The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle employs a dynamic blend of theatrical elements to create a hypnotic “theatre of dreams”. The multiple realities of the narrative are realized by layers of projections, mesmerizing soundscapes, Japanese anime, puppetry, and dance/movement. Some characters only exist live on stage, others are trapped in the world of film, and some characters have the ability to pass back and forth. Video projections and audio speakers envelop the audience so one feels immersed in the world of the characters, not watching from a distance. This interdisciplinary play is much a feast for the senses as it is an engaging emotional journey.
Puppetry: The element of puppetry is a central element in the play. Numerous forms of puppets are used to create a world of mystery with surprising simplicity. At times, the protagonist, Toru Okada, is represented by a Bunraku-style puppet, a traditional Japanese art form that requires three puppeteers to manipulate a single puppet. Other storylines utilize shadow puppets and hand puppets of various size and scale. Tom Lee and his puppeteers experiment with breaking established rules, mixing Western technique with Eastern tradition. In some ways, the puppets engage the audience’s imagination in ways that living actors cannot, acting as a “mirror” onto which the audience can project their own emotions.
Technology: The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle makes use of several cutting-edge projection technologies. Multiple video projectors cast images throughout the theatre, using scrims, set pieces, hanging laundry, tablecloths, bed sheets, actors’ bodies, mirrors, even water and fog as non-traditional projection surfaces that emphasize Murakami’s dreamlike worlds.
Water: As one character puts it, “Human existence is largely controlled by elements of water”. Wells, pools, underwater sequences, and dreams involving oceans and rivers all provide the predominant image system. Characters “swim” through mid-air, traversing worlds of live performance and cinema. Toru’s fixation with jellyfish is another central motif. Water and fog are used to accentuate the intangibility of Toru’s world where the people and objects in his life constantly materialize and evaporate. When Toru descends into his own consciousness, it is a world of water that becomes more turbulent as he nears his life force.
