The Floating World- John Romeril

First off I’d like to thank Emma for getting me onto this play, I really enjoyed it and it opened my eyes to a theme that seems to be running through most of my chosen plays.

So far I have studied, Away, Summer of the Aliens, Cosi and with the exception of The Removalists all the plays have alluded to a war or some kind of global conflict.  Now it is my guess that not everyone knew about this play, whether I’m right or wrong I am glad I found it and am sure it will fit well into the season (can’t find any recent productions or any photos of anything other than the cover).  I think it is about time that we pulled The Floating World out dusted it off and aired it out.

For those of you that don’t know the play it is set in 1974 on board a Cherry Blossom cruise ship travelling from Melbourne to Yokohama, Japan.  On board this ship is Les Harding a POW from World War Two.  As the cruise draws closer to Japan suppressed memories begin to bubble to the surface for Les.  This results in his rather bizarre behaviour and plotting to do harm to the Japanese people once they arrive. 

A great deal of the play provides insight into the psyche of an Australian POW and the lasting affect that being a POW can have- in this case leading to hallucinations and attempted violence.

Before reading the play I thought the obvious, that the floating world referred to the cruise ship- which it could still do.  However, after some investigation I found out that the floating world is a term used by the Japanese to describe (in the simplest form) a pleasure seeking lifestyle.

The play in meant to be an ironic comment on Australian xenophobia, which yes it is.  Les discriminates against all Asian people, lumping them all into the category of “Japs”.  That said, I can understand that even after thirty years it is hard to forget the horrors of a POW camp. 

The Floating World also touches upon the issues of a changing society/world.  Class, economics and politics are all questioned throughout the play.

To finish off this little foray into the world of Romeril I would like to note that my Grandpa was a POW working on the Thai/Burma railway and that reading this play really highlighted how absolutely horrible it must’ve been for him (because what Romeril wrote isn’t too far off the mark).  And just so you know he is now 92 and very much alive and kicking!

Alice x.