Customer Reviews

36 Views

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Naomi Iizuka's "36 Views" is a gripping play in 36 scenes. The title comes from a painter's study of Mount Fuji that became known as the 36 views. The play follows Darius Wheeler who is an art dealer that specializes in Asian antiquities. A rare manuscript is presented by his assistant John Bell. Bell betrays his employer by attesting that it is genuine. Wheeler buys it for a mere million dollars from a mysterious seller who is Claire Tsong, the artist to generate the impressive fake. Owen Matthiassen is a doctoral friend who consults with his former student Wheeler. Setsuko Hearn is also a brilliant doctor in Asian art who comments throughout on the authenticity. Meanwhile an undercover reporter Elizabeth Newman-Orr is running a sting on Wheeler's operation while she has a secret love relationship with Claire Tsong. There are many period references to Japanese art. The theme which I pulled from the drama was that even inauthentic things, whether it be a piece of art or a love relationship, can still have value when looked at from another view. Iizuka cleverly constructs her drama into the 36-scene format that mirrors the title metaphor. The original production was by Public Theatre/New York Shakespeare Festival. It is also printed in a volume New Playwrights: The Best Plays of 2001 (New Playwrights). Iizuka's drama is urbane & erudite. For a creative artistic director, this would be a lovely challenge. Enjoy!

and beautiful...and amazing...like all of Iizuka's work. Highly recommended.