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2005.9.23 |
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Seventh volume of contemporary Japanese plays in English translation, HALF A CENTURY OF JAPANESE THEATER, published |
| | In April of 2005, the seventh volume of HALF A CENTURY OF JAPANESE THEATER was published. This is a series of books of contemporary Japanese plays in English translation that began publication 1991 based on the “Arts Plan 21” of Japan’s Ministry of Culture. The series presents translations of the works of representative Japanese contemporary playwrights and plays that have had an important impact of postwar Japanese theater, with a new volume being published once a year. Accompanying each translated play is a recent photograph of the playwright, stage photos and a profile of the playwright (all specially prepared for this publication). Below is a list of all the plays published in translation in this series so far. You can find synopses of all the plays listed here in the “Japanese Drama Database” page of this Web site (with the exceptions of DUMB TYPE’s S/N and Makoto SATO’s Abe Sada’s Dogs, which are now being prepared).
| + | Plays of Volume One |
Citizens of Seoul by Oriza HIRATA
Epitaph for the Whales by Yoji SAKATE
Time’s Storeroom by Ai NAGAI
Fireflies by Toshiro SUZUE
Tokyo Atomic Klub by Nozomi MAKINO
Ice Blossoms by Tatsuo KANESHITA |
| + | Plays of Volume Two |
The Man Next Door by Ryo IWAMATSU
Farewell to Huckleberry by Yutaka NARUI
Festival of the Fish by Miri YU
Hinii by Akio MIYAZAWA
S/N by DUMB TYPE
Rhythm Method by Sanae IIJIMA & Yumi SUZUKI
Cape Moon by Masataka MATSUDA |
| + | Plays of Volume Three |
Kitaro the Ghost-buster by Eriko WATANABE
Miss Toyoko’s Departure by Rei ICHIDO
Godzilla by Yasuhiko OHASHI
The King of La Mancha’s Clothes by Kensuke YOKOUCHI
Lullaby: A Hundred Years of Song by Shoji KOKAMI |
| + | Plays of Volume Four |
Ode to Joy by So KITAMURA
Nippon Wars by Takeshi KAWAMURA
A Legend of Mermaids by Chong Wishin
Thread Hell by Rio KISHIDA
The Red Demon Akaoni by Hideki NODA |
| + | Plays of Volume Five |
The Amida Black Chant Murder Mystery by Den FUJITA
The Atami Murder Case by Kohei TSUKA
Mystery Tour by Mikio KOMATSU
The Family Adrift: The Jesus Ark Incident by Tetsu YAMAZAKI
Ayako: Mom’s Cherry Blossoms Never Fall by Kodai OKABE
Claire de Lune by Juichiro TAKEUCHI |
| + | Plays of Volume Six |
La Marie-Vison by Shuji TERAYAMA
Yabuhara, the Blind Master Minstrel by Hisashi INOUE
Abe Sada’s Dogs by Makoto SATO
The Tale of Komachi Told by the Wind by Shogo OTA
Sick by Minoru BETSUYAKU
A Cry from the City of Virgins by Juro KARA
Red Dawn over Manhattan by Ren SAITO |
| + | Plays of Volume Seven |
The Meiji Coffin by Ken MIYAMOTO
Oppekepe by Yoshiyuki FUKUDA
Comedy Duo in Hibernation by Satoshi AKIHAMA
Our Lady of the Scabs by Matsuyo AKIMOTO
Such a Serious Frivolity by Kunio SHIMIZU
At Play with a Lion by Masakazu YAMAZAKI |
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 | Start of the 27th edition of the London contemporary dance festival “Dance Umbrella” |
| | Founded in 1978, the London contemporary dance festival “Dance Umbrella” opened for its 27th holding on Sept. 20. Hailed as Britain’s most important dance festival (Time Out), this festival offers a rich program of quality performances.
This year’s schedules calls for performances by 24 companies from Britain, France, Germany, the USA and Canada. The festival’s opening performances will be of The Room As It Was, N.N.N.N, Of Any If And and One Flat Thing, Reproduced by the Forsythe Company of Germany led by William Forsythe. Under this year’s special program titled “France Moves” there will be 10 contemporary dance productions by French artists. The program began with a duo performance by French dancer Sylvie Guillem and British choreographer Russell Maliphant and will include large-scale productions such as a Paris Opera production of Le Parc and a production of Tricodex by the Lyon Opera and Ballet Company with choreography by Philippe Decouflé.
You will find an interview of the festival’s director, Val Bourne in this month’s edition of this site.
| + | Dance Umbrella |
Dates: Sept. 20 - Nov. 8, 2005
Venues: Sadler’s Wells Theatre, The Place Theatre, The Barbican Theatre, etc.
http://www.danceumbrella.co.uk/ |
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| Scandinavia’s largest contemporary music festival Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival opens on Sept. 30 |
| | The Ultima Oslo Contemporary Music Festival held each autumn in the Norwegian capital is Scandinavia’s representative contemporary music festivals. In the 2005 festival will be artists from the 18 countries of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA. This year a special program called “Japan in Focus” will provide performance of Japanese music by more than 50 Japanese musicians, composers, dancers and artists. Link here to an interview of the festival’s director Geir Johnson on this site. (http://www.performingarts.jp/E/pre_interview/0501/1.html).
| + | Japanese performers scheduled to participate |
| Aki Takahashi, Akiko Kitamura, Gou Anai, Hideyo Nozawa, Magikami Koichi, Masahiro Miwa, Masayoshi Horikawa, Mieko Maeshima, Reigakusha, Ruri Mito, Sandaien Ichigu, Shunnoden Ichigu, Tsuyoshi Ozawa, Yasutaka Hemmi, Yuko Ookubo, Yumiko Tanaka. |
| + | Japanese composers whose works will be presented |
| Akira Nishimura, Dai Fujikura, Hidemi Ishida, Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Ippo Tsuboi, Jo Kondo, Karen Tanaka, Masahiro Miwa, Misato Mochizuki, Sachiyo Tsurumi, Takumi Ikeda, Toru Takemitsu, Toshio Hosokawa, Toshiro Saruya, Yusuke Awazu. |
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| 33rd Mexico Cervantino International Arts Festival opens October 5 |
| | The Cervantino International Arts Festival known as one of Latin America’s most important arts and culture festivals opens this year on October 5. Held in October every year since 1972 in the historic town of Guanajuato (approx. 400 km northwest of Mexico City) that is registered under the UNESCO World Heritage program, this festival is now in its 33rd holding. Named in honor of Miguel de Cervantes, author of the world famous novel Don Quixote, the festival seeks to be a venue for promotion of artistic creativity in the Spanish-speaking world. The festival presents works from a variety of genre, including music (classical, contemporary, pops and ethnic), opera, theater, dance, art, film and literature. For 2005 Japan and Spain are the special invitation countries (2004 was South Africa, 2003 was Germany and France, 2002 was Canada and 2001 Australia) and many Japanese artists and works will be presented, primarily in the performing arts and contemporary art. Numerous programs organized and supported by the Japan Foundation are also planned.
Dates: Oct. 5 - 23, 2005
Place: Guanajuato, Mexico
Participating artists: 2,550 from 32 countries (2005 planned)
Audience: Approx. 400,000 (2004 figure)
http://www.festivalcervantino.gob.mx/ |
| + | The Japan Foundation programs in the performing arts |
[Productions]
| | ISHINHA |
| | Contemporary theater. A new production by the company founded in Osaka in 1970 as the Nippon Ishinha, which has continued to present countless works in the genre of “theater” led by Yukichi Matsumo.
Oct. 6-8 Venue: Auditorio del Estado |
| Akira Kasai |
| | Butoh dance. A performance by Akira Kasai, one of the leading dancers since Butoh’s formative period in the 1960s. The work to be performed is Kafun Kakumei so well received in his 2004 US tour of eight cities.
Oct. 10 - 11 Venue: Teatro Cervantes (Workshop: Oct. 12) |
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[International collaborative productions]
| | Opera Yuzuru |
| | A famous standard of Japanese opera, Yuzuru will be performed in a joint Japan-Mexico production. This production originated from a request by the Japanese violinist Yuriko Kuronuma. |
| Sep. 28 - 29 | Venue: Jose Peon Contralez Theater |
| Oct. 5 - 6 | Venue: Teatro Juarez |
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[Supporting productions]
| | Rin’ |
| | Experimental music combining traditional Japanese instruments (sho, shakuhachi flute, biwa lute, jiuta sangen) and contemporary instruments (drum, bass) and digital sound. |
| Oct. 9 | Venue: Leon/ Teatro Manuel Doblado |
| Oct. 11 | Venue: Teatro Juarez |
| Oct. 13 | Venue: Merida/ venue undecided |
| Gocoo |
| | Wadaiko Japanese drum performance. Since its formation in 1998, this group has become popular especially among young audiences for its new style of Japanese Wadaiko drum performance that draws the audience into the music like a rock concert.
Oct. 19 Venue: Metepec
Oct. 21 Venue: Guanajuato/ Esplanada de la Alondiga de Granaditas
Oct. 22 Venue: Leon
Oct. 23 Venue: Atizapan
Oct. 25 Venue: Morelia
Oct. 27 Venue: Mexico City/ National Autonomous University of Mexico
Oct. 29 Venue: Campeche |
| Miyazawa sick band |
| | Rock music. This rock band was formed especially for overseas performances by Kazushi Miyazawa of the band “The Boom” whose Shimauta (Island Song) has become loved worldwide. (A Japan, China, US Exchange Year program)
Oct. 16 Venue: Guanajuato/ Esplanada de la Alhondiga de Granaditas |
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| South Korea’s first performing arts market “2005 Performing Arts Market in Seoul”(PAMS) held |
| | An arts market long awaited by the performing arts community is now being held under the direction of the South Korean Ministry of Culture & Tourism and having Seoul’s International Theater as its main venue. The dates of this “2005 Performing Arts Market in Seoul (PAMS)” are October 6-8 and it has been timed to coincide with the Seoul Performing Arts Festival (Sept. 23-Oct. 16) and the Seoul International Dance (SI Dance) festival (Sept. 27-Oct. 18). The main organizing body for the market is the Performing Arts Management Council, with the cooperation of the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, the Seoul Performing Arts Festival and Seoul International Dance festival and a Committee consisting of nationwide member organizations of the National Association of Culture & Arts Centers. Plans call for the presentation of booths, showcase performances and seminars.
Dates: Oct. 6-8, 2005
Venue: International Theater, Seoul
Organizer: PAMS Promotion Committee
PAMS website: http://www.pams.or.kr
| + | Booth exhibits |
Selected programs from the National Association of Culture & Arts Centers—113 works
Individual participation booths—18 companies
PAMS choice—15 works |
| + | 15 Showcase performances selected by PAMS |
| + | Related programs |
| • | Seminar and Discussion organized by Seoul Foundation for Arts & Culture (Oct. 7-8)
Workshops (Sept. 29-30, Oct. 3-5)
Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture website http://www.stac.or.kr |
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| • | Seoul Performing Arts Festival
Dates: Sept. 23-Oct. 16
Participants: 22 works from 12 countries
Seoul Performing Arts Festival website http://www.spaf21.com |
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| • | Seoul International Dance (SI Dance) festival
Dates: Sept. 27-Oct. 18
Participants: 12 works from 11 countries
Seoul International Dance website http://www.sidance.org |
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| 2005 Japanese Contemporary Drama Reading held in Seoul |
| | From November 17 to 20 the 2005 Japanese Contemporary Drama Reading organized by the Japan-Korea Theater Exchange Council will be held at The National Theater of Korea in Seoul.
It can be said that there is a small boom in Japanese contemporary theater in South Korea in recent years, with works by numerous contemporary playwrights being presented. This drama reading program involves translating Japanese plats into Korean, publishing them and then scheduling reading performances staged by Korean directors. The plays by five playwrights introduced in the first drama reading program in November, 2003 have been published by the Theater & Human Co. under the title Contemporary Japanese Plays Collection 1.
This time marks the second reading of this series and features works by Hisashi Inoue, Juro Kara, Kunio Shimizu, Chong Wishing and Minoru Betsuyaku. Their works in translation will be published as Contemporary Japanese Plays Collection 2 and three of the plays will be presented in readings. Participating in the November program from Japan will be the three playwrights Kara, Chong and Betsuyaku and the theater critics Akihiko Senda and Kojin Nishido. During the program there will also be a symposium held on the subject of the contemporary plays of the two countries.
This program is jointly organized by the Korea-Japan Theater Exchange Council of South Korea launched in 2002 and the Theater Communications Korea-Japan of Japan launched in 2000, and the aim of these biennial readings exchange and transfer of information between the two countries in the field of theater.
| + | Contemporary Japanese Plays Collection 1 |
Tatsuo Kaneshita Route 64
Yoji Sakate The Emperor and The Kiss
Ai Nagai Kon'nichi wa Kaasan (Hello, Mother)
Masataka Matsuda Chinmoku to Hikari (Silence and Light)
Akio Miyazawa Hinemi |
| + | Contemporary Japanese Plays Collection 2 |
Hisashi Inoue Drumming and Fluting
Juro Kara Doro Ningyo (Muddy Mermaid)
Kunio Shimizu Karasu yo, Oretachi wa Dangan wo komeru (Hey Crow, We load the bullet)
Chong Wishing An-nin-dofu no Kokoro (Almond Jelly Heart)
Minoru Betsuyaku Ki ni Hana saku (Flower blooms in the tree) |
| + | Reading Performance / Symposium |
Dates: Nov. 17-20, 2005
Venue: The National Theater of Korea, Seoul
Admission: Free
- Nov. 17: Annindofu no Kokoro by Chong Wishing (Directed by Ki Guk-So)
- Nov. 18: Doroningyo by Juro Kara (Directed by Oh Tea-Sok)
- Nov. 19: Ki ni Hanasaku (Flowers Bloom on the Trees) by Minoru Betsuyaku (Directed by Lee Yun-Teak)
- Nov. 20: Symposium “Japanese and Korean Plays Today” |
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| Seoul’s autumn arts event, Seoul International Performing Arts Festival opens Sept. 23 |
| | Now in its 5th holding, the Seoul International Performing Arts Festival (art director: Kim Kwang Lim) is being held this year from Sept. 23 to Oct. 16. The Seoul International Performing Arts Festival was launched in 2001 as a new festival incorporating the Seoul Theater Festival and Seoul Dance Festival that until then had been held separately. In the past few years, the program has consisted largely of the kinds of inclusive or genre-crossing productions that are typical of contemporary theater.
The theme of this year’s festival is “expanding artistic imagination” and the program will include 22 productions by 25 companies and organizations that cross lines not only of genre but also national boundaries to gather participants from 12 countries of Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia and the Americas, many of which have participated in international festival like Avignon. Of particular note is the Korean debut of Hideki Noda’s Red Demon produced by the Seoul International Performing Arts Festival (Oct. 13~16). Noda will reside in Seoul for the production period, auditioning and directing Korean actors for a Korean-language production of Red Demon.
Also planned on the program are forums and workshops on the theme of overseas joint productions as related enterprise.
| Dates: | Sept. 23 - Oct. 16, 2005 |
| Venues: | KCAF Arts Theater, Sogang University Mary Hall, the National Theater, Chungmu Art Hall, etc. |
| Organizer: | Seoul International Performing Arts Festival |
| Supporters: | Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Seoul City, The Korean Culture and Arts Foundation, Korean Broadcasting Commission |
| Seoul Performing Arts Festival WEBSITE: http://www.spaf21.com (Korea / English) |
| + | Program |
| • | Opening Performance: Spain / production of La Carnicera teatro / La Historia de Ronald el Payaso de McDonalds performed at the Avignon Festival. (Theater)
Cheers to the appetite of the masse! Don’t even think about a 21st century without McDonalds!
Sept. 23-25: Sogang University Mary Hall |
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| • | Korea / Dance Theater CcadoO Blue Stone (dance)
Sept. 23-24: Chungmu Art Hall Grand Theater |
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| • | Korea, Cyprus / Lee Gyoung Un & Evas The TWO (dance)
Sept. 24-25, KCAF Arts Theater Small Hall |
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| • | Korea / Seoul Ballet Theater Three Colors from Modern Ballet (dance)
Sept. 27-28: Chungmu Art Hall Grand Theater |
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| • | Belgium / La Cie Michele Noirte, Do We Ever Know? (dance)
Sept. 27-28: Sogang University Mary Hall |
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| • | Canada / Les Deux Mondes, 2191 Nights (theater)
Sept. 28-30: National Theater Small Theater |
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| • | Korea / Theatre Golmokgil West Pier (theater)
Sept. 28-Oct. 1: KCAF Arts Theater Small Hall |
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| • | Korea / Korea Festival Ensemble Tolstoy in Music (music, theater)
Experimental music theater
Sept. 29-30: Dangduk Women’s University Art Center |
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| • | Russia / Formainy Theater School for Fools (theater)
Oct. 1-3: Sogang University Mary Hall |
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| • | Tunisia / Familia Production JUNUN (theater)
Oct. 1-4: KCAF Arts Theater Main Hall |
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| • | Iran, Germany / Project Group Letters from Tentland (dance)
Oct. 2-3: National Theater Small Theater |
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| • | Korea, international / An Un Mi Company Let me change your name? (dance)
Oct. 3-4: Chungmu Art Hall Grand Theater |
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| • | Korea / Mokwha Repertory Company Romeo and Juliet (theater)
Oct. 3-9: National Theater The Open Stage |
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| • | Korea / Group Party Terrorists (theater)
Oct. 4-7: KCAF Arts Theater Small Hall |
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| • | Korea / Jung Shin-Hea & Kim Hyo-Jin & Kim Yoon-Jin Encountering Revolution (dance)
Oct. 5-6: Sogang University Mary Hall |
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| • | Korea / Sadari Movement Lab Cherry Orchard (theater)
Oct. 5-9: Sadari Art Center |
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| • | Korea / Kim Sam Jin Dance Company Terminal (dance)
Oct. 9-10: KCAF Arts Theater Small Hall |
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| • | Belgium / La Cie Mossoux-Bonte Twin Houses (dance)
Oct. 15-16: Sogang University Mary Hall |
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| • | Germany / Dorky Park Company Back to the Present (dance, theater)
Oct. 7-9: KCAF Arts Theater Main Hall |
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| • | Brazil / Group de Rua de Niteroi H2-2005 - Philosophical Break Dance
Oct. 11-13: Sogang University Mary Hall |
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| • | Korea, Japan / Seoul Performing Arts Festival production, Red Demon (theater)
Oct. 13-16: KCAF Arts Theater Small Hall |
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| • | Closing Performance / 2002 Melbourne Festival, Seoul International Performing Arts Festival joint production
Australia, Korea / NYID & Torgoji Theater, K (theater)
Oct. 13-16: KCAF Arts Theater Main Hall |
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