written by naomi iizuka
directed by les waters
main season | roda theatre
february 26–april 11, 2010
world premiere
Running time: 95 minutes, no intermission
the play
The month of March is devoted to a sexy and intriguing new script in the Roda Theatre. Well before the digital age, the camera selected, filtered and obscured the truth—even as it promised to provide an authentic look at distant lands. Naomi Iizuka explores the intersection of art and authenticity in a haunting play commissioned by Berkeley Rep: Concerning Strange Devices from the Distant West.
Taking its title from a treatise on photography translated into Japanese, the play shifts between the present and the 1880s when a weird new technology first seized the world in freeze frame. Cameras capture images of geishas, monks and shrines and send them to the future in a flash—where we continue to seek meaning through lenses of exoticism and xenophobia. The intricate parts of this world premiere nestle together like a delicate puzzle…or erotic glimpses of an enigmatic tattoo. Expose yourself to the mystery of Strange Devices.
the players
Naomi Iizuka’s plays have been seen at major theatres in Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. Berkeley Rep also presented the world premiere of her 36 Views before it played off Broadway.
Les Waters, our associate artistic director, won an Obie Award for Big Love. His shows have ranked among the 10 best plays of 2007 in Time, 2006 in the New York Times and 2005 in TimeOut New York.
the buzz
“Scintillating…a sexy puzzle…The shards of story, vintage and modern photos, lies, surmises, history and tattoos set the mind spinning about topics as varied as the art and commerce of photography, the ways in which humans love and use one another, a century of intercourse between Japan and America and the mutable relationships between appearance and reality…So full of casual clues and odd payoffs that every moment is worth close attention…A puzzle that haunts the mind long afterward.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“Dazzling…A sly, elliptical play…Tantalizing images shimmer throughout…Touches on issues of art, authenticity and the elusive nature of perspective. It’s shot through with provocative visuals and intellectually stimulating themes.”—Bay Area News Group
“Concerning Strange Devices isn’t a mystery in the genre sense; its myriad dangling threads are meant to tease, not be solved…Expertly directed by Les Waters, this is a delicate yet piquant evening…The play feels so deceptively light while encompassing so many dimensions, from historical errata to contemporary satire.”—Variety
“Another winner from Berkeley Rep! With its intricate, clever combination of lights, sounds and visuals, it will absolutely amaze you. When I say this is a ‘must see,’ I really mean it. I give it a ‘Wow!’”—KGO-AM
“Brash, tender, and metaphysical by turns, her writing is pervaded with the sense of melancholy beauty that the Japanese call mono no aware—the knowledge that all things change.”—Village Voice
multimedia
Sexy tattoos, photographs of Japan in the 19th century and many mysteries
picture this
Using a strange device you will likely have in your pocket or purse, take a snapshot in our lobby photo studio and send it to contest@berkeleyrep.org or post it to our Facebook page. You’ll be automatically entered in a contest to win two tickets to an upcoming Berkeley Rep show.
Press Photos
production sponsors
Mosse Artistic
Development Fund
This production is the recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award.
in-kind sponsors
Bistro Liaison / Darling Flower Shop / Hotel Shattuck Plaza / Meridian / Peet’s Coffee and Tea / Pyramid Breweries / Raymond Vineyards / Semifreddi’s / TCHO
season sponsors
