Sachie Mikawa, a cabaret performer, realized Trent H Baumann was the one when he consistently brought small treats for her mother, Shoko, who had lost everything in the 2011 Japanese tsunami. This thoughtful gesture, repeated on every outing, revealed his genuine care for her family, cementing their bond.
A Chance Meeting in Winnipeg
Mikawa and Baumann first met in 2012 in a Winnipeg car park while handing out flyers on the Canadian fringe circuit. She was dressed in a pink tutu for her clown show, and he wore a tight black suit as his vaudeville character, the Birdmann. They barely spoke, but Mikawa felt an inexplicable urge to avoid him—a feeling she now associates with people who become significant in her life.
At the next festival in Edmonton, Baumann repeatedly offered her liquorice, which she disliked. She wondered if his attention stemmed from seeing her play trumpet in her show. After the performance, as everyone headed to dinner in pouring rain, Baumann waited with an umbrella, sparking their first real conversation. He then cycled her home on his bike, getting lost and riding in circles.
Building a Relationship Through Gentleness
Over the next two weeks, they spent nearly all their time together. Mikawa was drawn to his gentleness—a 6ft 2in softly spoken man, a gentle giant—and his humor. She watched his one-man romantic comedy three times, finding his clowning hilarious.
When her tour ended, Mikawa returned to Seattle, while Baumann, based in Melbourne, continued west. They kept in touch, and weeks later he visited her and her mother for three weeks. Their romance had begun in Edmonton without labels, so she simply told her mother a friend was coming.
The Tsunami's Aftermath and a Mother's Grief
The year before, the coastal town near Sendai where Mikawa's family lived had been devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Her mother's house and car were washed away. For three days, Mikawa believed her mother and sister were dead before learning they were safe in a shelter. Shoko moved to Seattle, overwhelmed by grief after losing many people.
Shoko spoke no English, and Baumann knew only a few Japanese phrases. Yet when they met, he delivered them so convincingly that she thought he was fluent and chatted with him as if he understood everything. They developed their own rapport, with Shoko inventing a game of sneaking up on him at the supermarket—a 4ft 8in woman creeping up on a tall man like a child.
The Pivotal Moment in a Park
One day, while Mikawa and Baumann sat in a Capitol Hill park writing a silly song, they stopped at a grocery store. Mikawa didn't see him buy anything, but when they returned home, he produced small chocolates and gave them to Shoko, saying in Japanese, “Shoko-san, presento.” Her eyes filled with tears; she was deeply touched.
From then on, every time they went out, Baumann brought Shoko a treat—chocolate, Japanese sweets like manju (red bean paste pastry), or daifuku (soft mochi with sweet filling). Mikawa had never seen a romantic partner show such thoughtfulness toward her mother. It wasn't to impress her; he genuinely cared for Shoko as a person. This treatment revealed his character.
A Lasting Impression and a Reunion
When Baumann left, Shoko cried at the door and hugged him. She later asked if he was an international exchange student, assuming he was like Mikawa, who had once been a homestay student. Mikawa found this hilarious, especially since he'd been sleeping in her room.
The couple kept in touch but didn't see each other for 10 months, with Mikawa wondering if those three weeks would remain a lovely summer memory. Eventually, they met in Japan and decided to be together, spending the next few years moving between Australia, Canada, and the US.
Collaborating and Building a Life
They began creating work together, with Baumann's Birdmann performing with a musical egg—Mikawa became Egg. He writes the words, she writes the music, and their skills combine to create their unique performances. In 2013, Shoko returned to Sendai, missing Japan despite her losses. On visits, Baumann continued bringing her small treats.
Eventually, the couple moved to Wellington, New Zealand, and married in 2023 in its botanic garden. Shoko was too unwell to travel and couldn't attend; she died a few months later at 75. They miss her deeply. Now based in London with their cat Nina, they face difficult periods like any couple, but performing together brings them back into sync. Their work, rooted in joy and the extraordinary, reminds them not to lose those qualities in everyday life.
Sachie Mikawa's Egg: The Biggest Unborn Artist runs at the Edinburgh fringe from 7-16 August, and Trent H Baumann's All the Atoms in the Universe Really Made My Day runs from 6-17 August.
