Interview: Joe Allen of FIRE IN THE NEW WORLD at Park Square Theatre

Don't miss this savvy detective caper that's smart and fun with a dash of social commentary and plenty of sly intrigue! Sam Shikaze, hard-boiled private eye, fights crime in Vancouver's Japantown in the years after WWII. This time he's up against a big time developer intent on bulldozing the community and the New World Hotel. But when the developer's beautiful Japanese American wife goes missing, it's up to Sam to find her!

Written and directed by R.A. Shiomi, this world premiere is the third installment of Shiomi's hit noir-style detective comedies featuring Sam Shikaze. The first play in the trilogy, Yellow Fever, has been produced Off-Broadway, across North America, and in Japan. The New York production received a rave review in the New York Times:

We chat with cast member Joe Allen about his role in the production.

How does it feel to have live audiences and performances back?
It doesn't feel like it's back to before, I wonder how long it might take for that feeling to settle or renew. Both the shows I've done earlier this year (Ruddigore in the spring, and Directing/Co-Producing during this year's Fringe Festival) audience were at maybe 60% or less of previous years. I haven't attended a lot of theatre other than a few Latte Da shows, and those have been near-full attendance.
The feel good answer is that it's amazing and there's nothing like sharing presence and time and breath with other people in the service of art.
The feels not-great answer is that gathering in a theatre is still one of the least public-health conscious things we can do, and I don't think audiences are the same yet.

Do you have a favorite moment in the show?
My first scene with the lead, Sam Shikaze, is a slow-burn chess match. The penultimate scene is a high-stakes crime-thriller showdown - the audience will be on the edge of their seat.

What do you hope the audience takes away from this production?
I hope they learn more about the Japanese-Canadian experience following World War II, and their horizons are expanded beyond the typical white normative historical paradigm.
I hope the audience leaves reflecting on the insidious nature of white supremacy, and how its tendrils are woven into the capitalist hegemony of the West.

How was working with the cast and creative team?
It's really been a delight. Everyone is bringing that fantastic mix of professional preparation with relaxed amiability and mutual trust. We've moved rehearsals over to Park Square now, and last night we were working with the fantastic sound design. Each piece added keeps raising the stakes, and I think the world-building and noir-feel of this show is going to be a hit with audiences.

What are your favorite local spots?
I love the Minneapolis Bouldering Project for climbing, co-working, yoga, and fitness classes. Walking distance from there includes Boom Island Park, the falls (Owamni Yamni, or Gakaabikaang), and countless fantastic restaurants.
Theodore Wirth park is an absolute gem, year-round - whether walking loops, hanging on the beach, visiting the Quaking Bog or Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, or just getting lost wandering the loops with a dear person in deep conversation.
Shoutout to some best-in-class breweries like Bauhaus or Dangerous Man!

Thank you Joe for your time!

For more ticket and show information, click the ticket button

Photo courtesy of Joe Allen

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