Tokyo Rose at Southwark Playhouse

Burnt Lemon Theatre

Turn back the dial to 1949.

Iva Toguri stands trial accused of being the notorious ‘Tokyo Rose’, a Japanese wartime disc jockey who broadcast Axis propaganda to the Allied Forces in the Pacific. But was Iva the villain she was made out to be?

Winner of The Edinburgh Untapped Award & the Les Enfants Terribles Stepladder Award, this electrifying new musical tells the true story of how one strong, American-born woman battled through a journey of self acceptance, only to return home to a dangerously divided nation.

Going live in 5, 4, 3…

Tokyo Rose, on now at the Southwark Playhouse, is a musical retelling of the tragic and unjust life of Iva Toguri D’Aquino and her battle being caught between Japan and the US in World War II.

It’s a fascinating story that brings to light the corruption of the US war effort, and it is a story I am embarrassed to say I know nothing about previously.  That is where the importance of these kinds of plays lies, in bringing these often untold, hidden stories to light.  The writing in this play does a great job of explaining all the different political elements at play and building the tension throughout the performance as you wait to discover Iva’s fate in this courtroom drama.

Burnt Lemon Theatre

Unfortunately, some of the production elements let down the excellent storytelling, the sound was almost impossible to hear for much of the first half despite being in a relatively small space and I felt like I missed some of the important setups.  The scene transitions and lighting similarly felt stilted and clunky at the start but seemed to flow better as the performance went on.  I hope that as this show finds its legs these small hick-ups can be amended.

The score is strong and Lucy Park is the stand-out performer in this all-female cast in her role as Papa, she is worth keeping an eye on in the future.

The real-life story at the center of this courtroom drama is compelling and important, and it is this that makes the show worth seeing.  Tokyo Rose is on at the Southwark Playhouse until the 16th of October, tickets are £27.50 and can be purchased directly from the theatre website.