“Rashomon” was a success at WCU

The edges of the old wooden stage were piled with gadgets of the past and the lights had a dreary color scheme that set the tone for the post-apocalyptic “Rashomon.”

WCU’s first production of the semester opened in Hoey auditorium on Wednesday, Feb. 20, and ran through Saturday, Feb. 23, as a part of the Department of Stage and Screen’s Main stage season.

Based on the classic 1950 film directed by Akira Kurosawa, the theatrical adaption was written by Fay and Michael Kanin and first produced in 1959, at the Music Box Theatre in New York. The director of the WCU show, D.V. Caitlyn, put an old favorite into new perspective in 2013 by adding a few new elements to the show.

According to actress Katie Perez, Caitlyn changed the era from futile Japan to post-apocalyptic times and even wrote new characters into the production to fit his artistic vision.

In the hour and a half show about the murder of a Samurai and the quest to find out the truth about how he really died, we hear many sides of the story from his wife, a famous bandit, and a nosy bystander who watched the whole thing under the cover of bamboo. But most importantly, mixed in the already bizarre story, are the characters who just can’t mind their business called “Noh Ones”.

“We (Noh One’s) interact with the other characters and they don’t know we are there. So we mess with stuff and we cause some of the more significant events to happen without them ever knowing,” said Perez, who plays a Noh One in the show.

The set and the lights along with the combat scenes and costume choices brought the show together to showcase what was left of the Japanese culture and storytelling.

Natasha Mills, a student who watched the show, said she loves theater and believes that the department showed their wide range of talents in “Rashomon” and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in cultural theatre.

“The actors had extreme dedication, they shaved their heads and they really got into what they were doing”, said Mills.