Review: HOW TO DIE IN JAPAN at District Fringe

If nothing else in this world, we all have one thing in common – everyone is born, and everyone will die. Regardless of the country or culture shaping us, every human encounters the daunting ambiguity and the rigid finality of the end of this life sentence equally. Contrastly, our experience with death while living is sculpted by our varying cultures. How to Die in Japan, an entertaining one-woman show at District Fringe, uses honest comedy to explore the convergence of Japanese and American cultures surrounding the end of life. 

How to Die in Japan is the second solo show from the mind of creator Miyo, a Moth StorySLAM Champion and winner of the Ojai Storytelling Festival Story Slam. Born and raised in Japan, Miyo uses her real-life experiences to curate pieces at the intersection of comical and sincere exploring identity and culture through her unique lens. This specific piece held its world premiere in Miyo’s homebase, Los Angeles at the Fanatic Salon where it sold out in 36 hours. Now making its DC Premiere at District Fringe, How to Die in Japan brings a new meaning to morbid droll. 

The performance opens with Miyo describing her first experience with an American funeral, outside of those on television. The entertaining sit, listen, stand, sing structure and lax dress code contradicted the Japanese traditions she was accustomed to. To illustrate, Miyo embarks on the story of her life framed through the uncertainty brought to it by four deaths: her grandfather, grandmother, father, and mother. Whether it be the grotesquely described tradition of bone picking or the wrong afterlife name, in this exploration of Japanese culture, Miyo uncovers something larger. 

Miyo concludes the show by envisioning her own funeral – joyous, filled with Bob Marely and booze. This sort of morbid lightness clearly underscores the entirety of the piece as evidenced by lines like, “when you buy a burial plot before you die in Japan, they put your name on it in red ink, like a sad save the date.” The pace at which Miyo breaks the show into almost four acts is additionally astute. However, while the show has many witty moments, it at times lacks a clear purpose. But, it’s realistic and honest comedy balances out. 

In How to Die in Japan, Miyo’s storytelling capabilities are on full display. Her monological charisma is balanced by her real-life experiences to create a fabulously funny, completely grounded performance. For a play about death, the comedy is executed in a natural manner heavily reliant on intonation and timing. 

Unfortunately for the opening night audience, a technical issue stripped the show of Anthony Phillis’ visual design and animations that I imagine would significantly enhance the already interesting story. However, an original score by Michael D. Mortilla offered stunning interludes, elevating Miyo’s performance to a stylized level. 

Death is a cultural experience for those that remain living. But often, we only experience those traditions of our own lineage. How to Die in Japan not only brings audiences into a culture, but the life that operates within it. Through realistic comedy, Miyo captivates audiences with death, and everything that surrounds it. 

Running Time: Approximately 75 minutes with no intermission. 

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