Ballad of Yachiyo [Paperback]

Philip Kan Gotanda (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1996

A tender and tragic imagined account of the life of Gotanda's aunt.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If ever there was a script to add to the mix in a book club, this is it. Based on a chapter from his own family's history, Philip Kan Gotanda's play is set among Asian (mainly Japanese) workers at a Hawaiian sugar cane plantation in the early 1900s. The drama uses delicate poetic language to tell the story of a young girl's sexual awakening, and what that comes to mean for her own life, and the position of her family within the era's rigid social system. In some ways Gotanda uses language as lusciously as Tennessee Williams did in his golden age--and to tell a similar story of passions erupting below what seems to be a placid surface.

About the Author

Over the last two and a half decades, playwright Philip Kan Gotanda has been a major influence in the broadening of our definition of theater in America. In particular, Mr. Gotanda has been a leader in bringing the stories of Asian Americans to the nations stages. Mr. Gotandas play Ballad of Yachiyo was first produced at London's Gate Theatre in co-production with the Royal National Theatre. A collection of his plays is being published by the University of Washington Press. Among his honors and awards are included: the Guggenheim, TCG-NEA, Rockefeller, PEW Charitable Trust, Civil Liberties Public Education Fund, and the Lila Wallace Readers Digest Award. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Theatre Communications Group (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559361220
• ISBN-13: 978-1559361224
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,703,759 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Breath-taking, March 20, 2000

By 

Kimberly Huie - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ballad of Yachiyo (Paperback)

A must-read, even for those who don't normally read plays. He tells a beautiful and captivating story through an exquisitely choreographed dramatic work. My complimentary words cannot do justice to him - I will just say that, as an aspiring writer, he is someone I truly admire.

5.0 out of 5 stars Breathtaking, September 4, 2003

By 

Jaydekitten (Detroit, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ballad of Yachiyo (Paperback)

Breathtaking. That is the single word which best describes Gotanda's "Ballad of Yachiyo". The story is very moving and, while I normally have a hard time following play scripts, Gotanda's use of imagery really allows for the reader to visualize the performance every step of the way. Each detail to the description of the scenes and the actions of the characters drew me further and further into the story. I would love to see a performance of this play! Someone please bring it to Michigan :)

5.0 out of 5 stars life on the plantation, May 2, 2002

By 

klu7 (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ballad of Yachiyo (Paperback)

Yachiyo is someone from a previous era whose life is very contemporary in many ways. Her struggle to assert herself and find her place in the world is constrained by her time, place, class and status as an immigrant woman. It's a bittersweet story that portrays some harsh realities about life in Hawaii in the early 20th century. Highly recommended.