Kenta Yamazaki | HatetoCheek "Dakudaku to,"
HatetoCheek's play "Dakudaku to," uses horror/SF elements to explore societal alienation, where a seemingly peaceful world punishes rule-breakers by turning them into 'Yugami-san.'Summary
The play 'Dakudaku to,' by HatetoCheek (written and directed by Kayo Masumi), functions as a horror/SF piece that uses unfamiliar terminology to establish a world separate from the audience's reality. This world achieved peace two years prior after 'Marebito-sama' appeared through a rift, eliminating violence by enforcing shared pain; however, those who break rules or possess the 'Yugami gene' are transformed into non-human entities called 'Yugami-san.' The plot centers on four female employees of a video production company gathering for a horror project pitch. When one member is penalized for a 'serious act of disorder' and becomes a Yugami-san, the others face a situation where their meeting room is governed by strict 'room promises'—breaking them results in collective transformation. However, when one character breaks a rule to see the penalized colleague, the expected transformation does not occur; instead, they become trapped, realizing this confinement shields them from the Marebito-sama's influence. This literal inversion reveals that breaking the 'promises' activates a 'shelter,' suggesting the necessity of defying established norms for resistance. The review concludes by comparing this shift from exclusionary rules to rules for creating a safe space (like 'ground rules' in minority groups) as a fragile hope for living together amidst an unchangeable world.
(Source：artscape)