If I had to describe Kizuna Theatre’s production of Genki Bear: Memoirs of a Granddaughter with one song, I’d choose Queen’s “These Are the Days of Our Lives.” It captures the show perfectly. This is a tender production about nostalgia, ageing and cherishing what has been, rather than crying into a tissue over the loss of someone who watched their granddaughter grow up.
For Misty Cozac, the material feels autobiographical. Yet, through videos of other Japanese Canadians explaining why they loved their baachan, or grandmother, the production becomes a broader reflection on the matriarchs who help shape every individual’s wellbeing. I have fond memories of my own po-po and ma-ma, and the show brought them back without forcing me to hide my tears.
Grandmothers can reintroduce culture that was lost or left behind, and they can also introduce some yummy food while they’re at it. Yes, ma-ma fed me well too. Although I discovered Studio Ghibli on my own, the references matter. Cozac name-checking Totoro, Ponyo and Kiki’s Delivery Service had me grinning as wide as the Catbus that helps the forest spirits travel anywhere. Suspiciously absent were Pom Poko and Castle in the Sky, but only because they are my personal favourites from the studio’s catalogue.
Everyone associates Hayao Miyazaki’s whimsical style with Studio Ghibli’s success, but I also appreciated how Isao Takahata’s more sombre approach works its way into the later passages. We meet an older baachan who still loves life, having been a mother before becoming a grandmother, and who treats Misty with the respect she needs while finding herself in a changing world. Like Kiki and Ponyo, Misty faces trials that involve learning how to survive on her own.
When Misty returns to Japan, she is singled out as “not Japanese enough.” Elsewhere, she may be questioned about whether she is Canadian or something else. That is a familiar conflict for children caught between cultures. When parents are busy making the bread, the crumbs they leave behind are not always enough to make up a full childhood. It falls to that other parent, the grandparent, to raise and nurture, and I think that is why Genki Bear works.
Misty’s parents are part of the narrative, but they are not quite present. As she grows up and finds herself globe-trotting in search of somewhere that feels like home, the story will ring true for many. Some young people leave home for good and barely associate with their parents until it is too late. They return only when called, then learn that someone has passed. But when gran is involved, even I was reminded of the finale in Totoro, where it is all right to cry and hope. The way Grandma consoles Mei in that film comes alive here. With a little smile, everything can feel well again.
The production’s artistry supports that emotional warmth. Its use of Noh puppetry is especially effective. Although the form usually requires three puppeteers, Kevin Eastman’s nuanced work brings baachan to life while he remains visible rather than hidden. No Japanese knowledge is required, and Noé Nishizawa gives baachan a wonderful voice. If you have taken first-year classes in this language, then you are simply one step ahead. Doug Hensley’s live music gives the production the energy it needs to keep the audience engaged.
And in the end, I couldn’t help but feel a little misty-eyed. Genki Bear had me thinking of both my po-po and ma-ma again. And while I am not quite like Misty, who they are will always be in her (and my) genes. It’s not a better-or-worse situation, but a reminder of why they came to a new country in the first place, and why I’m here too.
Last Show of Genki Bear:
Memoirs of a Granddaughter
Sep 06, 3:30 pm at the CCPA Performance Hall
For updates on where this show is playing next, please visit https://kizunatheatre.com/ for the latest updates.
