"The Jap Box" at The Marsh

David Hirata Changes Controversial Show Title To A BOX WITHOUT A BOTTOM Following Community Reactions

Japanese American magician David Hirata has changed the name of his solo show at The Marsh Berkeley to A Box Without A Bottom - Soko-Nashi Bako. Despite having several conversations with family members, some of whom had lived through internment during WWII, as well as Japanese-American audience members at the show's initial run at the San Diego International Fringe Festival in 2018, Hirata's subsequent discussionswith the Japanese-American  community in the Bay Area led him to realize that the original title, The J*p Box, was unacceptable.

BWW Review: A BOX WITHOUT A BOTTOM at The Marsh Berkeley Conjures Magic out of Japanese American Histories

David Hirata has got quite a lot to offer with his multi-layered 'A Box Without a Bottom (Soko-nashi Bako).' He combines elements of a magic show with his own personal narrative as he also tells the surprising history of Japanese magicians in 19th-century America, all in a tight 55 minutes. It's a tall order, and Hirata largely succeeds. The idea for the show came to Hirata, a lifelong magic nerd, when he learned that the first Japanese person given a passport to leave Japan for the US was magician Namigoro Sumidagawa in 1866.

The Marsh Berkeley Presents THE JAP BOX

Through monologue and magic, Japanese American magician David Hirata will excavate the mysteries and stories of magician Namigoro Sumidagawa in The Jap Box, making its debut at The Marsh Berkeley this October. In 1866, Sumidagawa became the first Japanese citizen in over 200 years to receive a passport to leave the country. As part of the a?oeImperil Japanese Troupe,a?? he dazzled audiences across Victorian America with his exotic stage magic and became a media celebrity. By the time Sumidagawa returned home, his prize trick had been appropriated by American magicians in yellowface and rechristened as the a?oeJap Box.a?? Over a century later, Hirata unveils illusions and surprises from this Japanese American story in his latest solo show, The Jap Box. Post-show talkbacks, featuring experts in everything from history to magic, will be offered throughout the run (dates below). The Jap Box will be presented October 26 - December 1, 2019 (press opening: November 2) with performances at 5:00pm Saturdays and 2:00pm Sundays at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. For tickets ($20-$35 sliding scale; $55 and $100 reserved) or more information, the public may visit www.themarsh.org or call The Marsh Box office at 415-282-3055 (open Monday through Friday, 1:00pm-4:00pm).