Closing of Cocomaru?

What a pity…

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Hiroshi: I think Cocomaru is struggling. I went by today and only two films were showing.

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Hiroko: I went by a couple of days ago and the shutters were rolled down. Not even open. Notice flapping in the wind.

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Hiroshi: It was open today. Sort of. But definitely in trouble. No one in the box office. I asked the shop next door if the theater was still in business and he said he thought they were clearing out.

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Hiroko: Business model always did seem to be the elephant in the room.

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Hiroshi: Despite the most enthusiastic managing, many small businesses call it quits for reasons like inexperience or insufficient capital.

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Hiroko: Crowdfunding all burned up so no payouts for the contributors I guess.

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Voice-over

Cocomaru was a unique art theatre. Oasis among the sometimes kitschy commerce of Kichijoji. Can be hard to make a sustainable profit out of alternative culture though.

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Anthropomorphism and Demagoguery: Rhinos in the town and elephants in the room

On symbolizing demagoguery…

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Tom: Remember Ionesco’s Rhinoceros, two guys sitting at a café table, and a rhinoceros runs down the street?

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Dick: Yeah. And then another comes charging along and stomps a dog and people are outraged.

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Tom: But then everyone in the town turns into rhinoceroses.

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Dick: A satire on people following Fascism.

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Tom: I wonder if we could rework the metaphor. Maybe use an elephant.

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Dick: Ah. The elephant in the room?

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Voice-over

Tom Fogler wrote a play called The Elephant in the Room. Borrowing from the past and reworking a metaphor to tell a new story. Fortunately, animals are not litigiously inclined to charge in trumpeting, “Calling me a demagogue? I’ll sue you!”

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