Chapter Ten
Background Theme: Hijinks Ensue
"Good Morning, class," Mr. Hiramatsu said
as he greeted the gathered assembly of students from behind a podium. This morning's special session was being held
in the school's auditorium, also housing Furinkan High's small theater. I stood in the wings, hidden from the
audience's view, to the speaker's right, or Stage Right. From a small break in the curtains I peeked
out and counted the students seated in padded, folding seats similar to those
found in most movie theaters. Looked
like about forty students, give or take a few.
Hiramatsu continued to address the students; behind him was a large
portable blackboard with several kanji
characters written vertically and a large satirical picture, drawn in chalk,
that closely resembled a man with a small palm tree growing out of the top of
his head. Three guesses as to who that
was…
"As you all know, Furinkan High school has elected to
participate in a Fine Arts Teachers' Exchange Program, bringing in instructors
from around the world – individuals specially chosen for having little or no
understanding of Japan, its people, or its culture. It is our hope that these guests will leave here with a better
understanding of just who the Japanese people are, how we live, and what we are
about. Their counterparts will return
home, bringing with them a bit of the culture of their host nations, and
serving to enrich our knowledge of foreign lands. As you may remember, Principal Kuno himself is quite an ardent
supporter of these exchange programs -- this being most evident in his newfound
love of the Hawaiian Islands, its people, and its way of life."
This last comment
sparked a wave of grumbles throughout the assembly. Surveying the students further from where I was concealed, I
noticed several familiar faces: Ranma,
Akane, a few of the other students from the beach field trip; some of the
others were vaguely familiar, the real-life faces translating oddly from the too-familiar
anime looks I was accustomed to. Seated
slightly to the rear of the center of the class was a tall young man with dark
hair, garbed in the in the blue and black outfit of a samurai. Tatewaki Kuno, Champion of Furinkan High' s
Kendo club, I was certain of it. Next
to him sat a young lady about a head shorter than Kuno, with short dark hair
that framed her face, the forward ends of her hair falling in a sharp point
over the front of her shoulders -- that would be Nabiki Tendo, the middle of
the Tendo sisters. She was busily
scribbling away in a small black notebook, looking up from time to time to
insure no one was looking over her shoulder as she wrote.
There were other
faces. Gosunkugi was glaring in Ranma'
s direction while twisting the arm of a small voodoo doll. Miyo, the young female mystic, listlessly
twirled a Tarot card between the fingers of one hand while holding her chin in
the other. I recognized the younger form of the bubbly Miss Hinako
Minomia, the auditorium chair she sat in swallowing her smaller form, listening
attentively as Mr. Hiramatsu spoke. I
didn't have names for the rest of the faces.
"Please give a warm
Nihao welcome to Mr. Vic Daniels from
the United States!"
Stepping out from the wings and
approaching center stage, I stopped just short of the podium. I shook the speaker's hand and then turned
to the audience, bowing slightly in greeting.
Looks of surprise came over the faces of those I'd seen at the
beach. Akane and Ranma exchanged looks;
Akane whispered something to Ranma that was too low for me to hear. Ranma simply shrugged.
Slight chuckles erupted from the rear
as one of the students, the class clown perhaps, leapt onto the armrests of his
chair, posing in the classic "Crane" stance from The Karate Kid and muttered something that sounded like "Hoi, Daniels-san!"
The laughter was short-lived as a
small, rectangular object arced through the air, skipping across the top of the
head of one of the disruptive students, and pegged the offender squarely in the
middle of his forehead. A white powdery
cloud began to envelop the student's head as the blackboard eraser dropped
quietly to the floor. The jokester fell
back into a chair in the row behind him with a loud oof! His legs were splayed
comically over the backrest of his original seat.
I had once read an article in Reader's Digest when I was much younger
that classified three types of throws. Class I throws were those casual tosses
that mattered little whether they hit their target or not. Class
II throws were throws requiring preparation and skill, like those of a
baseball pitcher or a football quarterback.
Class III throws were those,
on the rarest of occasions, quickly made – without forethought, without
warning, at the right time, hitting the right place, for the best of desired
effects.
The class turned to
look at the hapless lad then returned their gaze collectively toward the
front. I was clapping the remaining
chalk dust from my hands, smirking as I did so. When in Rome...
"You'll fit in nicely, Vic,"
Hiramatsu said as he turned from the podium and clapped me on the shoulder,
flashing me a mischievous grin. He
walked off, disappearing behind the wings to Stage Left.
Taking the podium,
I took a deep breath, then began to address the assembly.
"As Mr. Hiramatsu mentioned, I'm an
exchange teacher from the United States, specifically from the State of
Florida. Along with teaching Theatre
over the next two semesters, I'll be directing a few plays as well. Most of you will have the opportunity to
audition for these shows, assist in planning the productions, help with stage
construction, and provide technical assistance during the actual performances.
"I understand there are several
talented individuals here today who already have a play or two under their
belts." Most of the class turned to
look at Ranma, Akane, and Kuno. Akane
blushed at the sudden attention, Kuno assumed a striking pose, and Ranma
propped his head on his fist, elbow resting on his chair's armrest, indifferent
to the student's appraisal.
"I've heard a variety of reviews on
Furinkan High's production of Romeo &
Juliet." More groans. "Now, now," I chided, " I'll help you go
over the good and not-so-good points of that show, and help you to improve on
them in preparation for the upcoming productions. I can even," casting a winking glance toward Akane and Ranma,
"give you tips on better ways to fake a stage kiss – without using tape."
The class broke out in laughter as the
young couple blushed a nice hue of red.
Nabiki raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Tendo?"
Suppressing the slight look of shock
that started to come over her face, not understanding how I knew who she was,
she lowered her hand.
"Daniels-sensei," she said politely, trying to suppress a nervous grin.
"Yes?" I responded, smiling, never
imagining I'd ever be addressed as
"sensei". "Please continue."
"Exactly what shows will the students
be undertaking over the next two semesters?"
"That's a good question." I regarded the audience for a moment. "I haven't quite decided yet, to be
honest. Depending on how we progress,
I'd like to do at least three shows:
one Shakespearean, a comedy, and a musical. I may make the Shakespearean one a part of the ongoing class
projects I'll be assigning and substitute it with a Greek Tragedy. We'll have to wait and see for sure.
"Seeing that the last show done at
Furinkan High was a Shakespearean Tragedy, I think I'll start with something a
little more light-hearted. Are any of
you familiar with Moliere?"
Blank looks and shrugs gave me my
answer. Undaunted, I continued.
"Moliere was a seventeenth century
French playwright. Especially known for
political and religious satires, Moliere was often at odds with the political
and religious establishments of the day:
the French Monarchy and the Roman Catholic Church. Considered one of his more outlandish – by
the Church blasphemous – and certainly one of his most hilarious satires was
that of Tartuffe, also known as The Impostor.
"Written in the mid- to late 1600's, Tartuffe is primarily a religious satire
that also pokes fun at the concept of Piety.
It addresses, mostly, the issue of religious hypocrisy. The play is centered around Orgon, a
well-to-do gentleman seeking to turn to a life of piety in order to make up for
a squandered youth. Enter Tartuffe, a
sinister con man who Orgon unwittingly takes in. The villain plots to rob Orgon and his family of their fortune,
their home, and tries to convince the naïve gentleman to take him as a husband
for his daughter.
"You'll learn more about the play once
we cast the roles and begin rehearsals.
For the musical, I'm considering The
Man of La Mancha, based on Miguel de Cervantes' mad Spanish knight, Don
Quixote. I may change the setting from
the sixteenth century Spanish Inquisition to the seventeenth century medieval
Japan, but most of the elements will be essentially the same. For your consideration, a mad Samurai in
place of the loony Spanish knight." And I know who will fit the role nicely,
I thought to myself, casting a knowing glance toward Kuno.
"And, if time allows, I'd like to
introduce you to the classic Greek Tragedy, Antigone." I paused for breath, then asked, "Does that
pretty much answer your question, Miss Tendo?"
Nabiki smiled and nodded, satisfied.
