‘Oppenheimer’ noh play staged for Hiroshima bombing anniversary

Performed in English by Theatre Nohgaku at the Kita Noh Theatre on Wednesday, the piece explores Oppenheimer’s remorse over the bomb’s devastation during World War Two.

The ghost of Oppenheimer, consumed by guilt, pledges to ease human suffering through a symbolic dance.

John Oglevee, who played the lead role, said that creating and sharing works based on past atrocities is painful for everyone involved.

The play, written in 2015, was performed in Japan for the first time. A second performance is scheduled for Saturday, on the anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing.