On a sunny Sunday afternoon, my friend and I found ourselves at the Old Globe in the heart of Balboa Park for a showing of the play, “tokyo fish story,” by playwright Kimber Lee and directed by May Adrales. In the midst of “enjoy the show!” greetings, we wandered into the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre and took our seats. Looking around, we were the youngest people in the room (with the exception of a little boy in the front row, sitting with his family).

Upon first impression of the venue, I knew this play would be unlike any other I had seen before. Instead of traditional rows of the audience facing a stage up in front, the seating was situated in circle around a scene in the center. For “tokyo fish story,” the scene was set up as a sushi kitchen, and the border around was colored a gentle blue to look like water.

Little did I know that “tokyo fish story” would take me on a journey of emotions and immersion in culture. This play is so much more than a simple sushi story, or a story of overcoming the odds. It juxtaposes new versus old Japanese culture, it gives glimpses into a life of lost love, it throws in laughter at just the right moments. I came out of this play with my heart warmed, and my stomach craving sushi.

This play tells the story of a master sushi chef Koji, trapped in tradition and the past. His restaurant is losing customers to newer, more modern sushi joints, and it is up to Takashi, a young apprentice to Koji, to convince his boss that a modern change must be implemented.

The factor that really made the show excellent was, without question, the actors. Tim Chiou, who played Takashi, the brilliant sushi protege, had a striking deep voice that never wavered. I could feel the essence of the character come through; his steadfast character showed maturity and dedication to his craft, as well as his mentor Koji. Raymond Lee played the character of Nobu, a funny, hip, young assistant chef at the restaurant. Nobu was the character that infused much of the humor and crude language into this play. Lee displayed the perfect vibe of the character and kept up with the trends of today’s young people. (He even had his hair in a man bun for a couple scenes).

What is also notable were the special effects and props of “tokyo fish story.” Whenever the actors did an action in the kitchen, such as scoop rice or turn on the water, the sound effects of each action were perfect and really contributed to transporting the audience and creating the atmosphere. My friend was ecstatic when, during a scene where some clothes were dropped on the ground, a hole appeared on the ground that seemed to suck the clothes in. Additionally, in the most important sushi-making scene of the play, protege Takashi made a roll for his boss, and the actors were actually making sushi and eating it on the spot!

If you have any interest in being entertained, go to the Old Globe. Seeing a play there is an experience every San Diegan should have. Catch a view of “tokyo fish story” up until June 26 on select regular performance days, or check out some other plays showing this summer, such as Macbeth, Camp David, and Sense and Sensibility.