Tea, the semi-autobiographical play by Velina Hasu Houston, examines the lives of five Japanese women, transplanted to the Western plains of Kansas in the 1950s after marrying U.S. servicemen. In the opening scene, Himiko Hamilton stumbles wildly around her house wearing a traditional kimono over her negligee. Finally at rest, she sits on a pillow in her dining room, aims a gun at her chest and fires.
For the rest of this haunting play, presented by University Theatre through Nov. 2, Himiko is trapped in limbo between heaven and earth, watching as her friends mourn her death and question their lives as war brides a world away from their traditions, language, family and culture. As the women talk and share tea in Himiko’s house after the funeral, it becomes clear that they face many challenges — struggles with identity, overt and subtle incidents of racism and the lack of connection.
For the most part, the characters in Tea are archetypes rather than individuals. Atsuko (Ziyao Huang) is the snobbish head of the local Buddhist temple. Teruko (Ruilin Huang) is the demure peacemaker. Setsuko (Sunghee Pak) is traditional and kind, the only one who is able to pass her knowledge of Japanese food down to the next generation. By contrast, Chizuye (Dara Xiong) has gone to great lengths to assimilate. She takes English classes, wears trendy American clothes, and even brings American food — spinach quiche — to the gathering. Himiko (Yuewen “Ella” Lin) is the wild child: a troubled soul grieving over lost family and living with an abusive husband. Her rage is juxtaposed with the (mostly) prim and civil exchanges of her friends over tea.
The actors also play their husbands, whose prejudices come out during a hunting weekend together, and their daughters, who generally dismiss their mothers for being too traditional and strict.
The set, designed by faculty member Shuxing Fan, uses elements of traditional Japanese architecture to great effect. Translucent sliding doors form the back wall of the house, opening to reveal a large projection screen. Some of the images onscreen are powerful, such as photos of Tokyo after it had been devastated by the fighting, while others add little. Costume design, by faculty member Gail Brassard, includes many gorgeous kimonos and outfits that perfectly evoke the late 1960s.
Although the play illuminates the struggles of a little-known group of immigrants, it feels more like a history lesson than a cohesive, emotionally engaging story. That said, it is gratifying when the women exorcise their own demons and bond together to send Himiko’s spirit to the other world.
