YOKAI, Remedy for Despair
About the show
The Tank and international mask theater company The Krumple present this movement-heavy exploration of the "yōkai," a class of strange, mischievous, and sometimes malevolent apparitions from Japanese folklore. More…
In a desolate space stands a group of curious looking people. With miniature trees and paper seagulls in their pockets, they begin to recreate the world as they see it. A premeditated car accident, a ravenous cod, and a dreadful Christmas Eve are part of the chaos created by the yōkai. Combining dance, magic, poetry, and sheer stupidity, the Krumple tells a contemporary tale of our attempts to find hope in moments of despair.
"It’s going to take this European band of devised performers to tell us that it is all going to be okay. I’m more than happy to welcome the Oslo and Paris-based Krumple to our country in despair, in need of remedy...Awesome clown work that’s expressive, silly, and emotionally gripping all at once...The plot is only a small portion of what makes 'YŌKAI' so enjoyable. For simple magic and some profound laughs, visit the Tank at their new space on 36th Street. Don’t despair." Full Review
"A witty and soulful amalgam of physical theater, clowning, dance, magic, and miniatures...Rather than seeking to enlighten, it mesmerizes abstractly, with stagy wisdom that seems beyond the years of these young artists but obviously isn’t...The six talented performers sneak or slam in and out, now characters, now puppeteers, now set constructors...always charming and disarming. We detect many influences and resonances along with plenty of hilarity and a lot of heart." Full Review
"Taken one wide-eyed, rubber-limbed performer at a time, everyone in the clown play 'Yōkai' is impressive...But while their show is marvelous moment by moment, it doesn’t exceed the sum of its charming parts...By the fifteenth sneaky entrance, the childlike naughtiness starts to cloy. As the show glides along like a recital, giving each actor a showcase moment, an overall sense of sameness also tiptoes in." Full Review
for a previous production "The staging is a wonder…‘Yokai’ is at once tender, harrowing, heart-wrenching, and humorous, and through a series of perfectly crafted vignettes explores a spectrum of emotions which question what it means to be a human…A hidden gem of mime, magical storytelling, and physical theatre, performed by an incredibly imaginative and talented cast. It is unlike any piece of theatre that I have seen before, and is a work of art that remains with you long after you have left." Full Review
for a previous production “A perfect mix of physical theatre, mime, and magical storytelling...Beautiful images rolling into one another, coming to life with extreme simplicity, is something truly admirable. The lack of narrative can be overlooked...the only disappointment is the slightly confusing ending. However, on the whole this show is genial, joyous and funny. This is the ideal family combination: children will be blown away whilst adults will be stunned. The perfect representation of the theatre’s magical power.” Full Review
for a previous production "Funny, clever, surreal and visually striking, this imaginative new show from The Krumple is a gift that keeps on giving…The central premise here–how people cope with the tragedies and chaos life drops in their lap–is universal and timeless. The stories themselves are engaging, but it is the method in which they are told that gives 'Yōkai' its gold star…Words are redundant in the face of such astute movement and razor-sharp timing." Full Review
for a previous production “An organic and heartwarming fringe gem…Words are savored by the Yōkai and transferred to expressions as wide as the Mile, whilst maintaining believable, eccentric characterization…Assured narrative imagination fuels the vibrancy of the style and vice versa. The quality of storytelling is refreshingly unpredictable but consistently clear…'Yōkai' reminds us that, in a world of theoretical divisions, the stories we make as individuals are a part of a greater narrative.” Full Review
for a previous production “A truly original hybrid of physical theatre, prop-based mime, and storytelling…Infinitely charming…What raises ‘Yokai’ from a good to an excellent production is its shrewd synchronicity…The only shortfall of this show is its ending…Chaos appears to undermine the intricately orchestrated coherence of the rest of the show, and almost trivializes 'Yokai's' profundity. However, with such a stunning spectacle like this, is deeper meaning really necessary?” Full Review
for a previous production “They have an extraordinary ability of expressing themselves and creating new worlds with gestures and dance. Words appear completely unnecessary in a world like theirs. When they dance they seem animated by external forces, pushed down on the ground or lifted up like a flying leaf…Their silliness gradually wins the audience, who learn step by step to understand their world and their language code. We left intrigued, fascinated and enchanted." Full Review
for a previous production “As content, it's a tad arbitrary, but it's delivered with style; all the better for the arch shonkiness that cuts through its cuteness. Helicopters on headbands whiz through the skies. Carolers cut out mid-chorus. As it relishes its shortfalls and failures, it seems to rejoice in resilience all the more. Like us, it keeps on carrying on, making the best of our fragile, little lives.” Full Review
See it if You are looking for a super clever perfectly timed off Broadway show that will make you laugh and reflect. Well done!
Don't see it if You are looking for a large production show with a heafty price tag. You need heavy dialog. You aren't into eccentric themes/story telling
See it if you seek fun, intelligence & often heartbreaking poignancy/Memories of your journey through life will come forth due to Krumple's artistry.
Don't see it if physical theater from an Oslo/Paris based company is not part of your theatre of choice
See it if You want to see mine at its best telling a beautiful and hilarious story. Staging was very creative and mesmerizing. Poetry in motionsync
Don't see it if If you are not into seeing how passionate and talented people can be in outside Broadway in unique venues
Also I was surprised how much I loved this show. The actors were excellent.... Read more Read less
See it if You want to see some expert, youthful Lecoq clowning with a drive to impress and joy in its heart.
Don't see it if You don't like work that is not text-based, or your not willing to overlook a lack of narrative cohesion.
See it if A surreal experience, something like Blue Man Group on LSD. The Yokai spirits make chaos out of human endeavors. Great staging.
Don't see it if You don't have an open mind for some pretty weird stuff.
See it if you enjoy physical theater or have never experienced it. This is clever and beautiful. So well done!
Don't see it if you hate good art.
See it if you appreciate imaginative sets, props and costumes. You like productions that are more performance art than drama.
Don't see it if you're looking for a conventional linear plot and dialogue.
See it if you’ll watch a troupe of top notch physical theater artists perform macabre and whimsical modern day fairy tales w/ toy models and mime
Don't see it if you know you’ll get bored without dialogue or song; you want a traditional playgoing experience w/ developed characters and a plot
Also Fringe but super polished. This company’s as comfortable together as a... Read more Read less
See it if You enjoy imaginative mixtures of clown, puppetry, and dance. You like daydreamy pieces.
Don't see it if You want clarity, meaningful text, or obvious narrative.
See it if you're up for 1hr of short fairy tale-like scenes that are whimsical & playful, even when (laughable) tragedy strikes. You like clowning.
Don't see it if you want a clear plot or message, spoken dialog, or grown-up realism. Or if your inner child refuses to be tickled.
Also YOKAI's opening was so simple & so fantastic!! All hilarious wordless ... Read more Read less
See it if you like neat ways to stage stories, movement-based silent stories, the absurd
Don't see it if you're looking for storylines you can follow, you don't see the absurd or beautiful in the tragic
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