today.

Don't see it if you don't like one woman shows, shadow puppets, or sand art.

Lyrical and lovely, Kimi is a talented and thoughtful artist., Non-traditional theater and storytelling., Absorbing and entertaining., A little slow, but keeps your interest.

See it if Are open to new theater experiences, have interest in cultural themes and artistic expression, have some knowledge of history. Creative.

Don't see it if Don't enjoy memory pieces, memoir, experimental theater or dreamy story. Don't like documentaries, no interest in history, want fast-paced. Read more

Clever

See it if You like a different kind of theatre. This involved silouhettes and sand drawings.

Don't see it if You don't like one-woman shows. This was her story and it was well done.

Great staging, Masterful

See it if You're interested in various methods of "puppetry" or telling stories through video, shadows, and more.

Don't see it if You like things with more action, this show is mainly autobiography and can be slow.

Ambitious, Lyrical, Imaginative, Unusual, Slow

See it if you enjoy performance art that creates great visual images. The storytelling is engaging, but slow, repetitive, and sometimes muddled.

Don't see it if you are frustrated by muddy narration. The voiceover can be hard to decipher. And the autobio story, weaving 2 tales, is hard to follow. Read more