A Q&A on Memory Beads
with Diane Aoki & Ian Agustin Lactaoen
(SPOILERS AHEAD!)
Ian Agustin Lactaoen
Your play, “Memory Beads,” what is it about specifically?
Diane Aoki
It’s about the fear of losing memory. When you lose your memory, how much of your memory is tied to your identity. That’s in general. Specifically, it’s about a character who knows that memory loss or Alzheimer’s runs in her family, and she has a fear that she would get it. So, if it’s inevitable, it’s about how she could prepare for it.
Ian Agustin Lactaoen
What is the point of using beads as a motif in your play? Is it an Okinawan tradition, or something in general?
Diane Aoki
In general. It reflects the modern character who is trying to piece her life through the stories that she remembers that she believes makes her life interesting. So, she’s kind of, like, beading them together, like a narrative tool to string those pieces together.
Ian Agustin Lactaoen
How are your characters or the situations they are in the “beads” that connect the string of memories together?
Diane Aoki
It’s sort of like when you’re daydreaming, and the then thing pop up. On the surface, it doesn’t appear that there’s a connection… and then you think about it. It could be something like, universal, like a feeling of longing or a feeling of childhood. There’s something that connects them together, but the audience doesn’t know. In fact, you might get confused about the structure of the play because it doesn’t follow that linear trajectory. My advice: take each scene one story at a time. I hope that by the end, it all falls into place.
Ian Agustin Lactaoen
What makes the relationships between the characters from one generation connect to the next and so on? Why is this important for Joni, Lianna, and Haruko in particular?
Diane Aoki
I think it’s a human thing, especially when you choose to have children. There is a sense that you want to have a piece of you live on after you’re gone. And that’s a way you can connect to the future. And it’s like, you want someone to take care of you when you’re old, and then when you get old, you’d want the same for you.
Ian Agustin Lactaoen
Your play not only features history, but also mythology. The legend of Satto is an interesting subplot. How is this relevant to the family history of Joni, Lianna, and Haruko?
Diane Aoki
On a superficial level, when they got their genealogy done, that’s when it connected to the story. And when [Joni] got that story, that’s when she became interested in history and genealogy. Because, when the genealogy was released and her uncle had it made, it was, like, so interesting. Symbolically, it only idealized their connection to Satto. All Joni knows is King Satto’s history, and to her, he was a good king and her ancestor who made a positive impact.
Ian Agustin Lactaoen
In the play and in the myth, the Celestial Maiden Mother disappears after wearing her robe. In a historical context, this is a metaphor for her dying as Ane and Satto came of age. How is the decision of Ane and Satto to survive and look towards the future the first bead that is strung?
Diane Aoki
I think the dominant theme of that part is the relationship between mothers and their children. And my focus is more on her leaving, and it’s like, how do you reconcile with that abandonment? How do you forgive someone that abandoned you? But when you interpret it as if she died, then that’s also perfectly acceptable. Because when someone dies, it feels like abandonment even though it’s not their fault. And so having [Ane and Satto] keep on living with Ane taking on the responsibility of now being a surrogate mother is kind of how I resolved it.
Ian Agustin Lactaoen
You mentioned that “Memory Beads” is a play about Alzheimer’s Disease. Why is it important for you to emphasize this fact?
Diane Aoki
So many people that I’ve talked to have had the same experience. And it’s so devastating going through this. My grandmother had it and it was hard on my uncle who had to take care of her. I think the one thing that is important is to not be so hard on yourself and not try so hard as a caregiver, to fit into the mold that you want them to fit in. Because they’re not the same person that you grew up knowing and loving. And in extreme cases, they don’t know who you are anymore. You can’t change them. Just keep loving them.
Ian Agustin Lactaoen
If there is one overarching message you would want to convey about the play, what is it?
Diane Aoki
If you are a caregiver caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, be as loving as you can to them. Don’t try to control them. Their happiness is what supports them; improve their quality of life as much as you can. In other words, don’t be like Joni; be more like Lianna. Also, memories are important. Your family memories, your stories with them — cherish them.”
Ian Agustin Lactaoen
Why should we even care about this play and its message?
Diane Aoki
The hope is that by sharing [your stories and the arts], you make connections with each other. And by making connections with each other, it’s a way to build community and it’s a way to bridge isolation. The arts build community, especially theatre. Whatever you can do to build community, no matter how small, is a good thing.
Ian Agustin Lactaoen
Suppose in the future, five generations down Lianna’s line or five generations down your own line, those “memory beads” become old, cracked, and faded, with the cords that bind them a bit looser. How would you ensure that despite such a state, they would stay intact for posterity?
Diane Aoki
All I can think of is to pass [the stories] down to the next generation and the next generation and hope they preserve those memories. There’s no way for me to know, though. We don’t know if it’s going to last for the next generation and so on. We can only hope.