Review: A Projection of Life's Little Journey in Takahashi's SHEEP #1

Life is made up of little steps in what we hope is the right direction - one foot in front of the other as we navigate a world that doesn't acknowledge our presence unless we make it. Daily, we tread through fields darkened by night and travel down roads drenched in sunlight. We are taken on a constant metaphysical journey with each drop of anger, of fear and of joy - of each emotion, of each moment that constitutes the ups and downs of our lives.

Yet sometimes we get lost, and those experiences compel us to take an actual journey - one that becomes a physical manifestation of everything we can no longer hold inside, finally breaking free. It might be entirely human to feel compelled to find our true life's purpose; it is equally as fulfilling as it is burdensome. When embodied in the form of a sheep, this purpose takes on a much simpler, more visceral form - simply put, we are either wanted, or we are lost. And that is the journey audiences are taken on in Sachiyo Takahashi's SHEEP #1, which recently concluded its run at the Japan Society in Midtown.

SHEEP #1 is the third program of the Society's current season, which focuses on New York City - based, female theater-makers. The piece first premiered at The Tank three years ago, then caught Japan Society's Artistic Director Yoko Shioya's attention. Prior to its most recent engagement, Takahashi (who uses Okamoto Miya as her stage name) has brought her "microscopic live cinema-theatre" to various venues both here and across the world - these include St. Ann's Warehouse, La MaMa and the Prague Quadrennial.

Written and performed by Takahashi, SHEEP #1 is a unique presentation of life that is as emotionally moving as it is visually stunning. Using only a projector, a camera and small props handled simply by a tweezer, Takahashi creates a poignant little world that borders on the cinematic and theatrical. Joined by the alternating presence of either a pianist or bass guitarist (depending on the performance), a tiny sheep figurine navigates its way through the unknown surroundings of a world based atop a projector. The sheep is lost, possibly unwanted and decides to embark on a trip of new experiences - happy and frightening alike. Its journey is projected onto a large screen by a video camera, blurring the lines not only between fiction and reality, but between past and present - of being completely invested in this little figurine's journey to self-discovery as is happening, using the medium of film usually reserved for something pre-recorded.

This sheep has become lost, and as his journey is projected onto this screen, so, too, is the audience's collective desire that it soon finds its way. So, too, do we not treat this figurine as an object and instead project humanity's trials and tribulations - the human burden of purpose - onto an inanimate object that becomes all too real in Takahashi's performance.

Could you ever imagine yourself rooting for a sheep to find its way through a dark forest, experiencing joy when it finds a new friend in a teddy bear, or satisfaction upon its return home to where it belongs? Yes, because it is exactly what draws a person to see a show like this: our happy ending will always lie in feeling wanted, and we subconsciously hope for all (no matter who or what) to come to that very same end.

With that concept in mind, Takahashi has brought something very different to the table; at least I have never experienced something quite like this. She is the puppeteer, the ringleader who with her bare hands, allows an entire story to be told before our eyes. By using a different means of understanding (through reading the screen and simple, in-the-moment observation), she opens the senses to hearing a story told in a very non-traditional way. This sheep's tale unfolds before us, and even though on a screen, is not something that has already happened. It has not been previously recorded, its end already an imminent conclusion at the end of a tape.

Takahashi uses a camera to psychologically bond us with this sheep and its journey, thereby making it a more personal experience that is happening right in front of us. By watching her manipulate the tiny world she has created, we become more deeply invested in this form of storytelling. It is equally as wonderful to experience, to feel what the sheep is going through, while also watching the magic of what a pair of hands can do.

It is comforting to know that this is a live performance, and that Takahashi can change the ending whenever she pleases - that this sheep's journey is something living and breathing before us, and when enhanced by film, gives this cinematic/theatrical experience a much more personal feel. Think along the lines of a home movie, something intimate that we are invited to take part in and choose whether we want to use the camera's lenses to see or tune back into reality at any given moment.

Watching Takahashi is not simply a test of the imagination - projecting human qualities and hopes onto a sheep is the easy part. It is more so about acknowledging the creativity and genius behind this performance piece. Of course it is unique, and of course it makes you question how you can possibly empathize so much with a plastic figurine. Psychologically, it flips a switch in the collective audience's mind that turns a seemingly simple performance into something that brings about so many meaningful questions about life, existence and what we're all doing here. By making use of our senses, imagination, suspension of belief in a constant battle with true emotion, this brief yet masterful performance is a subtle yet impactful roller coaster ride through everything that makes a performance great.

Credit must also go to all those involved in bringing this little sheep's journey to life. Original live music is provided by either Emile Blondel and Kato Hideki (on either the piano or bass guitar). Concept, Sound/Visual Design and Performance is by Nekaa Lab / Sachiyo Takahashi; Dramaturg Peter Eckersall and Technical Advisor/Builder Willie Gambucci also assist.

SHEEP # 1 was recently performed at the Japan Society, located at 333 East 47th Street. Performances ran from November 4th thru the 7th. To learn more about the production, and also to check out all offerings by the Japan Society (including Japanese language classes!), please visit their website here.

Photo Credit: Ayumi Sakamoto

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