Kyoto performance reviews

http://hirotafutakuchi.blog.jp Futaguchi Daigaku and Hirota Yuumi are the Richard Burton/Elizabeth Taylor of the Kyoto shogekijo movement. Appearing together in Chekhov’s The Bear and Kishida Kunio and Betsuyaku Minoru’s short plays, they perform couples in distress as a subtle dance of sidelong looks, pauses, confrontations, and hesitating backtracks. The empty space is instantly transformed into a time-machine ride to a believable tale, which frequently grows increasingly absurd, terrifying and comic in turns.  What an asset to Kyoto! Futakuchi’s range is wide: on his own in others’ productions he plays it straight, with a formidable physical dexterity and dancerly presence. He has performed in Noho Theatre Group productions I’ve directed for over twenty years, always bringing a fresh, professional attitude to the roles. On the other hand, every time I see Hirota—who teaches at my university alongside Futakuchi--she seems to be playing some sort of hysteric woma...

--> 　 How close is too close? An urgent appeal ( 駆け込み訴え Kakekomi utae) by Dazai Osamu Adapted, acted and directed by Kodama Ta 　 chi 児玉泰地 （役者でない） No actors https://www.facebook.com/events/283142869026661/ On April 8 2019 at the small Cafe Figaro near the University of the Arts in northeast Kyoto, a former student of mine Kodama Taichi performed a new play from his one-person series, “No actors.” I had seen a video of his earlier, absurdist actor’s nightmare play and liked its physicality and precision. I looked forward to his live performance, one that had already toured four cities and is on its way to Tokyo in the Fall. I hastily read Dazai Osamu’s short story (helpfully online in translation) before the performance. With the one drink served as part of the reasonable 1500 yen admission price, I had a ginger ale. As the dozen or so spectators entered the chandeliered, mirrored café with beautiful porcelain cups and saucers lined up, I was surpris...