The Other Here

Who knew life-insurance salesmen could be so metaphysical? In a scene from The Other Here, a beguiling mix of Japanese folklore, Okinawan pop and American business culture, the irascible Mehdi (Lazar) shares his policy-pushing wisdom with colleagues. What begins as watercooler boilerplate morphs subtly into a poignant statement on lost time and regret: “One breath from the wind of change, and the bright eyes shall be closed,” he muses. Such effortless dream logic, delivered in a whimsical-melancholy slice of enchantment, is only to be expected from Big Dance Theater.

Codirectors Annie-B Parson and Lazar have such a deft, teasing touch with their varied materials (short stories by Masuji Ibuse, J-pop, traditional dance and audio tapes from a U.S. life-insurance convention) that the themes might not be readily apparent. Still, as the 70-minute work unfolds—actors strewing leaves and snowflakes with the aid of an electric fan, a bucket embedded with the video likeness of a carp—the assemblage of dance and tableaux acquires some emotional weight. Ultimately, the kindness we offer others before death is the center of this poignant portrait of Mehdi and his servant, Yosuji (Molly Hickok).

Each dancer-actor brings a specialty to the mix. Lazar displays loopy comic zest; sad-eyed Hickok evinces saintly forbearance; Heather Christian’s achingly sad voice (think Regina Spektor) wraps itself around Japanese lyrics; Chris Giarmo endows his moves with robust athleticism; and Jennie MaryTai Liu slyly charms as Yosuji’s chatty wife. This talented group makes the broadest of cultural leaps seem like bunny hops.