When I first saw the promotional posters for Dad Shoes come across my Twitter feed, I was immediately stunned by the visuals despite having a few reservations about the title of the play. Dad Shoes? Like the old sneakers stereotypical American fathers wore to cut the grass? I couldn’t believe a play would have that kind of title, but I knew deep down that I needed to see this show.
A spoiler warning is in effect because I will be mentioning plot elements from the musical.
In its most simple form, Dad Shoes is how Wakagi Sho, played by Yokohara Yuki, comes into possession of a magical pair of dad shoes which levels up his dance ability. The story revolves around him and the people in his life and those he comes in contact with, namely the two dance groups featured in the story: Invisible, led by Seiji, and Enceladus, led by Taku.
When I choose shows to attend, I usually base my choices on a few requirements. First and foremost I want to attend plays and musicals of actors that I like as well as enjoy the story being told on stage. I have definitely skipped attending plays of actors that I love because the story or story elements don’t match my interests. Dad Shoes is one of the outliers where I liked the company putting on the production and wanted to support them.
I’ve only seen one other production put on by Legend Stage, but I greatly enjoyed the whole thing. It was a gothic comedy that had me laughing out loud at the absurdity of the situation as well as the clever adlibbing that was done by the cast. I had utter faith that Legend Stage would be able to bring to life vibrant characters and mix together a realistic world with the promised supernatural elements found in the play’s summary.
Legend Stage most definitely delivered on those elements. From the strange and fantastical beginning of our ghost friend Maru, played by BOB, dancing around the stage surrounded by the other actors to the magical wonder of Sho’s first dance in his dad shoes, there’s a little bit of wonder that fills the viewer as they watch the story unfold. The relatability of the characters’ struggles and dreams is something that everyone can relate to, even if we can’t physically die to follow a loved one into the afterlife to yell our frustrations at them (more on that later?).
One thing that I loved about this show was how everyone’s struggles were connected in some way or another. Although we do have many unnamed side characters throughout the plot, every main character has some sort of importance. Katakura, the producer trying to “help” Mami, a singer who Sho befriends, with her dream, is actually the person who split Seiji and Taku’s dance and song unit apart and began their rivalry. Nayuta’s, a member of Invisible, budding relationship with Magenta, a member of Enceladus, helps our heroes prevent Katakura from taking Mami’s money as well as Taku from murdering the crooked man.
I think the most character in this entire play is Fumina, the owner of the restaurant River and played by Akimoto Naomi. Though the story mostly revolves around Sho and his life, there are times we see Fumina pop up throughout the story. Her restaurant is a major setting at vital points throughout the play, but she is also the bridge between Sho and Maru.
Fumina is truly one of the most fascinating characters in the play as we watch not only her present but her past unfold on the stage. Towards the beginning, she gifts Sho with the dad shoes when he loses his dance shoes after throwing them away. These shoes allow Sho to not only see and engage with Maru, who has been following Sho around, but also use the magic found within them. When Maru disappears from the physical world to have his soul judged by the mighty Enma to go to heaven or hell, Fumina is the one to let the audience know who Maru is: Wakagi Mamoru, Sho’s deceased father and a man she used to dance with in her youth. Fumina also gives Sho the deadly alcohol he needs to go after his father in the afterlife, and we see her engaging in conversation with Enma. There is something so absolutely mysterious and wonderful about her character that I greatly enjoy.
The reveal about Maru being Sho’s father was one of the plot elements I hadn’t seen coming in my first watch of Dad Shoes. My eyes were wide at the reveal during my first show, but, when I returned the next day, I began to notice little elements that had hinted towards this revelation, and little moments throughout the play took on new meaning. Why Maru had been following around Sho, how he knew Sho lied about his birthday, and the strange and fantastical beginning with Maru selecting his clothes suddenly became clearer to me. Everything had slowly built to this revelation making sense.
I will say the title of the play held a certain brilliance to me after that revelation. Yes, Sho came to possess the most uncool type of shoes to exist, perhaps only rivaled by crocs, but these shoes are also his father’s. Dad shoes and HIS dad shoes. Perhaps it’s difficult to explain the lightbulb moment that passed through my head when I made the connection, but it is one that is dear to me.
At the heart of it all, I loved Yokohara’s performance as Sho the most. I’ve seen Yokohara perform in three different stage plays, and I feel as though his acting has gotten stronger with each new project. I’ve loved each character that he’s played on stage, and, although I loved his previous character more, I did adore Wakagi Sho a lot. This role allowed Yokohara to flex his improv skills and show how wonderful his comedy is. I look forward to his next stage work and how he’ll transform on stage.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Dad Shoes. From the story to the music and dancing and all of the characters that populated this wonderful world, I would go back again to relive those beautiful moments. It is truly a stage play that anyone could enjoy.
Check out the Dad Shoes promotional video below featuring one of the songs from the show!