Theatre Gigante's '7(x1) Samurai’ a One-Man Tour-de-Force

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Photo Credit: Malonda Hutson

In observation of its 30th-anniversary season, Theatre Gigante brought back a favorite from past seasons, David Gaines and his one-man comedic powerhouse, 7 (x1) Samurai, which ran at Kenilworth 508 Theatre Nov. 17-19. He last appeared with Theatre Gigante in 2013 and last performed this particular show here eight years ago.

Gaines has the exacting and telling body movements and facial expressiveness of a star in the era of the silent film had he been born several generations ago. Throughout his one-hour show, Gaines, wearing nothing but a simple Japanese-style robe and white makeup (with a dash of red at mid-lower lip), donned but two masks—otherwise relying upon his utterly elastic face—to create not only the eponymous seven samurai, but peasant farmers and rampaging bandits on horseback.

With but a few words, usually spoken singly, as in “meanwhile,” and vaguely Japanese grunts, groans and pseudo-speak, Gaines told the story of simple peasants who get tired of being robbed by revisiting marauders. They hire a good-hearted warrior, after several funny failed attempts, to turn the tide. The quiet warrior, personified by a stark mask with a placid expression, assembles additional samurai to form a group of warriors ready and willing to do battle for the simple folk. The finale is, of course, the big showdown between good and evil.

Gaines, through simple but exaggerated physical movement, made every scene crystal clear. We can easily see through our mind’s eye each particular character, place and structure. Arrows strike and “twang” into their targets; glass breaks (and is chewed), the wind howls, the horses charge and the swords slice and dice.

Let’s hope David Gaines comes back to Milwaukee again soon—from his current home base teaching theater at George Mason University in Virginia.