Mizushōbai (The Water Trade) explores the life of Kiyoko Tanaka-Goto, a Japanese picture-bride turned ‘underground’ business woman in 1930’s British Columbia. It delves into her history, not as a clichéd dragon-lady madam (although at times, perhaps she is), nor as a dutiful daughter (although at times, perhaps she is), nor as a submissive and sexualized female Asian body (although at times, perhaps she is), but as a valuable member of Canadian society who had to fight against expectation, and for autonomy and recognition every step of the way.
"What fascinates me about Kiyoko is that she broke EVERY SINGLE RULE and expectation of culture, gender and society.”
- Julie Tamiko Manning
Keywords: Japanese Canadian, Nikkei, Japanese, internment, sex work, immigrant, women, Asian, Asian-Canadian
Produced by Tableau D'Hôte Theatre, Montreal QC, 2023
Genre: Drama
Run time: 75 minutes
Suitable for students 14+
Content notes: Contains sexual references, swearing, references to sex work
Cast size: 5 actors
Female roles: 5
Casting notes: The 5 roles cover the ages of one character from 18-88. Intergenerational casting preferred. A Nikkei cast is preferred, otherwise, an Asian cast is acceptable. Open to Asian trans women, non-binary and gender non-conforming femmes.
"Mizushobai undeniably succeeded in presenting an authentic portrayal of the experiences of Japanese women in the 1900s in Canada."
- Claudia Beaudoin, The Link
"Mizushobai (The Water Trade) breaks new ground as an intergenerational and intercultural exercise"
- Byron Toben, Westmount Magazine
"The years pass and in Tamiko Manning’s clever script, the heroine appears at different ages, occasionally arguing with herself about different versions of the past...There was a feisty kind of delicacy to this play and the writing never fails the complex structure."
- Anna Fuerstenberg, Montreal Rampage