While performers do not like to hear it, pretending is at the core of acting. While there are a variety of different approaches to the craft, there is no way you can transform into a bank robber, a femme fatale or a World War II-soldier unless you actually are one, pointing at the limitations of acting, while also presenting the kind of freedom that comes with it as each role is also in some way your interpretation of the character. In his new short feature “Norioka Workshop”, renown director Katsuhito Ishii plays with this concept, a theme which has been at the core of some of his works, resulting in a movie which is quite entertaining and funny.
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In between his performances on the stage, on TV and movies, popular actor Norioka (Ryu Morioka) also gives acting workshops for those eager to learn the craft. At least, that is what he tells himself, as it has been a while since he starred in a big role, but perhaps some of his fans will seize the opportunity to meet their idol, making the workshop a way to re-love his fame and also make some easy money. Even though only two fans show up to the first workshop, the sight of name (Yuka Harada) and her friend Mari (Saki Taniuchi), two beautiful young girls, is enough to make Norioka forget his worries for the moment. However, as the workshop progresses, the actor realizes these two are not quite as easy to please as he anticipated, and as one of them takes the idea of hitting someone on stage to the next level, the reality of what is really going on in the workshop is about to come to the surface.
As mentioned in the first paragraph, “Norioka Workshop” plays with the dichotomy of acting and realism. Perhaps the most interesting and eventually engaging aspects is how Ishii manages to delete each layer of make-believe the characters, especially Norioka, have created around themselves in order to escape an otherwise dramatic reality. In the end, you may even find yourself feeling with some of them, as the motivations for their fictitious house of cards becomes quite relatable, and also may refer to the kind of deception many idols nowadays establish to make themselves look cool, attractive and popular.
Similar to many of his previous features, “Norioka Workshop” is also something of a chamber drama. The three actors give great performances, hinting at the absurdities of different kinds of performance, from the exaggerated theatrics of being on stage or the cheesy line delivery known from TV drama. In combination with the concept of make-believe and people creating their own stage in their own homes, this idea is, as the short feature approaches its final moments, revealed to be quite clever.
Despite its short duration, “Norioka Workshop” manages to make quite a few smart points about the link between acting and reality, how the former has become a foundation for many people to hide from the truth of their lives. Katsuhito Ishii uses irony and drama to highlight the flaws of the characters, but also hints at a possibility to be more honest to one another and to yourself.
