FY2021 International Creations in
Performing Arts

Process Observer
Reports

Preface
The Japan Foundation (JF) launched a program to promote international creations in performing arts by Japanese and overseas artists
in FY2021, ultimately leading to the production of eight diverse works
that year.
In addition to the aspect of seeking out new forms of expression
through interaction between Japanese and international artists, anobserver system has been instituted for the project as a new initiative
to record the processes up to the final performances from third-party
perspectives and to make them more visible. Eight observers witnessed
the creative processes of this year s projects. This is a compilation of
their reports. From works whose production was completed exclusively
online to those that were successfully staged with international artists
visiting Japan under strict measures against COVID-19, the reports
show the trial-and-error processes amid the pandemic as well as thepossibilities for more universal international exchange. By shining a
spotlight behind the scenes of international co-productions, which arealso opportunities for international exchange, these reports are aimed
at demonstrating the potential of exchange through performing arts
and, at the same time, contributing to the further development of international exchange projects between Japanese and overseas artists.
The Japan Foundation March 2022

Contents

3-4

Observer Profiles

5-18

KOTATSU"
Seinendan Theater Company and Pascal RAMBERT (France)

19-29

The Digital Home"
Saitama Arts Theater and Christopher GREEN (U.K.)

30-44

Fierce 5"
Setagaya Public Theatre and Raphaëlle BOITEL (France)

45-61

Work-In-Progress for Music Theatre Production"
chelfitsch & Dai Fujikura with Klangforum Wien (Austria)

62-77

SPAC Autumn–Spring 2021–2022 #2:
The Cherry Orchard
SPAC-Shizuoka Performing Arts Center and T2G-Théâtre deGennevilliers-Centre Dramatique National (France)

78-89

Electra"SCOT (Suzuki Company of Toga) and Restu I. Kusumaningrum(Indonesia)

90-103TOGE
Company Derashinera with LEE Ren Xin (Malaysia) and LIU
Juichu (Taiwan)

104-117

Sky Bridge"
S.C.ALLIANCE Inc., with Shen Kyomei RIBEIRO, Gabriel LEVY,
and Ari COLARES (Brazil)

Observer Profiles

Seinendan Theater Company and Pascal RAMBERT (France)

KOTATSUYOKOBORI Masahiko
Graduated from the doctoral program at the Graduate School of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts. Majored in dramaturgy at the University of Music and Theatre
Leipzig. Productions he has participated in as a dramaturge include the opera Yuzuru (directed by OKADA Toshiki) and Theater Company Q s The Question of Faeries(written and directed by ICHIHARA Satoko). Following production work at Festival/
Tokyo, TPAM, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, he currently works as a full-time
lecturer at Atomi University in the Faculty of Management.

Saitama Arts Theater and Christopher GREEN (U.K.)

The Digital HomeOSHITA Yoshiyuki
Ph.D. (Philosophy in Art) holder. An expert on cultural policies. Professor in the Faculty of Economics, Doshisha University. Visiting Professor at the International Research Center for Japanese Studies. Committee member of Council for Cultural Affairs Museum Section. He was Vice-Chair of the Committee of the Shizuoka Cultural
Programme for the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. He has served as an advisor andcommittee member for many local governments, including as an Advisor of Tsuruoka
Creative City of Gastronomy. His publications include Arts Council: Practical Problems About Arm s Length Principle (SUIYOSHA Publishing Inc., 2017).

Setagaya Public Theatre and Raphaëlle BOITEL (France)

Fierce 5

KUREMIYA Yurika
Researcher and art manager in the field of dance. Her main area of investigationis contemporary dance. Studied in France on a scholarship from the French government and received her master's degrees from Université Paris 8 and Waseda
University. Has been contributing performance reviews, discussions, and interviews
to Japanese and international media while also being involved in the production ofnumerous dance performances and festivals. Is further active in research and thefrontiers of the field.

Chelfitsch & Dai Fujikura with Klangforum Wien (Austria)

Work-In-Progress for Music Theatre Production

SHIMANUKI Taisuke
Born in 1980. Art writer and editor. Moving around between Kyoto, Beppu, and Tokyo,
he has engaged in writing, editing, and planning for print and online media including
Bijutsu Techo, Tokyo Art Beat, and CINRA. In recent years, he has been active as amember of the research collective u-ho with NEJI Pijin and MIEDA Ai.

Photo: ENDO Mizuki

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

3

SPAC-Shizuoka Performing Arts Center and
T2G-Théâtre de Gennevilliers-Centre Dramatique National (France)

SPAC Autumn–Spring 2021–2022 #2: The Cherry Orchard

HORIKIRI Katsuhiro
Born in 1983. Theater researcher and critic. Translator of Le Tiers Temps (Yell, Sam,If You Still Can) (Hayakawa Publishing Corporation, 2021), co-translator of Kabuki
and Revolutionary Russia (Shinwasha, 2017) and Corpus Jan Fabre (Ronsosha, 2010),
and coauthor of The Performing Arts in Nordic Countries (Sangensha Publishers
Inc., 2011) and Encyclopedia of Japanese Plays (Hakusuisha Publishing Co., Ltd.,
2016), among others. His stage translations include In the Company of Men by Edward BOND (ZA-KOENJI Public Theatre, 2019–2021).

SCOT (Suzuki Company of Toga) and Restu I. Kusumaningrum (Indonesia)

ElectraUCHINO Tadashi
Born in 1957. Received an MA in American Literature (1984) and a Ph.D. in Performance Studies (2002) from the University of Tokyo. He was a professor at the University of Tokyo s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (1992–2017) and received
the title of professor emeritus at the same university (2019). He is currently a professor at Gakushuin Women s College (since 2017). His publications include The
Melodramatic Revenge (Keiso Shobo Publishing, 1996) and Crucible Bodies (Seagull
Books, 2009). He is a contributing editor for TDR (Cambridge University Press).

Company Derashinera with LEE Ren Xin (Malaysia) and LIU Juichu (Taiwan)

TOGE

TAKAHASHI Ayako
Theater and dance writer. Received a Master s Degree (in theater studies and dance)from Waseda University, Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Active as awriter mainly on topics related to contemporary theater, traditional performing arts,
ballet, dance, musical, and opera. She currently writes regularly for the online magazine Ontomo, focusing on theater from an auditory perspective ( Mimi kara miru
butai, ) and the ballet magazine Swan Magazine ( Bare fan ni okuru opera mangekyo ). First prize winner at the 10th Japan Dance Critics Award.

Photo:NAKAMURA Yuki

S.C.ALLIANCE Inc.,
with Shen Kyomei RIBEIRO, Gabriel LEVY, and Ari COLARES (Brazil)

Sky Bridge

MINAMIDE Kazuyo
Associate Professor (in charge of the Global Studies Course), Department of English,
School of Letters, Kobe College. Areas of expertise: cultural anthropology, Bangladesh
area studies. PhD (Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI / National
Museum of Ethnology). Publications include Anthropology of Child-sphere : Children in a Bangladesh s Rural Society; Showado, 2014) and Millennial Generation in
Bangladesh: Their Life Strategies, Movement, and Identity Politics (University Press
Limited, 2022). Received the 2020 Daido Life Foundation Award for Area Studies.

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

4

PROJECT

KOTATSU
Seinendan Theater Company and Pascal RAMBERT (France)
The newest creation by Pascal RAMBERT, one of France’s top playwrights and directors. The Seinendan Theater Company’s first serious international project since the outbreak of COVID-19. This is
the first play Pascal Rambert has written for Japanese actors. It is the culmination of exchanges thathave taken place since 2006. Rambert created it together with HIRATA Oriza (Co-director and Japanese Language Supervisor) and the actors and staff of Seinendan.
KOTATSU is the story of a family who grew a small company into a major international firm in a single
generation, and their friends and relatives who have gathered for New Year’s. It was first performed at
the Ebara Riverside Theatre in September 2021.

Outline of Performances

HIRATA Oriza

Date: September 8, 2021 (Wed.)
Duration: 120 min.
Venue: Ebara Riverside Theatre

Credits
Written and directed by Pascal RAMBERT
Co-directed with Japanese language supervision by HIRATA Oriza
Translated by HIRANO Akihito
Performers:
YAMAUCHI Kenji, HYODO Kumi, OTA Hiroshi, CHINEN Mima, SHIN Suhkye, OGINO Yuri,
SATO Shigeru, MORI Issei, NAGOYA Megumi, ASAMURA Kamilla
Stage Design: HAMAZAKI Kenji
Lighting: NISHIMOTO Aya
Costumes: MASAKANE Aya, NAKAHARA Akiko
Sound: SENDA Yuta, AKITA Yuji

Pascal RAMBERT © Vanessa Rabade

Stage Manager: HARIMA Aiko
Props: CHEN Yen Chun
Video: UTAGAWA Tatsuhito
Assistant Directors: OHARA Hana, YAMAGUCHI KeikoInterpreter: ISHIKAWA Hiromi
Production Coordination: NISHIO Sachiko (Sistema, Inc.), Pauline ROUSSILLE (structure production)
Organized by The Japan Foundation, Agora Planning LTD./Komaba Agora Theater,
structure production
Co-produced by The Japan Foundation, Agora Planning LTD./Komaba Agora Theater,
structure production

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

5

PROJECTA

KOTATSUREPORTA

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

1

2

3

4

5

1. Main graphic © Hirota Seita 2-5. Performance photos © Miula Ulin

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

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PROJECTA

KOTATSUREPORTA

Seinendan Theater Company and Pascal RAMBERT (France)

KOTATSU First Report: Launch of Project

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

them all. Iʼm not interested in doing projects for fame or money. I thinkthat it is important for artists to recognize each other, for artists who understand each other and who respect each other from the bottom of theirhearts to work together, exactly like we have with this project. It is also

Author: YOKOBORI Masahiko

extremely important for friendship to connect everyone who is involved ina production. I have worked with Production Coordinator NISHIO Sachiko

Pascal RAMBERT is a playwright and director who was born in France infor years.

1962. From 2007 to 2017, he served as the artistic director of the Théâtre
de Gennevilliers, a national dramatic center located in the suburbs of̶ You and Seinendan have worked together for a long time. Please tellParis. While there, he worked on several projects, including the firstme about the events leading up to your current project, KOTATSU.

1

French-language performance of Sables & Soldats with the Seinendan
Theater Company led by HIRATA Oriza, who is the same age as Rambert.

Rambert: When we staged The End of Love, there were expressions inDuring this time, Rambert also worked together with the Festival d'Au-

my play that were difficult to translate into Japanese. There was a phrase

tomne à Paris on a two-piece performance of Hirataʼs Citizens of Seoul

in French that, translated literally, meant “Life is not a basket of straw-

and Citizens of Seoul 1919.2 Rambert held performances in Japan of The

berries.” There was a discussion about how best to translate this into3

Beginning of Love at the Komaba Agora Theater in 2007, and A (Micro)

Japanese. After consulting Japanese Language Supervisor Hirata Oriza

History of World Economics, Danced in Fujimi, Shizuoka, and Miyazaki in

and Translator HIRANO Akihito, we changed the Japanese line to “Life is2010.4 In 2013, Rambert held performances of The End of Love, one of his

not eating tangerines around the kotatsu (a low table covered by a blanket,

most acclaimed works, in Shizuoka, Osaka, and Yokohama.5 (Additionalwith a built-in heater; in winter, families typically sit around it on the floor

performances were held at the Komaba Agora Theater and Shikoku Gakuin

with their legs under the blanket).” I tell this story all the time when I talk

Universityʼs Notos Studio from 2016 to 2017.) In 2018, he held performances

about translating works in countries such as Russia, Italy, and the Unitedof GHOSTs at the Komaba Agora Theater.

States. The word “kotatsu” left a deep impression on me then. The result

For KOTATSU, Seinendanʼs 2021 international project, five actors will

was the play KOTASU. KOTATSUʼs central theme is the kotatsu, a piece ofappear who have worked with Rambert before. They are OGINO Yuri, who

furniture that means comfort and relaxation to Japanese people. KOTAT-

appeared in The Beginning of Love; HYODO Kumi and OTA Hiroshi, who

SU also incorporates Japanese feelings about shame; and the relation-

appeared in The End of Love; and MORI Issei and NAGOYA Megumi, whoship between social media and New Yearʼs, a time that is supposed to beappeared in GHOSTs. In addition, five actors who have never worked withquiet and peaceful.

Rambert before will be appearing. They are YAMAUCHI Kenji, CHINEN
Mima, SHIN Suhkye, SATO Shigeru, and ASAMURA Kamilla. In total, ten

̶ In other words, it was your long-term relationships that made this proj-

Seinendan actors will be appearing in KOTATSU. All of Rambertʼs works

ect possible.

that have been performed in Japan were first performed in other countries before being translated into Japanese. KOTATSU, however, is a newRambert: To date, I have produced or staged five or six works in Japan.

work that was written specifically for the actors of Seinendan to perform.

Including touring works, the total number of productions in Japan I have

For this first report, I interviewed Pascal Rambert in May 2021 as a record

been involved in is around 10 over about 20 years. I believe that I under-

at the time of the projectʼs launch. At this time, the rough translation ofstand perhaps a little about Japan, and I love Japan. And because I love

the play into Japanese had been completed and discussions with Japa-

Japan, I want to look at it in a way that is a little teasing. I also know thatnese staff had moved forward considerably. Over about 40 years, Ram-

Japanese people love France and sometimes laugh at France as well.

bert has engaged in international projects in about 30 countries and in

Because we love each other, we tease each other. I think thatʼs natural.

over 30 languages. Based on this experience, I asked Rambert about his

This project has been in my head for a long time. I wanted to make a new

basic stance toward international productions, and the events leading up

production with the actors of Seinendan who I have worked together withto this projectʼs launch.

before. For example, I worked with Ogino Yuri on The Beginning of Love,
Ota Hiroshi and Hyodo Kumi on The End of Love, and Mori Issei and̶The KOTATSU project is an international collaboration between you andNagoya Megumi on GHOSTs. Recently, I created a work for the Festival

Seinendan. Please tell me what points you focus on when engaging in andʼAvignon.6 This work featured actors with whom I have worked with overinternational production.

the past 10 years. In part because of this, I wanted to gather together other actors with whom I had worked. I also wanted to create a work for theRambert: I worked on international productions for 10 years at theactors of Seinendan. With KOTATSU, I was finally able to achieve this.

Théâtre de Gennevilliers. Even after I became an independent director,
I continued to engage in international collaborations. In either situation,

̶ I read a rough translation of the script, and noticed the names of the

however, what I have believed is the most important thing in international

characters are the same as the first names of the actors. What was the

productions is that they are based on relationships of friendship. I think

relationship between your script writing and the casting?

that friendships between artists are particularly important. This project isalso based in the 20-year-long friendship between Hirata Oriza and me.

Rambert: We held auditions to decide on the cast first. I meet face-to-

Under the name of international collaboration, one-time projects haveface with many actors before I start my work. Last year, I wrote a work in

been conducted all over the place in order to stand out. For me, however,Mexico,7 and I met with all the theaterʼs actors then as well. When I makeit is important to work together with people I personally strongly trust. A

a new work, I like to start creating after Iʼve met people instead of bring-

moment ago, you told me that you studied abroad in Germany. I get work

ing a completed project. With KOTATSU, too, I started working on it after

offers from Germany around two to three times a month, but I refuse

I met with Seinendanʼs actors in Tokyo and Toyooka. KOTATSU would not

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

7

KOTATSU

PROJECTA

be the work it is now if, for example, I hadnʼt met Asamura Kamilla, who

REPORTA

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

costumes, and there are also descriptions in the script. I think that thisis from Uzbekistan; or Shin Suhkye, who has Korean roots. I also remem-

makes these relatively easy to work on. Iʼm looking forward to meeting up

ber an incident with Ota Hiroshi when we worked together on The End ofwith everyone in Tokyo in July.

Love. His character had a huge number of lines. After the first rehearsal(to read through the script) on the fifth floor of the Komaba Agora Theater,

̶ The first round of rehearsals will be in Tokyo over a two-week period

Ota said to me, “Why does this character talk so much?” So I proposedin late July. The second round of rehearsals will be held in Toyooka fromthat in my next work, I would give him a role that doesnʼt talk at all, whichlate August. However, has COVID-19 caused any changes in your original

he agreed to. That was a major starting point for KOTATSU. My works areschedule?

a result of my relationships with people. When I look at cast photos, theytell me everything. Like a shaman, I can feel the energy coming out ofRambert: No, at least at this point there have been no changes. I am

those photos. I put words to the various energies and create the script

hoping that I will be able to fly to Japan as scheduled in July. At that time,

based on the energies that emerge between people.

about one month will have passed since I finished getting vaccinated. To
date, when working in other countries I have been getting tested every̶ When was the last time you were in Japan?

three days, but so far I havenʼt gotten sick, so Iʼm hoping we will be able
to do this. That being said, thereʼs also the Olympics, so I donʼt know

Rambert: I donʼt remember exactly, but I think it was 2019.

what effect that will have on the situation going forward. Right now, I
hope things settle down and go well.

̶ I believe that you met with the actors then and established the main

outline of the project. In the script however, “November 2020” and “Jan-̶ Will you be staying in Japan the entire time between the first and sec-uary 2021” are written above the cast, as well as several city names be-

ond round of rehearsals?

8

tween them. I imagine that COVID-19 affected your work in various ways,
but does this mean you wrote the script as you traveled to these different

Rambert: No, thereʼs a part of me thatʼs kind of Japanese in that I nevercities?

take a vacation. At the end of July I will leave Japan and return to Paris,and then I will immediately start rehearsals on another project. This proj-

Rambert: COVID-19 didnʼt change the rhythm of my work. Two produc-

ect will be staged immediately following the first performance of KOTAT-

tions scheduled for Hong Kong and New York were delayed half a year,

SU in Toyooka. Once that is finished, Iʼm planning on taking a two-week

but other than that, I have been able to stage all of my works. It is my rulebreak.

to write works outside of Paris. When Iʼm in Paris, I value my time with myfamily, so I write in the morning when Iʼm staying in other cities.

̶ A moment ago, you said that you donʼt participate in one-shot-styleinternational projects. Please share if you have any plans to stage this̶ When you stage productions outside of French-speaking places, ofproject other than in Toyooka.

course you hand the plays you have written over to translators, but whatsort of work is involved in delivering your words to local audiences?

Rambert: With regard to that, I would ask you to talk to Nishio SachikoRambert: For me, I solely focus on directing. Very simply, all I think aboutsuch production matters in the hands of Seinendan and the staff of theis the production, as a playwright, and as a director. I donʼt really think

Komaba Agora Theater. I would like to concentrate on writing and staging.

and Hirata Oriza. I donʼt talk about such things in advance, so I leave

about what to do for the audience, or what I should do to get the audience to like it, or, conversely, what I should do if the audience doesnʼt likeit. When I work, my ethic is to create a piece of art. As far as I remember
it, Japanese audiences donʼt express their opinion very much after opening day. This is different from France. After opening day, French audiences feel the need to talk for hours, and that is difficult for me (laughs). In

Interview and Text: Yokobori MasahikoInterpreter: ISHIKAWA Hiromi
Note: This interview was conducted over Zoom from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on May 10, 2021
(Japan Standard Time).

part because thereʼs this difference, Iʼm curious how Japanese people will

1 http://www.seinendan.org/play/2010/09/2309

react after seeing this work. When I stage a production, I want to make it

2 http://www.seinendan.org/play/2016/11/5312

direct and real. This work is like a movie, and I think perhaps could even

3 http://www.komaba-agora.com/line_up/2007_06/debut.html

be filmed like a feature film. I was deeply influenced by director OZU Yasujiroʼs depiction of the lives of people. It is said that Ozu filmed from theperspective of someone kneeling on a tatami mat floor, and I feel that thiswork was similarly written from a tatami mat perspective.

4 https://spac.or.jp/10_autumn/dansee.html
5 http://www.seinendan.org/play/2013/09/2460
6 https://festival-avignon.com/fr/edition-2019/programmation/architecture-2870
7 http: // www.teatrounam.com.mx / index.php / component / sppagebuilder / 209-

desaparecer
8 novembre 2020 / Tallin / Genève / Paris / Rouchut / Paris / Milan / Séville / janvier

2021

̶ At this point in time, I assume that youʼve begun talking with planners.

Are the staff you are working with on this project people you have worked
with before?
Rambert: Almost all of them. For example, Iʼve worked with technicaldirector NISHIMOTO Aya for about 20 years. Our relationship is at apoint where she knows what I want without me saying almost anythingat all. I have very clear images of what I want to do with stage design and

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

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PROJECTA

KOTATSUREPORTA

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

this project.

Seinendan Theater Company and Pascal RAMBERT (France)

KOTATSU Second Report: Rehearsals
Author: YOKOBORI Masahiko

The first round of rehearsals for the Seinendan Theater Company andOta: Weʼve held auditions in the company for French works before. Sim-ilarly, we held auditions for Pascalʼs project, with interested company
members auditioning either in Tokyo or Ebara.
̶ What did the auditions involve?

Pascal RAMBERTʼs 2021 international project KOTATSU were held at the
Komaba Agora Theater from July 16 to 30.1 Originally, it was planned for

Ota: This time, Pascalʼs auditions were very unique. I didnʼt read lines

Pascal Rambert to come to Japan to participate in the rehearsals. Howev-

from a script or anything. Instead, Pascal and an interpreter interviewed

er, due to entry restrictions, Rambert ended up participating from Europe

me for about 10 or 15 minutes and then it was just like “Okay” and it wasvia Zoom. Rehearsals were held daily from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (10:00

over.

a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Europe). Several cameras were placed in the Komaba

Agora Theater, enabling Rambert to watch the actorsʼ performances from̶ Mori Issei, you worked with Pascal before on GHOSTs, is that right?

a variety of angles.
Ordinarily, on the first day of rehearsals, a “read-through” is conducted

Mori: Yes. I didnʼt so much audition as I went to go see Pascal for thein which the entire script is read from beginning to end. Rambert, how-

first time in a long time. All we really did was chitchat and talk about how

ever, asked the actors to “be like French actors and not be afraid to ask

we had been doing lately. And then at the end it was just “Okay, see youquestions.” Accordingly, the scenes were read through one at a time, and,later.”

if there were any questions, a thorough discussion was held. On the firstday of rehearsals, scenes one through nine were read through in order.

̶ Chinen Mima, this is your first time working with Pascal.

On the second day, after reading through from the beginning to scenenine (about 20 minutes; about one sixth of the entire work), they moved on

Chinen: In The End of Love, which Ota appeared in, there was a chorus

to scene 10 and after. Perhaps because Seinendan is an already-estab-

group of mothers who appeared for a moment to sing before leaving

lished company, actors and staff proactively asked questions even foragain, and I was a member of that group, so I had a very small amount ofscenes they were not involved in. Rambert answered all of their questions

contact with Pascal through that. Also, when Pascal worked as artistic

earnestly, and I was impressed by his sincere explanations of things suchdirector at the Théatre de Gennevilliers national dramatic center, several

as each characterʼs role. Translator HIRANO Akihito was in the rehearsal

French actors and two Japanese actors appeared in Hirata Orizaʼs pro-space almost every day, and Co-director and Japanese Language Super-

duction of Seinendanʼs Sables & Soldats.2 I took part in that production,

visor HIRATA Oriza also came around two times. Together, they carefully

so I passed by Pascal several times in the theater.

adjusted the Japanese dialogue. The latter half of rehearsals was conducted while actually moving on a temporary stage. In the first round of̶ I assume that Sables & Soldats was performed in French?

rehearsals, only basic blocking was added. It was decided to add moredetailed blocking during the second round of rehearsals to be held in Eb-

Chinen: It was originally a work performed by Japanese actors. When itara late the following month.

was performed in France, only the two enemy soldiers were performed

This second report is a record of the project at the time of the end of

by Japanese actors. The two Japanese actors talked to each other in Jap-

the first round of rehearsals. I interviewed three actors from the Seinen-

anese, but in a scene where they suddenly meet the French actors, they

dan who will be appearing in KOTATSU: OTA Hiroshi, CHINEN Mima, andspoke in French. When I was chosen to appear, I didnʼt speak any French.

MORI Issei.

I was taught French for about a month, but nowadays I donʼt understandit at all and can only pick up a few words here and there. In my case, be-̶ The characters in KOTATSU have the same names as the actual actors.

cause of having and raising a child, I hadnʼt acted in about eight years.

Please tell me about the events leading up you being chosen to appear in

My interview with Pascal took place just after my move to Ebara, the hub

Rehearsals at the Komaba Agora Theater (left: the 2nd floor theater; right: the 5th floor rehearsal studio)

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

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PROJECTA

KOTATSUREPORTA

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

of our companyʼs activities, was decided. Pascal asked me what I did overmenting only about things they didnʼt like. Pascal, however, also takes thethe past eight years. I told him that I was moving to Ebara soon to restart

time to praise things and tell us something was well done. At first, thismy acting career. He then asked me why I wanted to return to acting so

was surprising to me, but now I think that itʼs very good. If itʼs connected

much. I told him that the plays of Hirata Oriza were very pertinent to me.

to the work, Pascal often also talks about himself, and he will even per-Also, there is an actress named Audrey BONNET who has worked withsonally demonstrate the kind of acting he wants. This kind of relationshipPascal. I appeared with her in Sables & Soldats and she is a very charm-

between the director and the actors is completely different from rehears-

ing actress who I like a lot. I asked Pascal how she had been doing re-als with Oriza.

cently. Like Mori, my interview ended after some chitchat and talk about
recent events in my life.

̶ Mori, while creating this work with Pascal, did you feel anything wasdifferent compared with other directors?
̶ Iʼve been watching the rehearsals, and it seems Ota can understandwhat Pascal is saying in French.

Mori: A lot of time is spent on discussion. Pascal takes a lot of time to

Ota: Seinendanʼs first international project involving France was Chants

cerning the workʼs background and context. The first project I workeddʼAdieu (Songs of Farewell) in 2007, which I appeared in.3 The text wason with Pascal was GHOSTs. Before that, I didnʼt know that he was such

written by Hirata Oriza. French actor Laurent GUTMANN appeared in thea physical person. I thought that he was more of a stereotypical creator

project. In addition to three Japanese actors, five French actors were in

type, or a playwright similar to Oriza. Actually working with him, however,the project, and all of our conversations with them were in French. That

I found that he was very interested in the actorsʼ bodies, which was kind

was the first time I went to France. After that workʼs success in France, itof novel or interesting to me. In this project, as well, there are scenes

toured 17 cities in 2009, so I ultimately stayed in France for about sevenwith things like enigmatic dancing, and Iʼm looking forward to seeing how

months in total.

much Pascal gets involved in the actorʼs physical aspects.

̶ And how was your French before that?

̶ Ota, you worked with Pascal on The End of Love for a long time, andexpand the actorsʼ understanding, talking about all kinds of things con-this project is the first time youʼve worked with Pascal in a long time. How
Ota: I couldnʼt speak it at all. I couldnʼt even read the alphabet. Like withdoes it feel?

our current project, auditions were held a year in advance. I was told that
I would be fine if I went to a French language school during the year be-

Ota: Like, thatʼs totally Pascal, is my impression (laughs). The most strik-

fore the start of rehearsals, but by the time I went to France, I could bare-ing thing is that Pascal will say something like “Thatʼs it!” or “Yes!” whenly say my name and read the alphabet. When rehearsals started, I got anIʼm in the middle of saying a line. Hirata would never say something like

unbelievable number of lines. For our first performance, I had a Frenchthat. I donʼt know if itʼs because heʼs an unusual type even for a French

person record the lines for me. I listened to the recording and ultimately

director, but the fact that he gets excited along with us is something thatlearned the pronunciation.

characterizes Pascal.

̶ Chinen, this is your first project with Pascal; now that youʼve actually̶ For this project, your character, Ota, stays on stage the whole time, butworked with him in rehearsals, what do you think?

says almost nothing.

Chinen: When I first read the script, I was surprised by how many lines

Ota: I donʼt think Iʼve ever played a role with so little speaking. Iʼm really

I had. Normally one person doesnʼt talk so long continuously. I was very

enjoying it. Even now I still feel like Iʼm constantly searching for what I

confused. I wondered if it would work, if it would be interesting to thecan do to add to my character. Pascal has said that he was excited toaudience. However, now that Iʼve learned my lines and have begun saying

write this work. Like him, I expect that I will continue to struggle right up

them, they feel much better than when I was just reading them silently. I

until the end as to how to bring my character to life on stage.

have worked with Translator HIRANO Akihito before on another project,
so I think that this may be because he translated the French into Japa-

̶ Chinen, you play the role of Otaʼs wife. Having finished the recent two-nese with an understanding of who I am. Also, the way Seinendan does

week round of rehearsals, what are your feelings on the project?

rehearsals and the way Pascal does rehearsals are completely different.
Itʼs been fresh and surprising.

Chinen: The past two weeks itʼs been all I can do to say my lines. When

we started adding blocking at the end, I finally really felt like there were̶ The other day when I was talking with Hirano, he also said that Oriza

other people around me even when I was making these long speeches.

and Pascalʼs rehearsals are completely different. Could you tell me how

As a result, right now Iʼm returning to the starting point and rereading

they are different?

the script again. Some scenes involve lots of other characters, and somescenes are just Ota and myself. When I was reading the script alone, I

Chinen: The director talking this much about the script, or about the

couldnʼt completely visualize the other characters my character interacts

background behind the creation of the work, or about what they were

with, but now I can. Right now I still havenʼt fully taken that in, so Iʼm a bit

thinking when they created a scene doesn ʼt generally happen during

nervous as to whether Iʼll be ready in time for the rehearsals in Ebara.

Orizaʼs rehearsals. I was very surprised to have the entire journey of thework be so carefully shared with everyone before starting walk-throughs.

̶ Mori, you play the role of their son. Itʼs an important position in the

In Japan, we use the phrase “damedashi,” which means “fault-finding.”

work. How do you feel about the past two weeks?

Iʼm used to the director generally skipping over the good things and com-

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age of 35, I feel like the roles I was cast in and the roles I got through auditions were similar, or rather that they have common features. I feel like I
would never have been given the kind of role I have in KOTATSU. So when
I first read the script, all I felt was worry about whether I would be able todo the role. I wondered what I had said in my audition, what Pascal saw
in me. Being able to take on a role that I never would have thought of issomething that characterizes a director not from Seinendan and who is
not Hirata Oriza, and itʼs very interesting.
̶ I heard that Hirata Oriza came to rehearsals on a day I didnʼt. What

were the rehearsals like then?

Rehearsals over Zoom

Mori: When Oriza came, Pascal wasnʼt there. Oriza and the actors mainly

worked on the Japanese lines̶ things like whether this word was okay, or
adjusting things that didnʼt feel right to the actors. Oriza also had us try

Mori: The more I read the script, or rather, the more we rehearsed, theadding in some very rough blocking.

more I feel that this is a very strange family (laughs). For example, thefather never speaks even though heʼs there with everyone. Itʼs not Luc

Ota: Because we are members of Seinendan, Hirata Oriza knows us very

BESSON, but I hope that it doesnʼt end up being the bad kind of image

well. Oriza did all kinds of things to retain the taste of the work while

foreigners have when they see Japan. From the start, this project has hadchanging lines to make them feel less theatrical and translatese. Things

an unusual atmosphere, and the unusualness when reading the script

like changing words with difficult-to-understand sounds to words thatand the unusualness when actually enveloped in it have only built on

were easier to hear, making the relationships between things clearer, andeach other in a very interesting way, so Iʼm looking forward to seeing thegenerally cleaning up lines.

end result.
̶ Your current, international project is taking place during the COVID-19
̶ Recently, there have been all kinds of collaborative international proj-

pandemic. Originally, Pascal was also scheduled to be here physically forects, but I believe that most have cast various actors as needed. This

the rehearsals in July. Ultimately, however, he participated via Zoom. In

project is a collaborative, international work between Seinendan andclosing, please reflect on the rehearsals you did over the past two weeks

Pascal. You could say that the general manner of performing is sharedwith Pascal over Zoom.

between all of the actors; I feel that there is this kind of relationship there
and that it is being very well utilized in the creation of the work. For all of

Ota: This was my first time really doing rehearsals over Zoom. Pascal has

you, in this project or a past one, how has working with a French directora really good ear, and I think that helped in part to make the rehearsals

inspired you, and what discoveries have you made?

a success. Pascal could understand the nuances we put into the lines,
could hear small and subtle changes, so I could tell that the parts we did

Ota: The French people I have met generally graduated from the Con-

matched what he wanted. Ultimately, however, this is a play. You need toservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris and have

have everything, including things like seeing a personʼs body and facial

been working in the forefront of the field. They are all very intellectual,

expressions, in order to fully create a character in three dimensions. It

and most of the actors Iʼve appeared with are selected individuals who

made me look forward even more to meeting and performing in front of

have graduated from one of the mere four national drama schools in the

Pascal next month.

country. Iʼve worked with true frontrunners of the industry; when I watch a
Luc Besson film, people I know suddenly pop up on the screen. It results

Mori: I had done rehearsals over Zoom since the start of COVID-19. Thatin an environment that makes me constantly think about what we can do,

was things like simple read-throughs, however. This was the first timeand I find it very stimulating.

I ever tried to really work out a play like this over Zoom. Like you would

Mori: When I did In the Heart of a Forest, I didnʼt work with a French di-Internet, suddenly Pascal would disappear. It made me wonder if anyone

expect, itʼs kind of strange. We would be rehearsing, but because of therector but rather French actors.4 During that project, we discussed things

was watching us rehearse at times. It made me realize that itʼs importantsuch as Hirata Orizaʼs reception, particularly in Europe, and the state offor rehearsals to feel the presence of the director. For the director to ac-modern theater in France. It was an opportunity for intellectual and cul-tually physically be there to watch the rehearsal and just drink somethingtural exchange, and I found it very interesting.

or eat a mint or move around. Also, it was very difficult for Pascal to perceive our reactions. Time and again, we had to make big circles with ourChinen: Iʼve only worked with a non-Japanese director once before, inarms to say “okay,” or make very exaggerated “I understand” expressions.

2011 for Seinendanʼs international exchange project LʼEchange.5 KOTATSU

Of course, many very talented staff created this environment for us andis my second time. For me, the biggest thing about participating in a proj-

made things possible in the first place.

ect by another director is that the types of roles that are cast are completely different from those of Seinendan. I find it very interesting andChinen: Iʼve never done rehearsals with Pascal except over Zoom. I donʼtnovel. I have an eight-year gap in my career. Even I donʼt know what myknow what would have happened if we didnʼt have Zoom. Also, itʼs normal

future will be with Seinendan. However, in the time I worked with Oriza,

now to do rehearsals with a mask on, but this was my first time rehears-

from when I entered Seinendan at around the age of 20 until around theing like this with a mask on and using Zoom. It was incredibly frustrating

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and difficult.
̶ It seems that rehearsals in Ebara will also be done with masks on.
Chinen: Yes. Right up until we perform for real, we will be rehearsing withmasks and face shields, and weʼll also only be taking them off right before a performance starts. Iʼve never done anything like this before, so Iʼmvery nervous. I worry that suddenly taking my mask off will feel like being
naked and will mess up my acting senses (laughs). In spite of this, thisproject requires very subtle emotions from all of the characters. I thinkthat it will make adjusting right before a performance difficult.
̶ I have watched at the rehearsal spaces as this project has taken shape,and I think that it will be able to overcome the obstacles of the COVID-19
pandemic. Iʼm looking forward to opening day.

The actors being interviewed

Interview and Text: Yokobori Masahiko
Note: This interview was conducted over Zoom from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on August 3,
2021.
1 The reporter attended rehearsals at the Komaba Agora Theater's 2nd floor theateron the first day of July 16 as well as July 17; and at the Komaba Agora Theater's 5th
floor rehearsal studio on July 22. In order to prevent unnecessary close contact in therehearsal space, the reporter observed rehearsals online on July 28 and 29.
2 http://www.seinendan.org/play/2009/03/2252
Scenes of rehearsals at the Théâtre de Gennevilliers can be seen in the film Theater 2(directed by SODA Kazuhiro).
3 http://www.seinendan.org/play/2009/01/2255
Three members of Seinendan participated: YAMAUCHI Kenji, KAKUDATE Reina, andOTA Hiroshi.
4 http://www.seinendan.org/play/2019/07/6895
5 http://www.seinendan.org/play/2011/04/6354

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some close to the actors.

Seinendan Theater Company and Pascal RAMBERT (France)

KOTATSU Third Report: Performance /Fourth Report: Reflection
Author: YOKOBORI Masahiko

Every day, Rambert started rehearsals by greeting each actor one at atime by name. After that was finished, Rambert provided detailed direction for each scene. Co-director HIRATA Oriza stayed in the theater much
longer than originally planned, taking on the task of adding blocking forscenes with many actors. The actors immediately tested the blocking
and lines proposed by Hirata, and Rambert also agreed with Hirataʼs pro-

The final round of development work on KOTATSU, the Seinendan

posals. Hirata also added small lines here and there throughout the play.

Theater Company and Pascal RAMBERTʼs 2021 international project,

One example is in scene 18. In that scene, three women start to perform

was conducted from August 25 to September 8 at the Ebara Riversidea shimai, a type of Noh dance. Originally, the short period of time when

Theatre. The project was originally scheduled to be first performed at thethe three women are making their preparations is silent. Hirata added the

Toyooka Theater Festival from September 9 through 12.1 After the first

following short exchange between the other actors, making the time feelround of rehearsals at the Komaba Agora Theater in late July, however, amore real: “Shimai?” “Itʼs like a Japanese dance.” “Oh, I thought it was likestate of emergency declaration was issued in Hyogo Prefecture coveringa shishimai [lion dance] or something.” “Shut up.”

August 20 to September 12. Based on this, it was announced on August2

18 that the Toyooka Theater Festival was canceled. Although the festival

After several rehearsals, it became clear that the play would take over
two hours. One thing I remember clearly is Rambert saying the Japanese

was canceled, development of KOTATSU continued as planned. The play

word tori (“birds”) during rehearsals, directing everyone to move quickly

was scheduled for five performances, and ultimately these were held withlike birds between scenes to speed things up. I observed the first half ofalmost no audience members.3

rehearsals. During them, Rambert said that they would run through the

I visited Ebara twice between late August and early September, watch-

entire play several times before opening day in order to help them dis-ing rehearsals on August 26 and 27, observing the performance on Sep-

cover many different things. Toward the end of the projectʼs development,

tember 8, and attending opening day on September 9. For this combined

they did indeed run through the entire play multiple days in a row.

third and fourth report, I will report on the creative development work I
watched in late August. Then I will report on the performance I observedin early September. After that, I will take a look back on the entire project, from launch to performance. In addition, I recorded an interview withTranslator HIRANO Akihito for the third report. For the fourth report, I recorded an interview with Pascal Rambert (the second interview with Rambert following my interview with him for the first report) just after the playʼsfirst performance.4

Development
For the rehearsals at the Ebara Riverside Theatre, staff conductedpreparations from August 19 to 22, setting up the set, lighting, and audio
the same as for actual performances. Rambert arrived in Japan on thenight of August 24. However, the Japanese government required a twoweek quarantine for people coming from outside Japan. Accordingly, until
the day before the performance, Rambert participated in rehearsals re-

Hirata Oriza also participated in the rehearsals.

motely from a room in the same commercial hotel where performers werestaying. Like during the first round of rehearsals, two types of camera

The Workangles were set up for Rambert, some with views of the entire stage, and
KOTATSU is a story set on January 1 in a Japanese familyʼs living room.
The head of the family is Hiroshi, the president of a Tokyo construction
company. KOTATSU opens with a scene of Hiroshi entering the livingroom in the darkness, apparently in the early morning. Hiroshi is played
by OTA Hiroshi. His wife, Mima, is played by CHINEN Mima. Similarly, allof the characters appearing in this work share the same names as thereal names of the actors playing them.
The play is around 2 hours and 15 minutes long. The midpoint of thework, scene 18, is a long scene in which all of the performers eat osechi (traditional New Yearʼs foods). The play can be divided into threemain parts, with this scene being the middle part. In the first half, scenechanges are relatively fast-paced. Ordinarily in Japan, New Yearʼs is spent
relaxing with family. However, it gradually becomes clear that the Tokyo
construction company run by the family has a huge problem. One canfeel tension in the relationship between Kumi, Hiroshiʼs younger sister
currently assigned to New York; and Yuri, another younger sister of HiroRehearsals at the Ebara Riverside Theatre

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shi who is in charge of the personnel department. At the end of scene 18,

al collaboration was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under

the two sisters are alone after the osechi is finished, and tensions reachthese circumstances, new problems emerged one after another, but werea peak when they begin fighting. The play is filled with a variety of diverse

faced one at a time. Whatʼs remarkable is how smoothly the projectʼs de-characters. For example, Kamilla, who works as the babysitter of Hiro-velopment moved forward. KOTATSU should be shared as a model caseshiʼs daughter Megumi, is from Uzbekistan; and Suhkye, a close friend

for international collaborative projects. Unfortunately, the opportunity forof Mima, is an ethnically Korean permanent resident of Japan. Althoughgeneral audiences to see the work was lost. I only hope that after a short

not explicitly stated, this use of diverse characters brings to light various

break this play will be performed not only in Japan and France but alsosocial issues in the world after COVID-19. From beginning to end, Hiroshi

many other countries around the world in the near future.

says almost nothing. At the end of the play in scene 21, his older brotherKenji appears for the first time. Hiroshi begins to tell Kenji what heʼs real-Interview 1: Hirano Akihito

ly thinking. The curtain then closes with a hint of what may happen to thefamily in the future.

̶ How much time was spent translating this project?

HAMAZAKI Kenjiʼs stage design looks like a living room in a large
Japanese home. However, things like the locations of the pillars andHirano: I did the first rough translation in a month. Then I left it alone

shoji sliding doors are different from a real Japanese home, creating

for a while before working on polishing it. I gave the polished translation

an atmosphere that feels slightly peculiar. The lighting is also provided

to Hirata Oriza. When it came back from Oriza, I worked on improving itby fluorescent lights, which Rambert frequently uses in his works. This

more. So revisions took about three or four months.

gives a French aesthetic to things. Similar to the works of Hirata Oriza,
the setting is a place where many people come and go. However, differ-̶ During the first round of rehearsals in July, you were in the rehearsal

ences with Hirata can be seen in the pacing of the work, such as using

space every day. Pascal Rambert participated over Zoom. Was this yourblackouts to create breaks between scenes. International collaborations

first time working on developing a project using Zoom?

often form temporary companies of actors for each project. The actors
appearing in KOTATSU, however, are all members of Seinendan. Their

Hirano: No. I also worked on a project involving the Shizuoka Performing

teamwork as a company establishes perfectly coordinated dramatic ten-Arts Centre (SPAC) in the second half of 20205, so Iʼm a Zoom pro now

sion throughout the entire play.

(laughs).

̶ In addition to email, you also worked with Rambert over Zoom. Were

there more difficulties than compared with, for example, The End of Love?
Hirano: Actually, this might have been the easiest project I ʼ ve everworked on. However, itʼs difficult to make a simple comparison. Before, Iʼve
always been in charge of translating and interpreting. This time, for the
first time I was able to focus only on translating. The first time I worked
with Pascal was over 10 years ago. Compared to then, he seems to bemuch more mellow; itʼs like heʼs filled with love. During rehearsals, every
day he would say how happy he was to rehearse with everyone. Ten years
ago, it might have been hard for Pascal to accept everything like he didwith KOTATSU. He has always been a good person, however.
̶ In the international projects youʼve been involved in as a translator,

what has been the most worthwhile or given you the greatest sense of
The playʼs poster and schedule

accomplishment?
Hirano: When I create a line that I think is particularly well translated

Looking BackTo date, I have been involved in several international collaborations. I

and the actor says it well.
̶ How did you feel about this project?

believe that one evaluation indicator for an international project is what
the final work conveys to the people in the audience, who each have their

Hirano: All of the lines were like that. Thereʼs a clear reason for this.

own contexts, and what the audience takes in from the work. This proj-

All of the actors appearing in KOTATSU are actors from Seinendan who

ect was started because of the long years of friendship between Pascal

I know particularly well. I think ASAMURA Kamilla is the only actor I

Rambert and Hirata Oriza, who are both active in France and Japan. The

worked with for the first time. So when I was translating, I could hearlines they have put into KOTATSU, teasing each otherʼs countries, lookeveryone speaking the lines. I also know each actorʼs style of acting, so

at modern Japanese society from a new perspective. A project of thesemy translations naturally had a tone that was close to the way they talk.

two creators, KOTATSU deserves high praise because it achieves a uni-

Particularly when I was translating the really interesting lines for HYODO

versality that goes beyond the unique qualities of their two countries.

Kumi, I had a clear plan in my head for the tempo I wanted to do. I foundThis was possible thanks to the efforts of the actors and staff, who had

myself unconsciously grinning when I heard her saying them because

a relationship of trust with Rambert. Of particular note, this internation-

they fit so well.

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Hirano: Because heʼs so busy, it couldnʼt be helped, but I was very anx-ious when Orizaʼs translation revisions were late getting back to me. After
Oriza checked my translation, I would work on improving it more. Howev-

Hirano: This project went extremely well. I think that we all felt a sense

er, if Orizaʼs revisions were very different from the original French, I wouldof accomplishment in that area as well. Hirata Oriza was also involved inhave to adjust everything to make it fit, and this required time. In order to

The End of Love as Japanese Language Supervisor. The End of Love con-make things easier for the actors, I wanted to get the script back to themsists of long monologues, a style that is the complete opposite of Orizaʼs

as soon as possible. However, I think Orizaʼs revisions arrived about one

plays. Despite this, Oriza found ways of saying things that really worked

week before the first round of rehearsals. This was just as I expected,

well for each key point. One line that symbolizes that is “eating mikan

though...

around the kotatsu,” a line that is directly connected to this project. However, Oriza was mainly involved in key words and phrases. He didnʼt really̶ Lastly, as a translator and interpreter, is there anything you thinkrevise the overall work. When Pascal wrote this project, however, he wasshould be improved on for international collaborative projects like this?

thinking very strongly of Oriza. Because of this, in addition to the playtaking place in Japan and being performed by Japanese actors, it also in-

Hirano: I donʼt have this problem with Seinendan, but in these types

corporates Japanese-style interjections, small lines, and silences. To putof projects, sometimes the terms and conditions of payment are vague.

it another way, you could say Pascalʼs script leaves room for Oriza to add

Recently, younger organizations and producers are strongly aware of“Hirata-isms” to it. For Oriza, the more space Pascal left for small lines tothis issue, so the situation has clearly been improving. Also, thereʼs thebe added, the more successful his script was. I think for Pascal, as well,issue of crediting. Sometimes the interpreter or translatorʼs name isnʼt

Oriza adding his revisions made this feel more like a collaborative project.

on promotional materials, or Iʼm not introduced as the interpreter during

For me, I tried to translate the script in a way that would allow Oriza totalks. When this happens, things get off to an uncomfortable start andrevise it later. I also told Oriza himself this. If I had translated the script

it makes the proceedings a bit awkward going forward.. So, I try to be onwith a very translated tone, it would have been difficult to revise later.

the lookout for that issue. Also, Iʼm often told of a project-related talk

However, I translated it while thinking about how each of the actors talk.

event or interview with participants after everything is already finalized̶

Oriza was then able to easily add in his revisions. In that sense, I think I

for example, that there will be two participants from France and six fromcan say that my translation was successful.

Japan. In that situation, you need to think about how to make it work witha single interpreter. Iʼd prefer it if people consulted with me before the̶ What was your impression after watching an actual performance with

event was completely finalized. Then I could suggest that we need two

Hirataʼs added lines?

interpreters, or if there is only enough budget for one interpreter, I mightsuggest shortening the event time to make it work. Sharing the topic be-

Hirano: More subtle nuances were added. There were also some con-forehand makes it possible to suggest alternative plans or workarounds.

junctions and sentence-ending particles that I thought were good thatwere removed. But because it was Oriza who was the Japanese Language

̶ Translators and interpreters are essential to collaborative international

Supervisor, I have no complaints at all. Normally, if some nuance was lost

projects, and it has been very valuable having been able to talk with you.

by removing words, I would want to speak up and say something, no matter who is doing the editing. This time, however, I didnʼt experience that

Interview 2: Pascal Rambert (Second Interview)kind of stress at all.
̶ I observed the rehearsals several times at the Komaba Agora Theater
̶ I feel like a very solid production system is a big reason why this proj-

in July and the Ebara Riverside Theatre in August. I know that with thisect was able to be realized so well. You have been involved in the produc-

project, you did rehearsals over Zoom. However, the project is so per-tion of many projects. How did you feel about the projectʼs production

fect, I donʼt think someone who didnʼt know that would believe that thesystem?

rehearsals were conducted remotely. What did you feel after seeing thecompleted project?

Hirano: Through international projects, Seinendan has been performingin France and inviting directors from France since 1999. Pascal has been

Rambert: After you write a script, you wonʼt be able to see it in its com-involved in these projects from very early on, and he has built an excep-

pleted form for six months or a year. Thatʼs both a good thing and a badtionally strong relationship with Hirata Oriza. The heart of this project has

thing about my job. KOTATSU, however, ended up in a state extremely

been the relationship between Pascal and Oriza. The core staff, however,close to how I imagined it.

are people who Pascal knows well and who know how to work with Pascal, such as Production Coordinator NISHIO Sachiko; NISHIMOTO Aya,

̶ When I talked to you in May, you were planning on coming to Tokyo for

who again played a key role in technical aspects; and Stage Manager

rehearsals in July. Of course, there were many challenges between then

HARIMA Aiko. The staff know what Pascal would want done. Pascal also

and now. Looking back on the development process, was there any timeknows that they will ask them about important things, so thereʼs no need

you thought that it was in danger?

to tell them how to do things they donʼt ask about. Thatʼs the kind of relationship they have. I believe that this project has moved forward smoothly

Rambert: I was never nervous or worried. The COVID-19 pandemic has

because it was Pascal and this group of people who know him doing it.

been going on for 19 or 20 months, but during this time period, all of theinternational projects I have been involved in have been realized. The rea-̶ Yes, this play is really a result of their relationship of trust. Looking

son is that they have all had a solid production system. The same goesback on the project as a whole, was there anything that was difficult?

for this project. Seinendan was also firmly supported by The Japan Foun-

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dation. Many people around the world are saying that it is a very difficult

̶ There are all kinds of international collaborations. However, I felt thattime, but I havenʼt felt that way at all. I feel that if you do what you needthis collaboration between you, Seinendan, and Oriza was almost the ide-

to do, then everything will be alright.

al international project. International collaborations often form temporarycompanies of actors for the project. All of the actors appearing in KOTAT-̶ Was this your first time using Zoom so much in rehearsals?

SU, however, belonged to the same company̶ Seinendan. What was it
like working with them?

Rambert: Around the time of the first round of rehearsals in July, I was

already making preparations for rehearsals for different works over Zoom

Rambert: I think one big thing was that they have all worked with eachin Tallinn, Estonia, and Hong Kong. I also do movie work. When I work onother for many years to develop projects. As an example, letʼs use themovies, I check the actorsʼ movements using a monitor. When I thoughtlast scene [scene 21]. In this scene, Hiroshi and Kenji talk with eachabout that, I realized that doing rehearsals over Zoom wouldnʼt be a very

other. When I wrote that scene, I knew that those two actors had alreadybig problem. When things are difficult, people tend to exaggerate andworked together on other projects for many years. Because of this, I de-complain. However, when thereʼs a problem, I like finding a solution. In

cided to write that scene simply as two people talking to each other. Two

one sense, the more problems there are, the happier I am because I canpeople just talking to each other is something that is very common in thefind all kinds of solutions. I have staged performances in 35 countries.

world. It is very uncomplicated and very human. In addition, Kumi, Yuri,

When staging productions outside of French-speaking places, I canʼt re-

Hiroshi, Megumi, and Issei are actors with whom Iʼve worked on otherally rely on the words. I rely on my ears. So rehearsals over Zoom werenʼt

projects before. That was very important. In France, as well, I work witha problem. However, with this project, everyone was wearing a mask and I

actors who I have known for 20 or 30 years. I also frequently develop

couldnʼt see the actorsʼ faces clearly. That made things a little difficult.

projects together with people who I worked with on a different project 20
years ago in Spain, Italy, China, South America, and the United States.

̶ When I interviewed you in May, you said that to you, friendships are

One thing that made me particularly happy this time was that I was able

extremely important for developing international collaborations. I feel

to work again with OGINO Yuri for the first time in a long time. The lastthat KOTATSU is truly a product of your friendship with Seinendan andtime I worked with Yuri was for The Beginning of Love in 2007. I was very

HIRATA Oriza. Hirata was particularly deeply involved in this project as

happy to be able to see how she has grown and matured. Being able toco-director. How did you feel about your collaborative work with him?

get close to actors like this and go on a journey together is something I
like very much. Itʼs also a source of encouragement for me, and getting

Rambert: We are both realists. I have been coming to Japan for 20 years,

close to each other makes the time we spend together more productive.

and have staged around 10 works here. The theme of KOTATSU is New
Yearʼs in Japan, and in writing the script I learned about Japanese New

̶ There is still no end to the COVID-19 pandemic in sight. I imagine thatYearʼs from a variety of angles. I researched many things when writing

you will continue to work on collaborative international projects like thisit. For example, what does January 1 mean in Japan? What do people

going forward. However, I think there are some things that can only be

eat on that date? What are the customs and conventions? What I reallydone by physically being there for rehearsals. For example, one thing I

learned, however, is that I canʼt really explain Japanese New Yearʼs on athought you couldnʼt do while watching over Zoom is staging the lighting.

detailed level. Thatʼs where Oriza came in with this project. Like someone

However, watching the performance, I saw that scene 20 with just Hiroshi

completing a painting, he took what I had written, which was about 95%

and Yuri is a very darkly lit but beautiful scene. I was impressed that you

to 98% there, and added the finishing touches to it. Orizaʼs additions

were able to create that kind of lighting and atmosphere remotely. After

were like finishing the faces of the people in the painting. This is the firstgoing through the rehearsal process for KOTATSU, what are your thoughts

time I have ever experienced a collaboration like this. It would have beenon things you can only do by being physically present at rehearsals?

impossible with anyone but Oriza. I think the reason is that we work on
things with the same love of words and love of language. It was also pos-Rambert: I have been working in theater for 40 years. Both physically andsible because of the relationship of respect we have for each other.

mentally, theater is my life. In my birthplace in the south of France, physical contact is a natural part of relationships. Because of this, I generally
start rehearsals each day by hugging the actors. Thatʼs who I am, and so
until now, my general stance was that rehearsals over Zoom were hell and
I was generally against them. Through the development process for KOTATSU, however, I was forced to recognize that project development could
be conducted over Zoom, and that you could even stage the lighting in theway that you referred to in your question. When I participated in the firstround of rehearsals in July over Zoom, the staging had been developed toa certain level, but I didnʼt think that we would be able to do the lighting.
However, I have worked on projects with NISHIMOTO Aya, who was incharge of lighting, over the past 18 years. She knows what I like, to the extent where itʼs not even necessary for us to talk about what I want. I also
trust her completely. This has enabled us to develop projects together. In
terms of lighting, KOTATSU is a complicated project, and there were manylighting-related things that Nishimoto made possible. When I saw the playin person, I was able to confirm that the lighting was very close to the image I had working over Zoom. I talked about this during rehearsals as well,Interviewing Pascal RAMBERT in the 2nd floor rehearsal studio of the Ebara Riverside Theatre

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but I think that in three to five years, it will be possible to completely de-Rambert: Ah, 30 years! Youʼre right. Iʼm glad itʼs 30 years. I would defi-

velop projects over Zoom. I also think that doing so may become normal. I

nitely like to receive the support of The Japan Foundation again then.

think it might be good for the environment because there will be no needto take flights. Of course, it will be unfortunate that we will not be able to̶ I would also love to see the KOTATSU trilogy.

meet in person, but I think thatʼs the way things will go.
Rambert: There are several plot points in KOTATSU that could be devel-̶ I think doing the entire process over Zoom with a project like KOTATSU

oped for sequels. The stage space itself could be used for a variety ofwould be difficult. However, in the future, if you were asked to do part of

purposes as well. For example, we could add a wake scene to part two

the development of an international project over Zoom, what would you

by putting a coffin in the middle and having various people bring flowers.

think?

I also think we could add a scene to part three that takes place after awedding̶a quiet moment with only close relatives in the room. The stage

Rambert: I think that I would say yes. In fact, I am scheduled to work on

design for KOTATSU was amazing. It was a perfect realization of my idea.

two projects in New York soon. The rehearsals for one of those projectsItʼs a space you could do anything in.

will begin in December. However, because the process of things like getting a visa will be complex, I think the first round of rehearsals for that

̶ Earlier, you talked about changing each countryʼs image little by little.

project will be over Zoom. The United States doesnʼt have a quarantine

It seems to me that the set for KOTATSU is one example of this. As a Jap-

period like Japan, so I think the second round of rehearsals will be con-anese person, the set seemed like a Japanese home to me, yet there wereducted in New York. Talking generally, I think Zoom might also be incor-

parts that also felt like they wouldnʼt be in a real Japanese home. Truly aporated into projects in the future because doing rehearsals using Zoom

beautiful set.

could also lower production costs. Having said that, doing rehearsals
over Zoom might not be easy for a young director who doesnʼt have much

Rambert: Thank you. When I was writing KOTATSU, I had a lot of doubts

experience yet. KOTATSU was developed in Japan, a country I know well.

and I often asked people if this was how things really were in Japan.

Also, thanks to Seinendan, Hirata Oriza, and others, the production sys-

Having said that, in theater, I donʼt think that you perfectly recreate ev-

tem was very good. I think that development of KOTATSU went so well be-erything. I think that creating forms and telling a story by writing andcause everyone involved did their jobs perfectly. Having said that, I donʼt

performing a play is work that creates a gap with reality, and this gap is

accept a job anyway if the production system is less than perfect.

necessary. And as you said, KOTATSU sometimes laughs a little at Frenchthings and sometimes laughs a little at Japanese things, but these are a̶ A moment ago, I said that KOTATSU was almost an ideal collaborativereflection of the things I personally have felt over the past 20 years. So in

project. One reason I can think of is that this project brought a new per-one sense, these parts convey my reality. They reflect things I feel about

spective. This new perspective was made possible because the projectJapan, and things Japanese people think about France, and interesting

was based on friendship between Japan and France̶ two countries you

things I have heard and seen.

know well̶ yet was written with lines that tease both countries a little.
In theater, there is a big gap between what the creator is aiming for and̶ You said that both you and Hirata are realists. Observing the devel-

actually achieving that aim. KOTATSU was able to achieve the aims of its

opment of KOTATSU, I felt that you are very good at finding solutions tocreators, and I thought that was amazing.

problems under the conditions you have been given. Conversely, I imagine
that you felt that you could have made an even better work if conditions

Rambert: Looking back on my project career, there are three important

had been a little more this or that way from the start. You have worked

regions: the United States, Japan, and Egypt and the rest of the Middle

in 35 countries over 40 years. Compared to other countries, is there any-

East. When I was at the Théâtre de Gennevilliers, I invited Oriza to workthing you think should be changed in the Japanese way of doing things?

with me many times. Through this, I built a deep relationship with Japan.

Do you have any ideas about how to make collaborative works between

KOTATSU was a project that I really wanted to make. And for I think theJapan and France even better?

first time in my life, I want to make a sequel to it. Right now, Iʼm imagining
a KOTATSU trilogy. Using the same set design and working with the same

Rambert: There is nothing more I want from Japan. Working in Japan isactors, I would like to make the second part in four to five years, and thevery comfortable. I have developed projects with partners from various

third part in 10 to 12 years. I am also thinking of making another, differ-countries around the world, and they have all done very high-quality workent project with Hirata Oriza. We were both born in 1962, and I want tofor me. However, in Japan, people create perfection for me. In many dif-make a project with him in 2052 when we are both 90 years old. We will

ferent countries, I will tell people, “Oh, I just got an email from Japan to-sit across from each other at a little table. Oriza will speak in Japaneseday. Itʼs about a project two years from now. They want to know when andand I will speak in French. Subtitles will appear over the stage. The stage

how I would like to do rehearsals.” Everyone always laughs about that.

will be empty and will be lit with fluorescent lights like I often use in myConversely, there are countries like China where you donʼt know what theworks. We will talk about the parts of our lives that intersect, starting

situation will be one hour from now. The way people in Japan make thor-

from the time we were born. In Japanese and French, we will talk aboutough preparations in advance is a good match for my personality. I workthings like the Théâtre de Gennevilliers, me coming to Japan, and whenon 10 new projects a year in 8 to 10 different countries. Because of this,our oldest sons were born. Things like that. But thatʼs still 20 years in theadvance preparation is necessary to me. I also like that Japanese people

future.

do things seriously and realistically. Accordingly, I have no suggestions
for Japan. My biggest wish right now is to take KOTATSU on tour in and̶ If you were 90, wouldnʼt that be 30 years in the future?

outside Japan. I think it would be a shame if this work wasnʼt seen in Europe, particularly France, and particularly Paris. I didnʼt make KOTATSU

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specifically for people in Paris. However, after watching it, I felt that KOTATSU is filled with things that Parisians would love.
̶ I believe that good international collaborations convey something topeople in the audience, who each have their own contexts, and the audience takes in something from them. I felt that the first part of KOTATSU trilogy was just this kind of work. I want Japanese audiences to see
KOTATSU as soon as possible, and I want French audiences to see it aswell. I hope that KOTATSU is able to go on tour soon.
Rambert: Me too. Thank you for the work you have done. You performed

the job of observer with delicacy and care. It made our work easier. I hopethat we can meet again in a year or two.

Interview and Text: Yokobori MasahikoInterpreter: ISHIKAWA Hiromi
Note: The interview with HIRANO Akihito was conducted over Zoom from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30
p.m. on September 18, 2021. The interview with Pascal RAMBERT was conducted in the
2nd floor rehearsal studio of the Ebara Riverside Theatre from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on
September 9, 2021.
1 https://toyooka-theaterfestival.jp/program-event/221/
2 https://toyooka-theaterfestival.jp/important-notice/
3 Originally, the performances were scheduled to be held in front of students from theProfessional College of Arts and Tourism. However, shortly before the first performance,cases of COVID-19 occurred on campus. Accordingly, the student viewings werecanceled.
4 This report consists of reports three and four. However, as their content is linked, thechoice was made to combine them into a single report. The third report consists ofthe sections “Development, “The Work,” and “Interview 1: HIRANO Akihito.” The fourthreport consists of “Looking Back” and “Interview 2: Pascal Rambert.”
5 https://spac.or.jp/au2020-sp2021/yokainokuni_2020

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PROJECTThe Digital Home
Saitama Arts Theater and Christopher GREEN (U.K.)
This work is an online performance in Japanese and English of The Home by British playwright anddirector Christopher GREEN.
Expanding on the original work, it is a piece of immersive theater where the world of a residential
care home is simulated for the audience. Audiences visit a fictional home for the elderly (The Home)
created in a virtual space (via websites and apps) and witness the lives of the residents throughvarious content, mainly video images. There is also an online workshop in which the audience experiences “rehearsals for aging” in an interactive live setting with the facility staff and residents, who areplayed by actors. Facing the realities of modern aging in both Japan and the U.K., how do you want toage and what kind of care do you want?
The director of the OiBokkeShi theater group, which specializes in aging and drama, SUGAWARA
Naoki, wrote the Japanese script and directed the Japanese version. The English version and general

Sugawara Naoki ©Kazuki Kusaka

direction are handled by Christopher Green. Produced in association with Saitama Arts Theater, The
Albany (U.K.), Entelechy Arts, and Christopher Green, the Japanese version is performed by Saitama
Gold Theater and other actors.

Outline of Performances

The Digital Home Online Facility Tour
Available: September 26–December 31
Japanese versions of the online workshop “Aozora Theater”
Dates and times: October 8 (Fri.), 9 (Sat.), 10 (Sun.), 2021 at 11:00, 14:00, and 16:00 on each day(9 times in total)
U.K. version of the Zoom session “The Digital Home Live Experience ”
Performance schedule: November 3 (Wed.) to 7 (Sun.), 10 (Wed.) to 14 (Sun.), 12 performanceseach day (120 times in total)
Christopher Green ©Sorcha Bridge

Credits
Original idea and general direction: Christopher Green[Japanese edition]
Created and directed by: Sugawara Naoki (OiBokkeShi)
Cast: ABE Hikaru, SUZUKI Shinnosuke, SATO Kei, TAKEDA Arifumi
ISHIKAWA Kayo, OGUSHI Miwako, OBUCHI Mitsuyo, TAKIZAWA Tae, TAMURA Ritsuko, HAYASHIDA Keiko, HYAKUMOTO Natsue,
KASSAI Hiromu, KITAZAWA Gasho, TAKAHASHI Kiyoshi, TAKEI Masatake, TOYAMA Yoichi, MORISHITA Ryuichi (Saitama Gold Theater members)
MORISHITA Tamiko (narration), TAKEDA Ikuno
ITO Asa, SON Daisuke
Video Director: TOYAMA Shoji / Filming and editing: KATO Shinsuke
Video production: TAKEDA Tomoya (bench) / Lighting: KAMATA Haruki / Recording: YAMAMOTO Minori / Costume management: YAMAGISHI Yuko
Hair and makeup: MIYAZAKI Tomoko / Video production assistant: SEKI Ayumi / Video production associate: KOMORI Aya (Bench/TASKO)
Digital platform production: Marmelo Digital
Advertising design: hi foo farm / Advertising illustration: ASANO Noi
Planning and production: Saitama Arts Theater
Organized by The Japan Foundation, Saitama Arts Theater
Co-production: The Japan Foundation, The Albany (U.K.), Entelechy Arts, Christopher Green, and Saitama Arts Theater

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The first is the barrier of understanding the existing work. When a work

Saitama Arts Theater and Christopher GREEN (U.K.)

produced overseas is to be reproduced in Japan, or a work produced in

The Digital HomeFirst Report: Project LaunchJapan is to be reproduced overseas, it is of course essential to have an

Author: OSHITA Yoshiyuki

istʼs previous work is also necessary.

understanding of the existing work. In the case of a new work being produced in more than one country or region, an understanding of the artIn the production of the Japanese version of The Home, an understand-1. Overview of the Start-up Phaseing of the original performance was essential. However, only the producerof Saitama Arts Theater had actually seen and experienced the original(1) Overview of the Workperformance. In particular, as the original version of The Home was a play

The Home is an immersive theater piece by Christopher GREEN incharacterized by an immersive experience in which audience members

which 30 audience members spend 48 hours over a weekend in a fiction-

independently walked around the facility and experienced it for them-al, but real as a building, home for the elderly. It was performed twice inselves, it was difficult to gain a deeper understanding of the play just with

the U.K. in the fall of 2019. This project aims to produce an online version

performance footage and materials.

of The Home in Japan and the U.K.

This issue was resolved when Sugawara Naoki, the director of the Japanese version of The Home, experienced a remote demonstration on May(2) The Main Parties Involved in the Start-up Phase (Titles Omitted)

31. The demonstration helped Sugawara understand The Home much

U.K.

reviewer, who felt that his uncertainty since the kickoff meeting on March 2• Original idea and general direction (general director of the work): Christo-

had been cleared).

better, and he seemed to finally get it (of course, the same was true for thepher GREEN

This is merely hindsight, but if this demonstration had been conducted• Producer: Linda BLOOMFIELD

at the beginning of the meetings, Sugawara Naoki and others involved• Co-production partners

in Japan would have come to understand The Home as a work much

The Albany Chief Executive and Artistic Director: Gavin BARLOW

more quickly. In the future, the Japan Foundation could be involved in an

Entelechy Arts Artistic Director: Maddy MILLS

increasing number of projects to produce Japanese versions of original
works, and in those cases, this experience will be very instructive.

Japan

The second barrier, which is a present-day theme, is the creation of• Written, directed, and performed (Japanese version) by: SUGAWARA Na-

an online version of the work. The initial assumption, given the recentoki (OiBokkeShi)

COVID-19 pandemic, was to create an online version in lieu of an in-per-• Producer: UKEGAWA Sachiko (Saitama Arts Theater)

son version, but as the discussions between the collaborators in Japan• Production: TANAKA Miki, MAEDA Takako (Saitama Arts Theater)

and the U.K. progressed, the work was transformed into one in which the• IT advisor: HAYASHI Sayaka (Saitama Arts Theater)

online version is the main focus. As a result, we are now in a situation• Video production: TAKEDA Tomoya (bench)where it is assumed that the new collaborative work, while in fact using
the original version as a starting point, will be a new work, quite different(3) Meeting Results (2021)• March 2: Japan/U.K. Kickoff meeting, confirmation of general plan, etc.

from the original.
As mentioned earlier, the original version was an immersive play, but it• March 11: Japan side only. Discussion on how to respond to the U.K.ʼsis extremely difficult to reproduce this “immersive” feeling remotely. In

proposals, etc.

the original version, the difference between the audience and the actors• March 30: Japan/U.K. Discussion of specifications for outsourced web

was, in fact. not clear, which was part of the charm of the piece, but indesigner, etc.

the online version, it is clear who the actors are. Also, although hopping• May 3: Japan/U.K. Comments on the text prepared by Sugawara, etc.

around in the Web is possible, the scope of the trick is naturally limited.

• May 17: Japan/U.K. Confirmation of future schedule, etc.

The relationship between the audience and the work is decidedly differ-• May 31: Japan/U.K. Demonstration of The Home, etc.

ent between the original version and the online version.

2. Findings

international co-production in the tricky situation where there is yet isnʼt

In other words, this project is facing the difficulty of having to make anan original work. As a reviewer, I think it would be clearer to put aside
Given the recent need to prevent the global spread of COVID-19, re-the original version of The Home as an immersive theater production andmote meetings using tools such as Zoom and Webex have rapidly spread

shift focus to the idea that a completely new online play is going to bethroughout the world. This has made it relatively easy to set up multiple

created.

meetings with multiple stakeholders across multiple countries and re-

The third barrier is the issue of how to express the creativity and origi-

gions, sharing materials, in international co-productions, including thisnality of the artist, Sugawara, in the Japanese version of a work for which

project.

an original version exists. In general, there is a concern that placing too

This is one of the few positive social effects brought about by the
COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, because we are able to increasemuch emphasis on the ideas and taste of the original may limit the artistic ideas and originality of the Japanese version.

the frequency of communication in this way, the difficulties (i.e., barriers)

In particular, with regard to The Digital Home of this project, Christo-

of international co-productions have become more apparent than before.

pher Green, the director of the original version, is looking to enhance theBelow is an overview of four barriers that emerged between translation

reality of the details. Specifically, he has a notion that the creation of aand creation in the context of the project The Home.

Japanese version of the logo for the fictional senior citizensʼ home where

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The Home is set, as well as the props (employee uniforms, posters, pens,knick-knacks, etc.) with the logo affixed to them, is an extremely high pri-ority. I suppose this to be due to the fact that the worldview of the work isalready complete in his mind, so he is more particular about the details.
Green is also unique in that he has a strong and distinctive taste, forexample, not to allow the audience to be satisfied within the work itself.
There is no right answer to the question of how to deal with such differences in taste among artists and how to harmonize them, so this will likely be an issue for future consideration. Similar issues have surely arisen
in other international co-productions.
Finally, the fourth barrier, although it goes without saying, concerns cultural differences between Japan and the U.K. For example, in the processof considering the web design for the online version of The Home, there
was a discussion about introducing an online game version of the play.
While Green and others in the U.K. readily discussed the introduction of agame version, it would be extremely difficult to produce a game of a satisfactory level for viewers in Japan, where game literacy is high.
Also, there seemed to be a difference in awareness between the Japanese and the British teams regarding how to proceed with the project. For
example, the British team was the same as the team that had executed
the original version of The Home and had developed a common understanding of the project structure, including the staff, and took an aggressive and forward-thinking approach, wanting to set a schedule as if itwere a job. By contrast, the Japanese team was cautious in its approachto the work, wanting to carefully share an understanding of the fundamentals of the piece.
Furthermore, there were cultural differences in the manner in which
professionals work with each other. For example, in creating the videos
for the online version, Green only set the artistic goals and left the rest to
the filmmakers. He did not even write a script. In Japan, however, it is notpossible to produce a video without writing a detailed script before commissioning it. In this way, I felt that there were considerable differences in
the way professionals work with each other.
These differences in cultural mannerisms will require both sides to understand the other and respect their respective ways of doing things. Of
course, if there are questions about the other sideʼs way of working, it isnecessary to clearly communicate the questions (to ask why). At this time,
explaining the Japanese sideʼs thinking in a logical manner would help
to get the desired answer. In other words, I think that the ability to ask
questions such that they clarify “which part of your opinion I feel skeptical about” will be tested in the production process.

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• After that, exchanged emails entirely about translation (English to Japa-

Saitama Arts Theater and Christopher GREEN (U.K.)

nese, Japanese to English).

The Digital Home
Second Report: Production Process

2. Findings

Author: OSHITA Yoshiyuki

Even after moving from the start-up phase (mostly from March to May) tothe rehearsal phase, the Japanese production team for The Home contin-

1. Overview of the Rehearsal Phaseued to have worries.
Specifically, the following six points can be mentioned.

(1) Overview of the WorkFirst, there is a communication gap due to the time lag between JapanThe original version of The Home was an immersive theater piece byand the U.K. The original production of The Home was performed in theChristopher GREEN in which 30 audience members spent 48 hours over

U.K., and the online version is being created based on the original ver-a weekend in a fictional, but real as a building, home for the elderly. It

sion. Therefore, the production of the British version inevitably came first,

was performed twice in the U.K. in the fall of 2019. This project aims toand it is now being used as a reference for the production of the Japa-

produce an online version of The Home (video viewing and app experience)nese version. Against this background, while translating the old version

in the U.K. and Japan.

produced in the U.K. and producing the Japanese version, the British
version was upgraded and the Japanese side was not informed of this(2) The main parties involved are as follows (titles omitted). Since thechange, resulting in a discrepancy between the Japanese and British ver-start-up phase, there are eight new participants, six in the U.K. andsions. Of course, this kind of communication gap can also occur during

two in Japan (TOYAMA and KATO).

productions in Japan. However, such discrepancies are more likely to occur in international co-productions.

U.K.

Second, while the original intention of this project was to bring a pro-• Original idea and general direction (general director of the work): Christo-

duction staged in the U.K. to Japan, this was changed to production ofpher GREEN

online versions in both Japan and the U.K. due to the COVID-19 pan-

• Producer: Caggy KERLOGUE (replacing Linda BLOOMFIELD)

demic. In other words, an entirely new production was to be produced• Assistant producer: Alfie HEFFER

simultaneously in both Japan and the U.K. Naturally, no one, including• Digital platform production manager: Luke ALEXANDER

Green, the writer of the original version, was able to grasp the whole(Marmelo Digital)

picture of the finished work. The production of the parts proceeded in• Digital production: Abhinav BAJPAI (Marmelo Digital)

parallel in Japan and the U.K., referring to the work of the original version.

• Creative director: Kerry JOYCE (Marmelo Digital)

Of course, once a rough whole concept has been determined, parts can• Creative technologist: Tatiana DISU (Marmelo Digital)

be produced. However, whether or not the whole will be optimal when

• Co-production partners

these parts are compiled together is another matter. If time and budget

The Albany Chief Executive and Artistic Director: Gavin BARLOW

were available, the process would be a back-and-forth one, but in reality,

Entelechy Arts Artistic Director: Maddy MILLS

there is no such leeway. In this sense, the entire production proceeded bygroping its way forward.

Japan

The third point is that the question of whether or not to adjust the taste• Written, directed, and performed (Japanese version) by: SUGAWARA Naoki

between the videos produced simultaneously in the U.K. and Japan be-(OiBokkeShi)came a point of contention. The conclusion was that there would be no• Producer: UKEGAWA Sachiko (Saitama Arts Theater)

adjustment of taste between Japan and the U.K. However, even in this

• Production: TANAKA Miki, MAEDA Takako (Saitama Arts Theater)case, the issue remained as to what common elements should be used as• IT advisor: HAYASHI Sayaka (Saitama Arts Theater)

components to make it the same work, The Home. In this regard, Green,• Video director: TOYAMA Shoji

the British director, seemed to think that adherence to the basic concept• Filming and editing: KATO Shinsuke

of “not letting the audience become onlookers” and thorough attention to• Video production: TAKEDA Tomoya (bench)details such as logos and props would ensure a sense of unity and reality
in both the Japanese and British productions. We will have to wait until(3) Meeting Results (in which I, Oshita, participated)

we see and compare the finished works to find out more about this point.

• June 18: Japan/U.K. Kickoff meeting with the digital platform production

Furthermore, as a fourth point, I can mention the difficulty that thisteam also attending. Confirmation of two types of work to be done: aproject includes the production of a game app as a major part of it. The

website with video viewing capability and a game application. Confirma-

other major part, the videos, can be understood as an extension of the-tion and selection of three potential illustrators.

ater. However, game apps are completely different from theater and video.

• July 8: Japan/U.K. Caggy Kerlogue replaced Linda as the producer on the

And while Japanese are familiar with games from childhood, I do not feel

U.K. side. Discussion of specifications for commissioning a web designer,that game literacy on the British side is very high. This is a concern. I ametc.

looking forward to seeing what kind of game app will be created, and at• July 18: Japan team only. Filming of several videos at Saitama Arts The-the same time, I am worried.

ater and Forest Park.

As a fifth, albeit minor point, regarding the style chosen by the design-• July 26: Japan/U.K. Recording of the Friendship Room.

er who was eventually selected, no one on the Japanese side seemed to• August 5: Japan/U.K. Confirmation of various rooms in the game app.

feel that it was good, but it was adopted due to Greenʼs strong insistence• August 13th: Japan/U.K. Exchange of opinions about the game app.

that he wanted a “stateless, retro-futuristic” look. Perhaps if the work had

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The Digital Home

been produced only in Japan, a different direction would have been possible.

REPORTA

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British and Japanese sides.
It should also be noted that at this stage the producer on the British

Sixth, the final phase of this stage was to put translations on both theside was replaced. As this change was due to the original producerʼs own

Japanese and English content. This did not proceed according to the time

circumstances, I consider this in itself to have been an unavoidable situ-

schedule. The issue was on the British side. On the other hand, it is often

ation. On the other hand, if the work were being produced only in Japan,

said that the concept of “deadline” is generally different between Japan

this situation would probably not have arisen. To put it bluntly, if I am toand other countries. It seems that other countries consider Japanese

say without being afraid of being misunderstood, in general, when work-

people to be “punctual.” For example, when one looks at train accidents

ing in Japan, oneʼs family situation does not often take precedence overcaused by speeding in an attempt to be on time, or the overcrowded

oneʼs work. By contrast, it seemed to me that in the U.K., diverse work

schedules of the Shinkansen bullet trains, one might think that this may

styles are taken as a given. This social environment makes it relatively

indeed be the case. In international co-productions, it may be better toeasy to replace someone with a new person when the first personʼs own

work on the assumption that people overseas have a different sense of

circumstances get in the way. On the other hand, the reviewer believes

time than Japanese people.

that the producerʼs work is a very creative job that requires a high level ofIn addition, I felt once again that the role of interpreters is extremely im-

professionalism. However, the fact that a job is easily replaceable makes

portant in an international co-production. In this project, the same person

it like a commodity in economics: an economic value or service that canhandled the interpretation at most of the meetings. This made it possible

be replaced. I also think the fact that the work is always replaceable byfor the interpreter to provide background information on each personʼssomeone else rather takes away some of the dignity and pride that ancomments, which I believe greatly improved communication between theindividual would have in his or her work. Hence, I cannot help but feel

Making of videos (Japanese version)

Making of videos (British version)

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uncomfortable in praising “diverse work styles” indiscriminately. Perhaps,
if the members around her could have made a commitment in the faceof this dramatic replacement, it would have been for all of them to think
about how they could work so as to ensure that she could continue to
produce. In any case, this situation was one that, through the cultural differences between Japan and the U.K., made me think about the nature ofwork.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, because of it, the piece wascreated through a series of remote dialogues between Japanese andBritish artists and producers without ever meeting in person. In thissense, this project can be seen as a work unique to and symbolic of the
COVID-19 era.
This sequence of coordination and progress may be likened to “trying tosomehow solve simultaneous equations with a large number of variables.”This is probably one of the most difficult projects among the Japan Foundationʼs co-production projects this time. Since it is such a difficult project, I am really looking forward to the presentation of the work.

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that the structure was intentionally made difficult to understand in order

Saitama Arts Theater and Christopher GREEN (U.K.)

to reproduce in the virtual world the sensation of visiting and walking

The Digital Home
Third Report: Performancethrough the facility. On the other hand, in contrast to the immersive orig-

Author: OSHITA Yoshiyuki

inal work, which required visitors to spend a full 48 hours to experience
the real facility, many people may have experienced this work at home orin their spare time while out and about. Considering this, it would havebeen nice to have a “Quick Guide” or “Recommended Course” menu, for

1. Overview of the Results Presentation Phase

example.

(1) Overview of the Workup such that the characters often speak directly to the audience. It canOn the other hand, compared to realistic theater productions, it is set
The original version of The Home was an immersive theater piece by

be pointed out that this feature allows audience members to immerse

Christopher GREEN in which 30 audience members spent 48 hours overthemselves in this fictional world as if they were talking to those people.

a weekend in a fictional, but real as a building, home for the elderly. It
was performed twice in the U.K. in the fall of 2019.
This project aims to produce an online version of The Home (video view-As stated at the beginning in the “Welcome Message,” the assumption
within the framework of the long-term care insurance system in Japan isthat “plans will be carried out as planned.” As a result, many senior careing and app experience) in the U.K. and Japan. In the Japanese version,facilities are (excessively) concerned about the health of their residents/

audience members will experience a virtual tour of the fictional “Aozora”

users, while their cultural life is not given much attention. However, it

facility for the elderly. The elderly people in the production are played bywould not be sufficient to simply provide a list of things such as meals,

skilled actors from Saitama Gold Theatre, giving the audience a glimpse

bathing, and exercise in a senior citizen facility. By themselves, meals

into the real world of aging and caregiving, despite the fact that it is awould be little more than nutritional supplementation and bathing re-video production.

duced to body washing. I believe that it is important for the elderly to feel

The Virtual Facility Tour website was available from September 26
through December 31, 2021. (https://www.thedigitalhome.org/)that their lives are worth living and that they are leading rich and fulfilling
lives. Therefore, I believe that cultural experiences and the provision of
support options will become increasingly important in the future.

(2) Credits are as follows (titles omitted)

In “Meet our resident Ms. Tamura,” resident Tamura says that she• Original idea and general direction: Christopher GREEN

moved into this facility because she “didn't want my family to get all• Japanese version written, directed, and performed by: SUGAWARA Nao-messed up.” This is a real problem. For example, according to a surveyki (OiBokkeShi)

conducted by the website “minnanokaigo” (Care for Everyone), more than

• Cast (online version): ABE Hikaru, SUZUKI Shinnosuke, SATO Kei, TAKE-

90% (91.5%) of the respondents have experienced family (sibling) problems

DA Arifumi

over caring for a parent.1 Given this reality, it is expected that more and

ISHIKAWA Kayo, OGUSHI Miwako, OBUCHI Mitsuyo, TAKIZAWA Tae,more people will move into senior care facilities if the financial issues can

TAMURA Ritsuko, HAYASHIDA Keiko, HYAKUMOTO Natsue, KASSAI

be resolved.

Hiromu, KITAZAWA Gasho, TAKAHASHI Kiyoshi, TAKEI Masatake, TOYA-In “Meet our resident Mr. Kobayashi,” a scene is depicted in which the

MA Yoichi, MORISHITA Ryuichi

resident, Kobayashi, pees himself. This makes him feel angry with him-

(The above are Saitama Gold Theater members.)

self, ashamed, and inferior, and he takes it out on his caregivers, finally

MORISHITA Tamiko (narration), TAKEDA Ikuno

begging them to “kill me.” As depicted, aging is a process in which peo-

ITO Asa, SON Daisuke

ple gradually lose the ability to do things that they used to be able to do• Video director: TOYAMA Shojinormally. The video made me realize that it is necessary to accept such a• Filming and editing: KATO Shinsuke

reality in order to grow old. Conversely, such a video makes us think that

• Digital platform production: Marmelo Digitalour ordinary, everyday lives are very important.

• Planning and production: Saitama Arts Theater

In “Watch a workshop,” it was impressive to see the close communica-• Organized by: The Japan Foundation, Saitama Arts Theatertion between residents and caregivers. It would be nice if such workshops• Co-production: The Japan Foundation, The Albany (U.K.), Entelechy Arts,

were conducted in real-life senior citizen facilities, and if the residentsʼ

and Christopher Green, Saitama Arts Theater

opinions were listened to carefully. The workshop also depicted a scene
in which local residents were helping the facility residents in their daily

2. Findings

lives. In the real world, there may be barriers such as liability issues, but
I felt that the creation of such a connection with the local community is

Japan has become the worldʼs fastest and largest super-aging society.

wonderful in itself.

This comes with many issues that cannot be easily resolved. Against thisThe work also depicted how the lives of the facilityʼs elderly residents

backdrop, it is hoped that through a virtual tour of the fictional “Aozora”

have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the

facility for the elderly, viewers will be able to grasp an image of their own

pandemic, physical visits with family members are restricted. In “Watch

and their familiesʼ lives and caregiving in old age.

and online visit,” a daughter tries to tell the father (a resident) via remote

Just like a real facility for the elderly, the fictional “Aozora” also has avideo-phone that her mother (wife for the father) died yesterday, but thevariety of spaces. Through the experience of visiting each of these spaces

father, who is suffering from advanced dementia, is unable to recognize(clicking through them like playing a game), audience members can deepenthat it is his daughter with whom he is having a conversation. This is atheir understanding of the current state and reality of nursing care in Ja-

very poignant scene. I assume that these situations occur frequently inpan.

real-life elderly care facilities. Dementia may have progressed rapidly in

Incidentally, the website has a rather confusing structure. I presume

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lies because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps this reality will become
apparent when the pandemic subsides and families are reunited withelderly residents for the first time in a long time.
On the other hand, I also notice that these communication barriers actually occur on a daily basis in communication between healthy people.
Specifically, such communication failures may well occur when interacting with others who have different values. Aging may be a process ofmagnifying these real-life issues. This point is also the theme of a separately recorded lecture on “dialogue” by Dr. TORIYAMA Daijiro. The playincluded the phrase “what actually happens in the field is mutual learning between teachers and students,” and ideally, it would be wonderful ifsuch “mutual learning” could be realized in senior citizen facilities.
The British version, on the other hand, has a very different taste fromthe Japanese version. The premise of the British version of The Homeis that a large corporation operates 32 facilities in the U.K., and it deals
with problems that arise in nursing care settings in a very corporate-likemanner. The British version is also more straightforward in dealing withreal-life issues, such as the shortage of nursing care workers and their
low remuneration. Through these videos, the work provides an opportunity for the audience to reconsider the relationship between caregiving andcapitalism.
In addition, it seems that viewing both the Japanese and British versions made differences in lifestyle practices and attitudes toward aging
between Japan and the U.K. apparent. For example, the Japanese version
has a generally darker tone in terms of the image of life in old age, while
the British version is basically more upbeat. In the U.K., there seems to be
an underlying idea of anti-aging, or resistance to aging, as symbolized by
the active encouragement of exercise in senior citizen facilities. In Japan,
on the other hand, the culture seems to be one of acceptance of aging as
it is.
Furthermore, the Japanese version had a dedicated (elderly) driver at
the senior citizen facility, whereas in the U.K., Uber was used. This foreshadows the future spread of Uber in the real Japanese society as well.
Similarly, although this work is fiction, a care robot was introduced in the
British version. In general, it seems that in Japan, care provided by humans is regarded as the way it should be, but the introduction of nursing
care robots is likely to become a topic of discussion in Japanʼs elderly
care facilities in the future. Or perhaps, as depicted in this work, “one elderly person caring for another,” in which healthy elderly people take careof elderly residents, will become more common in senior citizen facilities.
Finally, although the project name “The Digital Home Virtual Facility
Tour” was indeed listed as “Performance Information” on the website of
the Saitama Arts Theatre, at first glance it does not seem clear what it
is. I wonder if there were many people who, upon seeing the title, did notthink that this was a new type of theatrical work, and simply passed it by.

1 minnanokaigo https://www.minnanokaigo.com/enquete/no6/

From the videos

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in the case of remote collaboration, as it is very easy to set up meetings,

Saitama Arts Theater and Christopher GREEN (U.K.)

I am concerned that these preparatory tasks may tend to be neglected. It

The Digital Home
Fourth Report: Reflection

is necessary to be careful not to become negligent because of the casual

Author: OSHITA Yoshiyuki

nature of remote meetings.

(4) Inherently Different Approaches to Work
In international co-productions, one should not assume that “as weʼreIn this final installment of a total of four reports, I would like to reiterate

all people, and moreover, the other side are people working in the samethe purpose of the reports. It is to “share, beyond the framework of the

field (theater), their way of working should generally be similar to mine.”

project, the insights and issues that I have come to realize through my

There are cultural differences even in the way professionals in the same

participation as an observer, so that they may be used as knowledge forfield work. In this project, for example, the British director only set the ar-future international co-productions.”tistic goals for creating the videos for the online version and left the rest

Thinking this way, I believe it is appropriate for the final report to be ato the filmmakers. He did not even write a script. In Japan, however, it isreview of the project as a whole, including a reprint of parts of the past

not possible to produce a video without writing a detailed script before

reports, and to summarize “insights and issues related to the project”

commissioning it. In this way, I felt that there were considerable differ-with regard to points that are not specific to this project but that can beences in the way professionals work with each other.

generalized to other projects, rather than the originally designated “responses to the show.”(5) Differences in Sense of Time with Respect to Deadlines

In addition to the “insights and issues related to the project,” I believe

The final phase of this project was to add translations to both the Japa-

that it would be beneficial to provide a meta-level summary of “insights

nese and English content, but this did not proceed according to the timeand issues related to the process observation itself,” as this is an oppor-

schedule. I surmise that one of the reasons for this was the difference intunity to do so.

the concept of “deadlines” between Japan and other countries. In general, it seems that other countries consider Japanese people to be “punc-

1. Insights and Issues Related to this Projecttual.” For example, when one looks at train accidents caused by speedingin an attempt to be on time, or the overcrowded schedules of the Shink-

The following seven points can be identified as insights and issues re-ansen bullet trains, one might think that this may indeed be the case. In

lated to The Digital Home Virtual Facility Tour.

international co-productions, it may be better to work on the assumption(1) COVID-19 Pandemic Turned into a Blessing for Remote Meetings

Japanese people.

that people overseas have a different (more relaxed) sense of time thanGiven the recent need to prevent the global spread of COVID-19, remote meetings using tools such as Zoom and Webex have rapidly spread(6) Need to Cultivate the Ability to Ask Questions

throughout the world. This has made it relatively easy to set up multiple

Poet and playwright TERAYAMA Shuji once said, “I want to be a great

meetings with multiple stakeholders across multiple countries and re-question.” In fact, questions are very important in international co-pro-gions, sharing materials, in international co-productions, including thisductions as well. If there are questions about the other sideʼs way of

project. This is one of the few positive social effects brought about by theworking, it is necessary to clearly communicate the questions (to ask

COVID-19 pandemic. As such remote meetings will likely become the dewhy). At this time, explaining the Japanese sideʼs thinking in a logicalfacto standard for future international co-productions, it is necessary tomanner would help to get the desired answer. In other words, I think thatconsider the nature of international co-productions on this basis.

the ability to ask questions such that they clarify “which part of your(2) Absolute Importance of Interpreters

Unlike when working with other Japanese people in Japan, it is necessary

opinion I feel skeptical about” will be tested in the production process.
The role of interpreters has always been extremely important in interna-

to clarify cultural differences while respecting each otherʼs diversity.

tional co-productions, and I felt that their importance has become evenmore critical with the spread of remote communication. In this project,(7) Presenting Cultural Diversity in the Workthe same person was in charge of interpretation in most of the meetings.

Through international co-productions, the artists and staff involved areThis made it possible for the interpreter to provide background informa-able to experience the differences in lifestyle and work styles between

tion on each personʼs comments, which I believe greatly improved com-

Japan and their counterparts in other countries and regions. However, it

munication between the English and Japanese sides. In other words, itwould be a shame to limit this valuable experience to only the small num-

would be desirable to establish a system in which a high-level interpreterber of people involved. Ideally, the audience should be able to vicariously

who is well versed in the art of the field is positioned as a member of theexperience such cultural diversity through the works. I believe that thisproduction team and basically participates in all meetings.

project revealed the differences between the Japanese and British approaches to aging. It would be wonderful if the audience members them-(3) Concerns Regarding of the Casualness of Remote Collaboration
The ease with which the frequency of communication can be increased

selves come to think about care and control in elder care through suchlearning.

has made international co-productions considerably more casual. Of
course, this in itself is a wonderful thing. However, in the past, interna-

2. Insights and Issues Related to the Process Observation Itself

tional co-productions required overseas trips, so a certain amount ofcareful information gathering and input regarding the culture and artistry

In this section, I will provide a meta-level summary of “insights andof the partner country or region had to be done in advance. By contrast,

issues related to the process of observation itself,” rather than content

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related to individual projects. The reviewerʼs suggestions are the following

initial “production process” stage described above have all been submit-

two points.

ted. By exchanging views and opinions at this stage, I expect that the observers will be able to approach their own subsequent observations from

(1) The Number of Reports and the Number of Characters (Words) ina more multifaceted perspective.

the Reports
The core of the request to be a process observer consisted of writing

This process observer system is probably the first attempt of its kindfour reports. The timing of these reports was presented in advance aseven for the Japan Foundation. I would like to highly commend this itself

four phases: the process of project launch, rehearsals, presentation ofas an excellent endeavor. I hope that this system will be continued while

results, and responses to the show. However, when I actually started themaking further improvements based on the above suggestions.

work, I felt that these four stages were not well separated and that there
were too many.
First of all, regarding the first stage, “process of project launch,” aproject is actually already launched at the time when the application fora grant is submitted to the Japan Foundation. Therefore, observers canparticipate only from the stage of concrete meetings.
The next stage is “rehearsals” (in this project, it corresponded to the filming and recording of the videos and the production of the game app), during

which various meetings are held regarding the content of the project, andthe results are reflected in the actual production (rehearsals).
Moreover, especially since this project is a virtual production, it was noteasy to grasp the responses in the “responses to the show” stage. That is
why this report is written in this manner.
Considering this situation, I believe it would be better to focus on twostages in writing reports: the process of production and the results of thework.
As for the number of words, it was specified that each report should be“between 4,000 and 6,000 Japanese characters.” However, when I sat

down at the computer to actually write the reports, I found it quite difficult to write a text of “more than 4,000 characters” because the themes
were limited. I think that a sensible number of characters per report
would be 2,000 to 3,000.

(2) Viewing of Other Project Works and Exchange of Opinions with Observers
This year there were eight international co-productions followed byobservers, including The Digital Home Virtual Facility Tour, which I was
in charge of. I had already seen The Cherry Orchard, a co-production between Shizuoka Performing Arts Center (SPAC) and T2G-Théâtre de Gennevilliers-Centre Dramatique National (France), as I happen to be a member of SPACʼs board of trustees. However, I barely even have information
about the other six productions.
Under these circumstances, it is unlikely that the symposium (roundtablediscussion) in February will deepen the discussion on the insights andchallenges of international co-productions beyond the framework of individual works.
It is necessary, I believe, to view not only the work of the international
co-production one is in charge of observing, but also other works prior to
the symposium. In addition, it is advisable to read the reports of each observer and understand the difficulties and issues behind the productionof the works. Without such advance preparation and preliminary study, I
am concerned that the symposium will be superficial.
Furthermore, it would have been better if there had been a meeting of
the observers at the beginning of this series of projects. Knowing who
else had been appointed as observers would have made it easier to understand the backgrounds behind their individual reports when readingthem later.
It would also be desirable to hold another (closed-door) informal gathering for discussion with the other observers when the reports from the

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PROJECT

Fierce 5
Setagaya Public Theatre and Raphaëlle BOITEL (France)
Fierce 5 is a Japanese–French collaboration of young circus artists who will be the leaders of thenext generation of the contemporary circus world.
Fierce 5 is based on 5es Hurlants which has been performed around the world and is one of theCompany L’Oublié(e)’s most renowned works. In Fierce 5, five Japanese circus artists chosen by Director Raphaëlle BOITEL, who also directed 5es Hurlants, give spirited performances. Fierce 5’s main
cast members are MINAKAWA Mayumu, HASEGAWA Aimi, SUGIMOTO Shun, MEGURO Yosuke, and
YOSHIKAWA Kento.
The theme of Fierce 5 is the Japanese idiom “nana korobi ya oki.” Literally meaning “falling seventimes and getting up eight times,” it conveys that life is full of ups and down, and also expresses theidea of never giving up. Combining dance, aerial performance, acrobatics, juggling, and other techniques, Fierce 5 depicts the world of the circus and the people in it, who constantly face risk to go
beyond their limits. Fierce 5 was first performed at Setagaya Public Theatre in October 2021.

Fierce 5 key visual ©Takehiro Goto

Outline of Performances

Dates and times: 3:00 p.m. October 9 (Sat.); 3:15 p.m. October 10 (Sun.); 7:00 p.m. October 11(Mon.), 2021
Duration: 75 min.
Venue: Setagaya Public Theatre

Credits
Composition and Direction: Raphaëlle BOITELLighting and Set Design: Tristan BAUDOIN
Music: Arthur BISON
Assistant and Understudy: YOSHIDA Aki
Assistant: Julieta SALZ
Production Manager: FUKUDA Jumpei

Raphaëlle Boitel ©Louis-Michel Grevent

Stage Manager: KIMURA Mitsuharu
Lighting Coordinator: NOGI Fuyuki
Sound Coordinator: ABE Fumihiko
Cast: MINAKAWA Mayumu, HASEGAWA Aimi, SUGIMOTO Shun, MEGURO Yosuke, YOSHIKAWA Kento, YAMAMOTO Hironobu, YASUMOTO Asami
Organized by The Japan Foundation and Setagaya Arts Foundation
Produced by Setagaya Public Theatre
Supported by Setagaya City
Additional support provided by (in Japanese alphabetical order): Toho Holdings Co., Ltd.; Toyota Motor Corporation, and Bloomberg L.P.
Cooperation provided by Tokyu Corporation
With financial support from Ambassade de France au Japon / Institut français du Japon, Institut
français

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Performance photos ©Yohta Kataoka

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set instructions. The participants were instructed to get as close as pos-

Setagaya Public Theatre and Raphaëlle BOITEL (France)

sible to what they felt when they watched a reference video while adding

Fierce 5 First Report: Launch of Project

their own choreography in line with their own body language. The partic-

Author: KUREMIYA Yurika

ipants were judged in part on how they reacted to these vague instructions. After a participant went through their whole performance, Boitel
provided some comments and, if necessary, the participant would re-per-

Fierce 5 is an international collaborative project organized and directed

form parts as directed by Boitel. The judging time for each participant

by French contemporary circus prodigy Raphaëlle BOITEL. Based on Boi-was 30 minutes. If there was any time remaining after their performance,telʼs 2015 work 5es Hurlants, one of her most renowned pieces, Fierce 5

the participants were also asked to do some improvisational work.

is a new work that is being developed together with circus artists basedin Japan.
SAKAI Atsumi from the Setagaya Arts Foundation gave the following

Eight participants passed this round of judging, and on the third day
they did group work together.

three points as the aims of this project: 1) To expand the breadth of ex-

In all, the remaining participants were given seven tasks. They were in-pression for Japanese artists, who tend to focus more on technique; 2)formed on these tasks on the morning of the same day. At 1:00 p.m., they

To cultivate theater technicians who have strong technical skills and thebegan practicing individually in the rehearsal studio. At 4:00 p.m., audi-

ability to think flexibly, and at the same time, to give artists the skills andtions began. First, Boitel went over additional points she wanted to see

knowledge needed to be safe and creative; 3) To promote internationalwith regard to the participantsʼ solo performances. Then the participants

exchange and the creation of a work that transcends genres throughbegan doing group work. There were two types of group work. For one

highly imaginative contemporary circus performance. In Japan, it is not

type, predetermined groups of participants had to recreate a sequence

so common for technical staff to be involved in the creation process fromfrom a video. For the other type, all of the participants had to engage inthe early stages, and coordination with technical staff is not sufficient.

improvisational work together. Lastly, each participant had to give an im-

In Company LʼOublié(e), Raphaëlle Boitel and Technical Director Tristan

provisational performance incorporating everything they had experienced

BAUDOIN cooperate closely. By creating a work with Company LʼOublié(e),in the audition process.

Fierce 5 aims to stimulate collaboration between artists and technicians.

After the auditions were over, Boitel praised the participantsʼ memo-

In this report, I will report on the process from the workshop-style audi-

rization abilities and how much they had practiced. Setagaya Producer

tions held in mid-April to the selection of the cast, as well as the master

Sakai said that doing the auditions online went smoothly thanks to theclass held for the cast in late June. The original plan was to do theseparticipating artistsʼ explosive power and quick response to directions.

things with Boitel in Japan. However, due to COVID-19, ultimately they

Sakai said that although there were some difficulties with doing things

were all conducted online using Zoom to connect the project members inonline, she believed that the Japanese team learning that it was possible

Japan and France.

to do this much online was one accomplishment of the auditions. Just as
Sakai said, the artists participating in this project are all highly experi-

Auditions (April 16–18)

enced. Even before things started, they showed excellent teamwork, andwere practicing together in a friendly and unguarded manner. It is also

Fierce 5 depicts the everyday lives of people living in the world of circus

likely the Hasegawa had a positive effect. She knew Boitel and most of

performance. Its characters are five circus artists, each with a different

the audition participants, and was present each day for the auditions as

specialty. The decision had already been made to cast HASEGAWA Aimi

an assistant.

for the role of the aerial hoops artist. Accordingly, auditions were held toselect the remaining four cast members. Before the auditions were held,

Cast Selection

applicants were screened using video submissions. Twelve people passed
the video screening. These 12 people participated in workshop-style au-

It took longer than planned to select the cast. The production staff wereditions held in the rehearsal studio of Setagaya Public Theatre (hereinafter

unable to finish selecting the cast after an online meeting, and Raphaëlle

referred to simply as “Setagaya”).

Boitel and the Setagaya team discussed the matter repeatedly via email

On the first day, the participants were judged one by one on their tight-

over several days.

wire and juggling skills, then, on the second day, on their aerial straps andBased on the comments Boitel wrote about each participant, it seems

acrobatic dance abilities. Each of the participants had been sent excerpts

she had difficulty perceiving things online such as the atmosphere infrom 5es Hurlants. Based on this, each participant prepared solo per-the rehearsal studio, the participantsʼ understanding of and passion forformances (for the juggling judging, there was also a duo dance challenge).

the work, and the relationships between the participants during groupFirst, Boitel explained the workʼs concept and its characters. Next, shework. The Setagaya team proactively provided supplemental explanations

asked the participants some simple questions such as what they thought

and suggestions in these areas. The Setagaya team knew a lot about theabout the video they had been sent, and what their interpretations of theparticipantsʼ activities outside of the auditions and had also worked withcharacters were. Boitel also asked the participants why they were inter-some of them before. The views of such local staff, based on long-term

ested in this project. Many of the participants gave answers such as theyexperience, were likely particularly important in this projectʼs situation

were interested because they had seen When Angels Fall and Drop Shad-where the director was participating remotely.

ows when these were performed in Japan in 2019; because they wanted

Ultimately, the following artists were chosen as the projectʼs cast:to take on the challenge of circus performance as performing arts/artistic expression; and because they wanted to collaborate with artists in agenre different from what they were used to.
Next, the participants were asked to give a performance according to

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

Tightwire: YOSHIKAWA Kento / Juggling: MEGURO Yosuke
Aerial Hoops: HASEGAWA Aimi* / Aerial Straps: SUGIMOTO ShunAcrobatic Dance: MINAKAWA Mayumu

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4th

Secondaries: YASUMOTO Asami*, YAMAMOTO Hironobu*

Setagaya team, it was decided she would not attend the first day of class.

Assistant and Understudy: YOSHIDA Aki

On the second day, she participated by switching in and out with Yoshi-*These members were cast before auditions.

da, who was also the understudy, as appropriate.
Beforehand, the artists were given a complete recording of a perfor-

Originally, there was no plan to have an assistant and understudy role.
It was an idea proposed by the Setagaya team.

mance of 5es Hurlants, a run sheet of the course of the show including a
program and scene nicknames, and notes Boitel had written for each per-The cast composition was well balanced. It was conveyed beforehand

former. The cast was given the challenge of working out the choreographythat the cast members would be chosen taking into consideration thecomposition, including the movements, lines of flow, and cues, using thecharacters they would play, and my impression was that the focus wasvideo and practicing until they were able to do a rough run-through foron the artistsʼ adaptability and how well they matched the pieceʼs roles.

scenes one through 14 (of the total 16 scenes). These scenes contained

As a result, the artists chosen were the same genders as those who had

many sequences the cast had already tried out during the auditions. Even

appeared in 5es Hurlants. It also seems that the equipment used will alsoso, there was a lot of work, and the master class moved forward at a highbe close to that of the original piece. For example, Yoshikawa Kento usedpace according to a timetable divided into 30- to 60-minute segments.

the slack wire in the auditions. However, he is being required to learn thetightwire, which enables more dynamic movement, for the piece.

Boitel stated that the purpose of the master class was to “embed arough memory” of the entire piece into the minds of the cast. Boitelʼs

Master Class (June 23–24)

aim was to create an opportunity for the entire cast to get together andrehearse and thus get an overall image of the piece, together, and embedRaphaëlle Boitel and Technical Director Tristan Baudoin were sched-this in their memories. Doing this would make it possible to focus on de-

uled to come to Japan for the master class for the chosen cast members.

tails of the performance and movements details during the development

However, travel restrictions remained strict, and it was difficult to ob-process in September. It would also make it possible to spend more time

tain permission to enter Japan. Boitel and Baudoin were also unable toon adding staging matched to each individual cast member, and on prac-schedule enough time for the 14-day quarantine periods before and after.

ticing with the devices and equipment that will be used during perfor-

Because of this, the master class was also conducted using Zoom to con-mances. For these reasons, more time was spent checking group scenes

nect France and the Setagaya rehearsal studio. Accordingly, the masterwith complex compositions over solo parts in which individual cast mem-class was shortened to two days from the originally planned three. The

bers get to show off their specialty skills. When Boitel provided direction,

content was also significantly revised. The aerial performance part was

she focused on detailed explanations of her aims, such as the sceneʼs

canceled because it involved learning how to set up and use equipment

situation, the purpose of the movements, the image she had when writingbrought from France. In addition, because the class would be conducted

the scene, and character background. It was a difficult program. However,remotely, this would make it difficult for all of the cast members to ac-

doing a rough run-through at the end connecting all the scenes madequire common physicality through joint exercises. Accordingly, the choicethings such as story developments and character relationships much

was made to make group work the focus of the class, which would give

clearer than if the cast members had only rehearsed individual scenes

the participants more autonomy.

one by one.

There is a seven-hour time difference between Japan and France. This

Yoshida, a highly experienced artist who possesses numerous skills andlimited the hours during which Boitel could participate. Accordingly, foris also highly adaptable and quick to understand, was also the perfect re-

both days of the class, practice started in the afternoon led by Japanese

hearsal facilitator. Sakai also praised Yoshidaʼs work in this area. Interact-

team Assistant YOSHIDA Aki and with only the cast members. Then, froming remotely via interpreter can easily result in directions and communi-

4:00 p.m., Boitel would join in on the training. Secondaries (performers

cation becoming one-sided. However, Yoshida was effective at facilitating

providing technical support on-stage as part of the stage management sec-

communication with the director, summarizing everyoneʼs opinions andtion, such as setting up devices and equipment) YASUMOTO Asami andquestions. In addition, the fact that the artists had strong relationships of

YAMAMOTO Hironobu joined in on the second day. In addition, acrobatic

trust not only with each other but also with Producer Sakai helped things

dancer MINAKAWA Mayumu injured her back. After discussion with theto go smoothly. This was concisely expressed by Boitelʼs remark that they
had a “good team.”

Taken during the master class (photo credit: Setagaya Public Theatre)

Conversely, there were issues with numerous requests that the castmembers be able to do the same things as the original cast members in
5es Hurlants. The projectʼs current direction requires not only that theBoitel and Yoshida in conversation

Solo number rehearsal

Choreographing a group scene based on a
video

Rehearsal during the second day with all castmembers, including the secondaries

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

Promotional photos taken on the second day of the master class (photo credit: Takehiro Goto)
Right photo: From left to right, Yoshikawa Kento, Meguro Yosuke, Minakawa Mayumu, Hasegawa
Aimi, and Sugimoto Shun

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choreography composition but also the equipment used and even theto start on September 13. In addition to the company being very busy, intechniques in each cast membersʼ solo performances follow the original

France, entry restrictions have already been greatly relaxed. Because ofpiece. This makes it hard to see the significance of developing this new

this, it is difficult to get people to understand Japanʼs quarantine mea-

piece in Japan. That being said, at the end of the master class, Boitel

sures and secure enough time for the trip to Japan. Depending on thestated that he felt they would be able to add new, individual tweaks dif-situation, it is possible that for the first week of the development process,ferent from 5es Hurlants, so the piece may undergo detailed changes in

Boitel and her team will participate online from their hotel. For the masteraccordance with each individual cast member after Boitel comes to Ja-

class in June, the schedule was only decided less than two weeks before

pan. As Fierce 5 is being developed as a new piece in collaboration with

it was scheduled to start. In addition, the start date was set several days

Japanese artists, I hope to see new staging and direction unique to thisearlier than originally planned. From the perspective of the artistsʼ condi-

production.

tioning, however, changing the schedule on very short notice is not good.
In addition, the more that work is done online, the more work that cannot

The Possibilities and Limits of the Internet

be done online has to be left for later. This results in the timetable justbefore actual performances becoming increasingly busy, which can pose

In order to conduct the auditions and master class remotely, the Se-a direct danger in a performance where there is a high burden on cast

tagaya team set up two large monitors and video cameras at different

members and staff, as in this work. Although there are many uncertain-

angles. These were connected to Zoom and could be switched between

ties under the circumstances, a schedule with sufficient leeway should

as necessary. (For the first two days of auditions, only one of each was

be created.

used.) The video feed was high resolution and there were no connectiondifficulties. Spikes were added with tape beforehand to show camera
angle limits. However, the master class rehearsal studio was small andthe cameras could not be placed very far away. This made the acting area
very small.
The most difficult part was adjusting the sound. There were various
volume problems. During the auditions in April, the music being playedover the PA was hard for the French team to hear. Conversely, the soundof rustling clothing was over-amplified. During the master class in June,
audio feedback occurred frequently because so many devices were set
up so close to each other. It was also difficult to prevent unwanted noise
while also delivering both the voice of the interpreter and sounds onstage
at appropriate volumes.
Other problems pointed out by Producer Sakai included the amount oftime required to communicate and the limited ability of the director toprovide demonstrations. Sharing the physicality upon which the work was
based and conveying detailed nuance online were especially difficult because the group was developing a project together for the first time.
On the other hand, one merit was increased freedom in terms of spaces. During auditions, some participants did part of their performances
remotely from distant rehearsal studios. Being online made it possible tochoose a better environment when working with equipment that could
not easily be moved or would require a lot of time to set up.

Future Development
Going forward, the cast members have been instructed to repeatedly
practice their solo numbers and improve their technical abilities while atthe same time also using videos to deepen their understanding of theircharacters. Detailed notes and questions will be conveyed through Yoshida.
With regard to project development in September, there are two main
issues. The first is getting permission to enter Japan. Raphaëlle Boitel,
Tristan Baudoin, and Assistant Julieta SALZ are scheduled to come to Japan. As of June, the application process has already been started. However, it is not clear whether they will all be given permission. The application
process has not been made public, and the burden on the sponsoringorganization is large.
Secondly, the companyʼs schedule has to be secured. At the present
time, it is not certain whether they will be able to secure the two-weekquarantine period prior to the development process, which is scheduled

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

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2nd

3rd

4th

the overall composition of the piece was largely established. Because of

Setagaya Public Theatre and Raphaëlle BOITEL (France)

Fierce 5 Second Report: Rehearsals
Author: KUREMIYA Yurika

this, during this week, much time was spent on stopping for each scene
to confirm points that were not clear and to carefully add details of theperformance and movements. Boitel talked about her own role, saying,“The artists learn from the image provided by the video. Because of this,

if they are wondering why they are doing something in the piece, it means
In this report, I will report on the concentrated production development

they donʼt fully understand whatʼs going on. Iʼm here to convey that in-process that took place over about one month. Because entry restrictions

formation to them.” Boitel made efforts to, talk extensively and provide

remained strict and the French team was unable to secure sufficient timedemonstrations over Zoom in order to convey the intentions behind thefor the quarantine period before the scheduled start, they participated in

end result shown in the video.

part of the rehearsals remotely.

Meanwhile, Technical Director and performer Tristan Baudoin and Julieta Salz, who had appeared in 5es Hurlants for six years, provided prac-

Rehearsal Schedule

tical advice, such as equipment operation procedures and lines of flow.
Fierce 5 has many individual performances and also requires flexible

A period of time was set aside to set up the rehearsal studio and for

responses to unpredictable situations. Because of this, there are many

independent rehearsals. After this, general rehearsals were officially re-things only those who work on stage can understand. Accordingly, some-

sumed on September 13. Director Raphaëlle BOITEL and Assistant Julieta

times other cast members from 5es Hurlants who hadnʼt come to JapanSALZ arrived in Japan on September 13, while Technical Director Tristan

also participated and helped confirm things. Through this process, theBAUDOIN arrived in Japan on September 19. After their individual two-

precision of each scene was gradually increased. The concrete advice ofweek quarantine periods, they met up with the rest of the group to partic-

Salz and Baudoin, and the words of Director Boitel conveying the pieceʼs

ipate in rehearsals in person.

image, seemed to have a complimentary effect.

Week 1: Resumption of general rehearsals: MINAKAWA, HASEGAWA,

creating break times. Unlike being there in person, it was difficult to see

One thing that became a problem as the project moved forward was
SUGIMOTO, MEGURO, YOSHIKAWA, and YOSHIDA joined in.

how tired the cast members were when watching over Zoom. It also madeWeek 2: French team participated remotely, YASUMOTO joined in.

it difficult for everyone to synchronize, and sometimes when things heat-

Week 3: Boitel, Salz, and YAMAMOTO joined in; stage began being used.

ed up, it was difficult for others to make their voices heard. Because a

Week 4: Baudoin joined in; sound and lights added.

lack of attention could directly result in a dangerous situation, measures
were taken such as taking breaks every 90 minutes, and taking care to

Week 1 (September 13–17)

ensure that rehearsals didnʼt last too long.

In week one, Stage Manager KIMURA Mitsuharu explained the rehearsal studio. After that, the five main cast members and Assistant Yoshida
Aki reviewed the work they had done so far.
The rehearsal studio had been reserved for the groupʼs exclusive use
for the entire period. The rehearsal studio had ceilings high enough tohang equipment as high as it would be during actual performances. This
enabled the group to practice using the equipment and doing aerial performances. In June, tightwire work was only simulated without equipment.
This time, however, they were able to train using a tightwire that was ashigh and as long as it would be during actual performances.

The Stage Manager explaining the stage layout Rehearsals over Zoom (photo by the author)(photo by the author)

Week 3: September 27–October 1
Week 2 (September 20–24)

In week three, all cast members participated, including the secondaries.

In week two, similar to the master class in June, each day from aroundAll of the equipment, props, and costumes that would be used in per-noon, the Japanese team began rehearsing on their own. Then, from 3:00

formances were also ready. Further, on September 28, after around fivep.m., Raphaëlle Boitel and the rest of the French team participated overmonths of remote communications, Boitel and the Japanese artists were

Zoom. Each day, the group engaged in detailed rehearsals of three to four

finally able to meet in person. That same day, work also began on setting

scenes, in chronological order and focusing on group scenes, with theup the stage, and preparations for actual performances were fully under-

aim of doing a full run-through at the end of the week. Separate, individ-way.

ual rehearsal times were created for each cast member to practice theirsolos.

This week, there were three main challenges. These were: 1) developing
a common physicality among all the cast members through exercises; 2)

Based on the experience from the previous week, this week KURASAWA

completing setup in preparation for stage rehearsals starting on Septem-

Eiji, in charge of video shooting, attended rehearsals for multiple days inber 30; and 3) focusing on the development of the last two scenes, ona row. In addition to shooting video for publicity (released on September

which work had not yet started̶ especially the large-scale aerial perfor-30), he also provided support for Zoom communications. Additionally,

mance scene called the “spider.” At the same time, importance was also

Stage Manager Kimura was there each day, and people in charge of light-

placed on repeated run-throughs in order to adjust the overall flow.

ing and sound were also frequently present, providing technical support

Because work would be conducted at the same time in two different

as needed. Because of this, things proceeded smoothly, despite the needlocations, it was divided so that Boitel traveled between the rehearsal

for the French team to participate remotely.

studio and performance stage, while Assistant Julieta Salz and Interpreter

After the master class in June and the independent rehearsal period,

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

KATO Ritsuko worked on the stage preparation. Because Technical Direc-

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4th

tor Baudoin was still in quarantine and participating remotely, each time

ing a harness, into the air. It is the pieceʼs most difficult and most dan-there was a break in the work, Salz called him to convey questions fromgerous scene. Time was taken to practice this scene every day. The scene

the theaterʼs technical team. Salz knows a lot about the piece as well as

was finally perfected on the morning of the dress rehearsal.

the stage situation. She served as Baudoinʼs eyes, and this seemed tomake the remote collaboration process go a little smoother.

With opening day almost here, there were four things Boitel emphasized in this weekʼs rehearsals: increasing the precision of sound andlight staging, increasing the groupʼs energy, adding emotion to the castʼs

I will briefly describe the exercises the cast members did. These exer-

performances, and getting used to dealing with problems. After each fullcises were the same as Company LʼOublié(e) always does each day before

rehearsal, Boitel gave detailed comments and, while proactively incorpo-

moving on to the project development process. The exercises consist-

rating the cast membersʼ opinions and ideas, made adjustments to theed of two stages. The first stage was solo work, which also served as aoverall piece.

warm-up. The cast members did basic exercises such as “become part of
the floor,” “spiral,” and “slide,” and had to improvise variations on these
based on directions such as “faster,” “add pauses,” “asymmetrically,” and“acrobatically.” The aim was for all the cast members to share the same

basic physicality. Boitelʼs ability to move nimbly and precisely is supported by strong inner muscles and was greatly influenced by martial artist
HINO Akira. Her explanations also frequently included the phrase “likemartial arts.”
Next, the cast members did group work to connect with other people̶
in other words, to build relationships between the cast members. They

Rehearsing the “spider” scene (photo by theauthor)

Discussing after going over comments for theentire piece (photo by the author)

started with the same simple work they had done during the auditionsin April. Then they gradually built on this to ultimately create an experimental scene. According to Boitel, Company LʼOublié(e)ʼs development

Finally, on the morning of the 9th, opening day, Boitel concluded her
final comments as follows:

process is to research what resources each artist possesses through thiswork and then incorporate these resources in order to develop the piece.
All of the work was similar to that often done in dance workshops. Not
all circus artists, however, are familiar with this kind of work, and it took a
lot of time for the cast members to get used to them.

Some audience members may have avoided going to the theater due
to COVID-19.
I do this job because I want to give people hope that even though
there are many difficulties in life, there are also amazing things.
When you perform, I want you to keep in mind and convey to theaudience this message: “Together, we can carry on.”Rehearsal Content
The amount of time available to do in-person rehearsals was a little under two weeks, half that originally planned. This made the overall schedSetting up the stage (photo by the author)

Raphaëlle Boitel directing a group scene (photoby the author)

ule extremely tight. In addition, the piece makes use of many pieces ofequipment and tools that could not be acquired in Japan and had to bebrought from France. These tools and equipment only arrived shortly be-

Week 4 (October 4 –8)

fore opening day.

In week four, Tristan Baudoin began participating in person, and the

The amount of time to adjust the technical aspects was particularly lim-

pace of final technical adjustments increased. On October 4, lights andited. Technical Director Tristan Baudoinʼs quarantine period ended on Oc-

sound were added for the first time. On October 5, the team did its first

tober 4, and he was scheduled to return to France on October 10, the day

run-through on stage. On October 8, the team did a dress rehearsal. Eachafter opening day. Accordingly, he only really had six days during whichday, technical matters were adjusted in the morning and the cast mem-

he was able to work on-site. It was expected that there would be a short-bers rehearsed in the afternoon.

age of time, but thanks in part to the fact that the same staff members

One of the unique characteristics of this piece is the extremely large

were working in each section as the last time Company LʼOublié(e) staged

number of things that must be checked on stage. The piece has the casta piece in Japan, coordination was smooth. Further, all of the artists weremembers themselves using equipment, ropes, and lighting equipment,

highly skilled, and the result was that they were able to pull off all theand the audience can see them doing these things. Because of this, it isperformances they had planned.

necessary for the cast members to repeatedly practice in a real environment and to become able to use the equipment properly, with precision,

Particular effort was put into the following areas:

and as appropriate to the situation, even with many unexpected things
happening around them.

Real Emotion

The “spider” scene, the climax of the piece, can only be rehearsed onRaphaëlle Boitel highly praised the artistsʼ high professionalism, devo-

an actual stage. In the scene, five of the cast members (Hasegawa Aimi,

tion, and uncommon abilities to concentrate and learn. Their work was

Sugimoto Shun, Meguro Yosuke, Yoshikawa Kento, and Yasumoto Asami)

extremely meticulous, and Boitel was unable to hide her surprise at theirmust pull on ropes in synchronization to raise Minakawa Mayumu, wear-

ability to immediately reflect her directions in their performances.

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

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Conversely, the artistsʼ emphasis on performing correctly often madewhen you are working with someone face to face versus when you are notit difficult for their acting to feel natural. As Boitel said, their “technicalthere in person. In a short yet very dense amount of time, the team rap-

aims win out over emotion.” The artistsʼ performances were also too close

idly built strong relationships of trust, and as these relationships of trust

to those of the original cast of 5es Hurlants, which hid their own individu-

deepened, the pieceʼs performance also improved strikingly.

ality, and they were frequently caught up in comments from the Company
LʼOublié(e) side. I believe that two partial causes of these were that theartists had, for the past five months, constantly rehearsed while referencing videos of 5es Hurlants; and that during the remote rehearsals,
communication was entirely language-focused. Because of these factors,
going beyond faithful recreation to achieve realistic acting and adding
real emotions on top of skill and accuracy became huge challenges. As
the team repeatedly engaged in dialogue and both parties engaged in trial
and error with regard to the give and take of communication, these points
noticeably improved.

Establishing a Group Consciousness
I frequently heard the phrase “everyone together” during rehearsals.
Boitel emphasized that a groupʼs energy can add something extra to thequality of a piece.
Itʼs true that during the early stages, especially during the solo scenes
requiring especially high concentration, the relationships between theEveryone checking the composition while looking at a run sheet (photo by the author)

artists and everyone else tended to become weaker. In group scenes, atfirst the artists were reserved, taking care not to get in each otherʼs way
while learning about how their fellow performers behaved. This made it
hard to maintain a rhythm and often caused the groupʼs energy to fall.
However, once a real group consciousness began to form, the scenes
gained greater depth and the drive of the work overall increased.

Clarifying Aims
Although the team had a limited amount of time, one thing Boitel did
not compromise on was how to show the aims of each scene. Boitel madedetailed adjustments so that the audience would not have any unintentional misunderstandings. These adjustments included not just the relationships between the pieceʼs characters but also the lighting positioning
and even the sounds of breathing and equipment.

Emphasis on Safety
The thing that was given more importance than anything else was safety. The cast members were directed not to take any risks and to personally stop a technique or rehearsals anytime they sensed danger. They werealso given advice on how to incorporate a problem into their performance
if one did occur.
Another thing that was impressive to me was that Boitel watched andlearned about each artistʼs personality and, when giving them comments,
she would adjust her wording and the timing of her comments to match
their personalities. Setagaya Producer SAKAI Atsumi says that when they
were doing remote rehearsals, she frequently received questions from
Boitel about the artistsʼ personalities. Accordingly, the production teamprovided Boitel with additional information that was difficult for her tounderstand just by watching the rehearsals via a screen.
From the time that in-person rehearsals began, Boitel was always paying attention to the entire situation, and she spoke to every member of
the team, from artists to staff. This can also be seen in the fact that allof the artists praised Boitel, describing her friendly and passionate character by saying that she was “enthusiastic,” “filled with love,” “energetic,”
and that “her vision is clear and never wavers.”
There is a difference in the amount of information that is conveyed

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

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Fierce 5

Setagaya Public Theatre and Raphaëlle BOITEL (France)

Fierce 5 Third Report: Performance
Author: KUREMIYA Yurika

REPORTA

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

and the radiant, realistic depiction of the pieceʼs world was entrancing.
Technically, there were some small mistakes, but the performance created a world that was so solid that these issues were of no concern.
In general, the piece has no lines. Regardless, the “conversations” thatit feels like one is hearing when watching it are what makes it interesting.
Further, the occasional words, grunts, and cries the performers let out

Director Raphaëlle BOITEL happened to find a Japanese idiom in ago beyond meaning to grip the audience and bring the stage and theaterbook ̶“ nana korobi ya oki ” ( “ falling seven times and getting up eightseats closer together. In the climax of the play, MINAKAWA Mayumu, whotimes”). This became the starting inspiration for Fierce 5. Day after day,is struggling while suspended in midair, is finally able to break free fromcircus artists train, and no matter how many times they slip and fall, they

the chaos and, using a rope held out by her fellow artists, climbs upward.

always get up to try again. For them, tools such as the tightwire, hoops,

During this scene, there were not a few audience members who shedstraps, and balls are both objects to pour their passion into and, at thetears.

same time, sources of suffering. Therein lies an ultimate love–hate relationship. As they support the other artists who they perform with, they

On both days that I attended, the performances ended not just with ap-

face their own tools, overcome difficulties, and at last achieve successplause but, especially on the third day, a standing ovation. After the third

together.

curtain call on the final performance day, Boitel spoke to the audience

Fierce 5 is an homage to this world of the circus and, at the same time,about her thoughts on the project. Without a microphone or script, Boitel

is a metaphor for life. In the circus, the impossible is made possible withspoke sincerely while also mixing in Japanese, and was rewarded withperseverance, courage, and cooperation. The values the circus personifies

even greater applause from the audience.

are a universal message of hope for those who watch its performances.
In this report, I will report on Fierce 5ʼs performance, which was conducted from October 9 through October 11. In total, three performanceswere held. I attended the first dayʼs performance (held at 3:00 p.m. on October 9) and the third dayʼs performance (held on October 11 at 7:00 p.m.).

The PerformanceOn each morning of the performances, the team started by reviewing the previous day. Everyone, including staff members, gathered onstage. Director Raphaëlle Boitel gave comments to everyone and went
over everything that needed to be checked. They then went over several
scenes while performing the actual movements on stage. They went overthe “spider” scene, which required all of the cast members to work very
closely together, all the way through. Then, having checked everyoneʼs

The “spider” scene, the climax of Fierce 5 (photo by Yohta Kataoka)

condition, they moved on to individual work.
45 minutes before the performance, the artists and staff checked the

Evaluation of Piece Selection

preset. 15 minutes before the performance, everyone gathered backstage
and formed a circle to affirm their solidarity. Finally, the curtain rose.

The idea for creating a Japanese version of 5es Hurlants (which premiered in 2015) came from Raphaëlle Boitel herself. For Company LʼOu-

The firstʼs dayʼs performance was held on a Saturday afternoon, and be-blié(e), it was their third project since their establishment and only thecause of this, many of the audience members brought their children withsecond large-scale project. Setagaya Producer SAKAI Atsumi commented,

them. Accordingly, every action and move on stage had a direct response“It was the piece that brought her worldwide attention and is something

in the audience. The orderly prologue followed by a silent scene withshe is very proud of.” It is truly a condensation of the things that charac-

comical interactions immediately resulted in laughs. The middle groupterize Company LʼOublié(e): A rich language of choreography intermixing

scenes, which focus more on acting, became a little scattered. Toward thethe vocabularies of dance, drama, film, and circus; unique production

end, however, the performance improved again, and at the climax of thethat organically and beautifully displays stage machinery and equipment;

piece, the castʼs high concentration and teamwork drew the audience in.

and a touch that expresses relationships between people emotionally.

Overall, the scenes moved forward precisely and rhythmically, and thisCompared to When Angles Fall, which Company LʼOublié(e) staged in Ja-

highlighted the artistsʼ individual performances. However, some stiffness

pan in 2019, 5es Hurlantsʼ production composition is simple. This makesin their acting remained. In the solo scenes, in particular, the tempo wasit a perfect base for recreation with the aim of cultivating young artists.

too fast, leaving little room for emotion to be added to the artistsʼ movements.

Conversely, 5es Hurlants is strongly colored by the original cast both intechnical terms and in terms of characters. Because there was very little
time to recreate the piece to match the Japanese cast, it is undeniable

On the third and final performance day, right from the start, the audi-

that there were some areas where Fierce 5ʼs direction was unnatural andence seats and stage were filled with emotion. The movements, music,

forced. Particularly regarding the technical side, of the five main castand lighting all combined perfectly, making the aims of the performancemembers, two had to use equipment they had very little experience with,clear and increasing the dramatic effect. Moreover, each artist shined,

something that is quite risky. With regard to the character aspect, all of

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the cast members had fun working with their characters, and on the final

getting up eight times”). Because of this, the pieceʼs message hit audienc-

performance day, their individual uniqueness styles emerged, enablinges even harder. With regard to this point, as well, the choice of the piecerealistic expression to be achieved. Perhaps because the piece depicts

can be praised for being very timely.

the “backstage,” it was easier for the cast members to feel comfortableand familiar.

Evaluation of Degree of Achievement

Contemporary circus incorporates dance, theater, and a variety of other

This piece was filled with elements that Japanese pieces frequently

elements and is developing in diverse ways. From the perspective of thetend to lack. These include production created via close collaboration

possibilities that contemporary circus can show us, Fierce 5ʼs direct story

with technical staff, a composition including more group work than solo

about the growth of young circus artists also seemed to work effectively.

work for displaying individual specialty skills, and choreography em-

In the epilogue of Fierce 5, the cast members put on old-fashioned

phasizing a shared baseline of physicality. Achieving these was not easy

circus costumes and form a circle, then sit on chairs arranged in a circle

when both the environment for cultivating artists and the production

on stage. All five of the antique costumes the performers wear were bor-

methods differed completely from those of France. In the end, there were

rowed for the piece from Annie FRATELLINI. Fratellini was the first female

also some elements that had to be eliminated.

clown of a historic circus family. She established Franceʼs first national
circus school. She also discovered a young Boitel and encouraged her to

A Shared Body Language

follow the path of the circus. This scene shows the connections to tradi-

In this piece, not only were the artists required to have high technicaltional circuses. Placing it at the end of Fierce 5 shows great respect forabilities, but there were also many scenes that tested their form on stage

history and also successfully highlights the characteristics of contempo-

in terms of walking and standing, as well as their ability to handle grouprary circus, which has become a creative performing art.

work incorporating dance elements. This seems to be a reflection of theFrench academic training system. In fact, the main cast of 5es Hurlants

Looking back, Boitel stated that the COVID-19 pandemic might haveare all graduates of the Académie Fratellini (Franceʼs first national circus

influenced her choice of this piece. She said that she felt that perhaps its

school), and they all accordingly possessed a certain level of shared ex-message was especially important now when people were experiencing

perience. Conversely, in Japan, there is no specific training system, andgreat stress, and pessimism and division were spreading.

each artist has trained in a different way and in different amounts. To de-This is truly symbolized in the “spider” scene, which is achieved by allof the artists working together and rising above the differences in theirvelop a piece like this in Japan required that the cast members first builda shared physical foundation.

specialties. It is a scene that elicits strong emotions from the audience.

It is regrettable that almost no time could be taken for exercises toPushed to their very limits physically and psychologically, the artists

cultivate basic physical ability during the remote rehearsals required

summon all of their strength, work together and, in the end, overcome abecause of COVID-19. This time, it was necessary to rely on the skills thedangerous situation.

individual artists had already cultivated. In the future, however, building
a shared body language between the cast members would likely improve

The message we are sharing here might be a small one. We might besmall, and this piece might be small, but I believe this message isnecessary in order to live in this world.
̶ From a post-show discussion (October 10, 2021)

the quality of the piece even further.

Customizing the Production and Choreography According to the Individual Artists
The project team had their hands full just finishing all of the arrangements and completing development of the piece. They were unable to ad-

It overlaps with the current state of the world as well as the history ofjust the production and choreography according to the individual artists.

this project, in which the cast and crew arrived at its performance amid

In light of this, it may have been the realistic decision to use all the samea variety of restrictions after “nana korobi ya oki” (“falling seven times andcircus equipment as in 5es Hurlants. Forcing the cast members to use
equipment they were not familiar with was a heavy burden, but it also had
the merit of enabling them to practice based on videos of 5es Hurlants.

Rehearsal Time for Solo Numbers
As much of the rehearsal time was used for group work, there was lesstime to rehearse solo numbers, and some of the details were left rough.
As all of the solo numbers consisted of a series of high-level techniques,
it was also necessary to practice and get used to doing them in the dark
as well as under the powerful lights actually used on stage. This time, theartists were unable to take the time to increase the precision of their solo
numbers just before the performance.
That being said, given the intense schedule, it was a good decision tochoose to focus on certain aspects over others. As a result, the cast andcrew were able to achieve sufficient quality for public performance in a
The epilogue, in which the artists form a circle while wearing traditional circus costumes(photo by Yohta Kataoka)

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

short amount of time.
YOSHIKAWA Kento, who originally specialized in juggling and slack

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wire, had just five months from auditions to learn the tightwire, a highly
difficult skill, and he showed tremendous growth. Indeed, all eight artists
had to try new things outside their own areas of expertise. For example,
contortionist SUGIMOTO Shun took on the challenge of learning aerial
straps. Juggler MEGURO Yosuke handled ropes, and dancer Minakawa
Mayumu worked in an aerial harness. In one sense, the project development process was Fierce 5 itself.
This piece put a great physical and technical burden on the performers.
Further, it included elements that were impossible to predict, such as
the slipperiness of the floor due to the talcum powder used. Making it
possible to stably stage the piece required high-level and detailed adjustments, including in terms of the artistsʼ physical strength. A lot of practical experience must be needed to master the ability to display accurate
technical skills and rich emotion at all times while also dealing with dailychanges in physical condition and unexpected problems.

Yoshikawa Kento on the tightwire (photo by DAIDO Hiroyasu)

In the first week from the start of on-stage rehearsals, the piece showedremarkable progress. In the final performance, it felt like all of the pieces
had finally come together. I fully expect that, with this first performancein Tokyo, this piece will develop a good flow as it is performed time andagain in the future.

Meguro Yosuke juggling(photo by Daido Hiroyasu)

Minakawa Mayumu dancing(photo by Daido Hiroyasu)

Sugimoto Shun on the
Hasegawa Aimi on the aerial hoop Yamamoto Hironobu (photo byaerial straps(photo by Daido Hiroyasu)
Yohta Kataoka)(photo by Daido Hiroyasu)

Yasumoto Asami (center; photo by Yohta Kataoka)

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Fierce 5

Setagaya Public Theatre and Raphaëlle BOITEL (France)

Fierce 5 Fourth Report: Reflection
Author: KUREMIYA Yurika
Fierce 5 was the Setagaya Arts Foundationʼs first international projectsince the COVID-19 pandemic. In this report, I will provide a review of theentire project and summarize its accomplishments, challenges, and future outlook.

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Evaluation by Director Raphaëlle BOITEL
Director Raphaëlle Boitel positioned this project in the fields of “learning” and “mutual understanding.”

Life is a series of encounters, and art is the same. By interacting withpeople, receiving inspiration, making discoveries, and being influenced, we cultivate our ability to imagine and create, and this makes
art richer.
̶ From an email interview conducted on October 11, 2021

Post-Performance Reaction
Two years ago, when Company LʼOublié(e) last came to Japan to perA review of the pieceʼs performance was published in the Sankei Shim-

form, Boitel stated that the next time she came to Japan, she didnʼt wantbun newspaper on October 14, 2021. In addition, many passionate reac-

to tour an existing work of her companyʼs but rather collaborate with

tions were posted on SNS and other sites immediately after the opening

Japanese artists. This wish was made a reality at a much faster pace thanday performance. Looking at the content of these, many favorable reviews

she originally expected. From the first day, Boitel gave detailed commentsof the following points could be seen.

each day and worked to improve the pieceʼs quality up until the last mo-

The Lighting Effects“The emotion filling the stage reached not just me but the audience in

ment. Immediately after the final performance, Boitel was elated, stating,
Conspicuously, many were surprised by the visual effects making powerful use of light and shadow.

the full house,” “The change was clear and distinct,” and, “Iʼve been given
an amazing present.” She also praised the eight participating artists not
only for their high expertise and meticulous work ethic, but also for being

The Themes of the Piece

filled with ambition and enthusiasm.

Many stated that they were emotionally moved by the human relation-

Regarding the pieceʼs remarkable improvement during the week of per-ships in the piece. Many posts also presented interpretations of it, and it

formances, Boitel was analytical, thinking it may have been because of

could be seen that the piece was designed such that it encouraged view-the deepening relationships of trust among the entire team, including theers to imagine many different things.

staff members; and because the team had gained a shared mind toward
the piece. She indicated that conversely, this sort of connection had been

Making Technical Operations Appear Theatricalmissing up until this point. Boitel said that it is truly important to share

Some also focused on the staging, which made the preparations andtime together outside of rehearsals and, for example, to drink together

assisting work involved in dangerous acts appear as part of the show,

and talk about things other than the piece. It is through this process, sheand the height of the skills of the cast members, which made this pos-said, that one becomes a real “family,” and that they hadnʼt had the timesible and successful. A representative example was the “spider” scene,

to do that with this project. Looking back on the entire process, Boitel

in which one of the cast members is suspended in air by the other castrepeatedly said, “If I had been able to be in Tokyo one more month, we

members.

could have taken the piece even further.”In addition, there seemed to be many comments on the seven individ-

Project Accomplishments and Challenges

ual artists appearing in the piece. There were both positive and negative
comments regarding details of the artistsʼ acting. In particular, there wereseveral comments pointing out a lack of proficiency with regard to theacting of failures and emotions.

Accomplishments
Boitel and her team were unable to come to Japan for the auditions in
April and the master class in June. In turn, these had to be conducted re-That being said, the piece was highly praised for showing the possibil-

motely. Of the approximately month-long period they stayed in Japan fromities of circus as a performing art, and for being a successful large-scale

September to October, two weeks were taken up by quarantining. Theinternational collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic. Setagaya Pub-

amount of time they had to do work in person was drastically cut. Amid a

lic Theatre Producer SAKAI Atsumi also said that the piece had stimu-

schedule that was extremely tight throughout, Sakai Atsumi stated, “We

lated artists, presenters, and other people involved in the performing arts

prepared for the performance while constantly thinking about when we

scene.

should stop things.” Fierce 5 is a piece involving risk, both physically and

One thing that was unfortunate is that some people mistakenly as-

technically. Sakai says that, in order to avoid danger while dealing withsumed that this Japanese version of 5es Hurlants was only createda constantly changing situation, they were always considering numerous

because only a few members from Company LʼOublié(e), instead of thepatterns and developing the project while determining what was andentire company, were able to come to Japan due to the travel restrictions.

wasnʼt possible with Raphaëlle Boitel. It is likely that this system of tak-In Japan, most so-called international projects involve inviting overseas

ing all measures to ensure safety first contributed greatly to the successartists to come perform an already-completed piece. The above reactionsof the project. Specific factors are discussed in more detail below.

indicate that the development and creation process is not yet fully understood. However, this was the first year for the Japan Foundationʼs new International Creation in Performing Arts program, and this perhaps is also
why there is not sufficient understanding of the programʼs framework.

FY2021 International Creations in Performing ArtsThe Participating Artists

The majority of the project development process was conducted remotely. This required the participating artists to be highly autonomous

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and adaptable, and to have strong communication skills. All eight of thepartnering with the Japanese team in this international collaboration,

artists selected for the project excelled at all of the above. Spanning ex-having a strong desire to develop a project with Japanese artists. As I re-perienced veterans to young artists with high growth potential, the team

ported previously, the idea for this projectʼs story came from Boitel. Boitel

was well-balanced. From the start of in-person rehearsals, as a team they

proactively used Japanese during rehearsals and breaks, and also spoke

engaged in repeated discussion and together searched for ways to incor-

to the audience after performances without a mic. This attitude clearly

porate the directorʼs opinions into their performances.

expressed her passion toward making this project a reality in Japan.

The amount of time the artists had to practice using the actual equip-

The fact that not only Director Boitel but her company, Company LʼOu-

ment was also limited. The result was that the project relied heavily on

blié(e), was invited to participate in this project is also praiseworthy. To

the artistsʼ individual abilities. For example, the “spider” scene, which

borrow Boitelʼs words, this project became an opportunity for both the

involves all of the main cast members, would not have been achievable

Japanese and French teams to take a step away from the paths they hadin such a short amount of time if the cast hadnʼt included members who

so far followed and the environments they were familiar with to discoverunderstood and were familiar with aerial techniques. The pieceʼs eight

new ways of doing things and move forward together. Julieta SALZ, whocast members were all not only highly skilled but also had a diverse arrayworked as rehearsal assistant for the first time for a project of this size,of experience and were versed in multiple techniques.

said with tears in her eyes after the last performance, “There were dif-

The production side prepared understudies just in case, and had staff
from the stage management section on standby on-site. Nowadays, evenficulties, but the artists accepted me with an open mind and supported
me. It was truly a good experience.”large productions frequently do not establish an understudy in order to cut

It was not easy securing a month-long block of time from a popular

costs. Fierce 5ʼs choice to hedge risk by having understudies is laudable.

company during the start of the new theater season in Europe. While Boi-

There was also always a body trainer on hand in the dressing room provid-

tel and Salz were in Japan, Company LʼOublié(e) was also staging anothering physical care for the cast members, who were pushing their bodies topiece in Nice, France. Tristan Baudoin, who took part in the Nice produc-their limits. Such support systems are essential for a physically strenuoustion, was only able to work in person in Japan for just six days despite

program, and I hope understanding of this fact will grow in the future.

having to quarantine for two weeks. Composer and sound and lights op-

Above all, the introduction of an assistant to help with rehearsals was

erator Arthur BISON was unable to schedule enough time for the quaran-

highly successful. As the performance approached, the entire team be-tine period and unfortunately was unable to accept the invitation to comecame more rushed. Under this situation, having someone who could stayto Japan. Even so, having three of the French teamʼs central figures comecalm, watch everything going on, and provide support was very importantto Japan was a great accomplishment and was a result of the passion on

and likely contributed greatly to the project moving forward safely.

both the Japanese and French sides.

Staff System

As a result, there were no major accidents or injuries and the project

Amid many uncertain elements, it was necessary to repeatedly engage

finished its final performance in good form. All of the participating artists

in discussions with the busy Company LʼOublié(e) team and provide di-are extensively active and it can be expected that through them this proj-

rection to the staff of the Japanese team. Until the Company LʼOublié(e)ect will have a huge ripple effect on the entire scene going forward. Twoteam was able to do in-person work, it was up to Sakai, thoroughly knowl-of the original goals of this project were 1) cultivating artists, and 3) inter-edgeable about the technical aspects of the circus and also familiar withnational exchange and stimulating the performing arts, and I believe it is

Boitel, to mediate, explain, and persuade. Once the Company LʼOublié(e)safe to say that Fierce 5 achieved these to the maximum extent possible

team was working in person, the pace of production development picked

under current conditions. Conversely, the project did not fully realize its

up, with Stage Manager KIMURA Mitsuharu working closely mainly withsecond goal of cultivating technicians. I offer the following regarding thisBoitel; and Lighting Coordinator NOGI Fuyuki and Sound Coordinator

point.

ABE Fumihiko, who both had worked with the company when the company came to Japan in 2019, working closely with Technical Director Tristan
BAUDOIN. The technical abilities and responsibleness of the Japanese
team staff won the trust of the company team.

Future Challenges
In order to prioritize production safety, there were some elements thatthe project chose not to implement and leave as a challenge for next time.

In terms of the project moving forward smoothly, interpreter KATO Ritsukoʼs contribution was also large. She worked alongside the project,

Cultivation of Technicians

providing interpreting, from the auditions in April through the perfor-

Alongside the development process, this project also originally plannedmance of the piece in October. Kato had been frequently involved in theto create an opportunity for technical staff, production staff, and artists

Setagaya Arts Foundationʼs projects including the last time Company

to learn about circus techniques and skills from Company LʼOublié(e).

LʼOublié(e) came to Japan. She was deeply trusted not only by the people

Due to the schedule, however, this was abandoned.

of Setagaya Public Theatre but also those of Company LʼOublié(e) as well

Even with outstandingly skilled artists, without technical and produc-as the artists. Circus and dance rehearsals frequently involves providingtion staff who have the proper skills and knowledge as well as an under-

explanations while moving. This makes it particularly important for any

standing of the creation process, it is impossible to expand the breadthinterpretation to both be near-instantaneous and able to blend in withof a pieceʼs expression. They must be in charge of maintaining safety

the surrounding rhythm in order to maintain accuracy and not stop thewhile at the same time have the ability to accept sudden and unexpected

flow of things. Kato enabled communication that felt like there was nochanges with flexible thinking. The artists, as well, must also gain thelanguage barrier at all.

experience of achieving expression that is one step further through cooperation with technical staff.

The Company

Another important factor was Raphaëlle Boitel, the leader of the team

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

For Fierce 5, Company LʼOublié(e)ʼs music and light operators wereunable to come to Japan, and the Technical Director was unable to be

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present from the second performance day. Coordination and operation

It was also highly significant that the project was realized through col-of each section was thus handled entirely by the Japanese teamʼs staff.

laboration between an artist and a producer in their thirties who will lead

Despite the short amount of time, it seems that many things were gained

the next generation of performing arts. In addition to the cast members,

through the form of this projectʼs international collaboration, which was

the stage manager and technical staff were also young, meaning thatdifferent from staging existing overseas projects in Japan.

this project will impact the future. Like ballet dancers, circus artists are

Both Boitel and Saki showed the will and desire to put more effort intovery hard on their bodies, and this means age is a problem. Waiting forinternational collaboration and cultivating technicians in the future.

the pandemic to end could have resulted in artists nearing their primes

Cultivating Artists in the Broader Sense

COVID-19 will shrink everything. I want to move forward even if it has to

missing an important chance. Sakai said, “Shrinking away because of
In planning this project, Sakai asked Boitel for opportunities for as
many artists as possible to come in contact with the project development
process, such as using a workshop-style for the auditions. Unfortunately,
however, this, too, had to be abandoned due to time limits.

be done under restrictions.” This desire of hers helped push the project
forward early on.
This project was a highly physical work, and it was thought that it would
be difficult to make it a reality using remote communication. Its successFrance has many circus schools and solid curriculums as well. In com-gives confidence and encouragement to the Setagaya Arts Foundation

parison, chances for even receiving professional education in Japan are

and to the Japanese performing arts scene as a whole. At the curtain

extremely limited. While there are studios that teach specific specialty

call of the final performance, Boitel spoke with strength to the audience,skills, there are almost no institutions where people can comprehensive-saying, “We have proven that international exchange is possible for thely study circus techniques. The Sori International Circus School is theperforming arts” even under COVID-19.

only circus school in Japan. According to Boitel, having comprehensive
systems and support and a clear career path is not always a good thing.
Sometimes, Boitel says, these can result in a lack of independence. However, I feel that it would be extremely regrettable if passionate and skilledartists in Japan were unable to perform on global stages because of differences in educational and production environments.
If theaters continue to take the lead in high-level international productions like Fierce 5, it would provide opportunities for participants toimprove their skills. It would also stimulate those around the participants,
provide a target to aim for, and stimulate the entire scene. In addition,
just like with Boitel, such projects can become an opportunities for thestrengths of Japan-based artists, within a different culture, to become
known by world-class artists over the course of the creative process.
Sakai is concerned that simply inviting overseas companies to perform
existing works in Japan will not help the Japanese scene to develop. Her

Final performance curtain call (photo by Yohta Kataoka); from left to right: Yamamoto,
Yoshikawa, Minakawa, Meguro, Sugimoto, Hasegawa, Yasumoto

hope is to “increase opportunities to create, cultivate talent, and ensure
the safety of pieces created in Japan, and, beyond this, see even greater
variation.” The Setagaya Arts Foundation respects long-term relation-

Future Outlook

ships with artists and organically creates links between multiple projects.
Great things are expected from its activities going forward.

Both Raphaëlle Boitel and Sakai Atsumi positioned the performance of
this project as a first step and plan on future long-term collaborations.

The Significance of this Project

The next development has already been decided. When 5es Hurlants is
performed at the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux in November 2021, Fierce 5This project was the second time the Setagaya Arts Foundation collabo-

cast member HASEGAWA Aimi will perform with the original French cast.

rated with Company LʼOublié(e). The company was invited to Japan to per-They are also aiming to perform Fierce 5 at a circus festival in France,

form When Angels Fall in 2019. The company also held workshops, andand to take it on tour in Asia. Someday, they would also like make thissome of the participants became cast members in this project. Concrete

into a project involving staff and artists from a variety of countries, muchdiscussions regarding this project began in early fall of 2020. Originally,

like how the five main cast members of 5es Hurlants came from different

the idea was to start it in fiscal 2022. However, the COVID-19 pandemic

countries. There is no doubt that using the shared language of physicalresulted in the theaterʼs schedule becoming open. The Japan Foundation

movement while encountering the differing audiences and cultures ofalso announced that it was accepting proposals for projects like this. Ac-

various cities would help Fierce 5 to develop even further.

cordingly, it began to seem possible to conduct the project in fiscal 2021.
In a short amount of time, the project schedule was quickly adjusted andThis project has also made clear what elements are needed for the

candidate artists began being contacted around year-end. The projectJapanese performing arts scene as a whole to develop and grow. Below, I

was made a reality in around just one year from project proposal. For a

discuss the points that came up during the project development process

project of this size, this is rare in Japan because large-scale theatersʼ

and in my interview with Producer Sakai.

schedules are usually full for the upcoming two years. It is likely this was
possible because there already existed a positive relationship with thecompany, and because drafts of the plan had already been worked on.

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

Creating a Grand Cycle of Creation and Performance
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floor space and a sufficiently high ceiling. The equipment used for things

moved forward. In order to accept the diverse styles of expression they

like tightwire and aerial performances also requires the facilities them-

have created and deliver these to a wider audience, perhaps it is now

selves to be strong and sturdy. Accordingly, circus rehearsals continue

necessary to look at contemporary circus not as a genre but rather as an

to face the challenge of there being very few facilities that meet the nec-

approach, and to actively discuss it within the broader field of contempo-

essary requirements. In recent years, nongovernment organizations haverary performing arts.

begun proactively creating and maintaining rehearsal and production
environments. These include Setouchi Circus Factory, Circus Laboratory
CouCou, and Kansai Aerial. The situation is improving, but there is still alack of environments for creating large-scale theatrical works.
Creating high-level productions requires time for the development
process to be conducted together with technical staff using an actual
stage and relevant machinery. Under the current system where facilities
are rented out for profit between the theater's own productions, it is notrealistic to engage in a long development process while using them. With

Sources of Quotes
Raphaëlle Boitel• Remarks made during post-show discussion on October 10, 2021 (interviewer: Sakai
Atsumi)• Answers to email interview on October 11, 2021 (interviewer: Kuremiya Yurika)• Interview for video on October 11, 2021 (interviewer: Sakai Atsumi)• In-person interview conducted after final performance on October 11, 2021 (interviewer:
Kuremiya Yurika)
Other remarks from rehearsals

Fierce 5, the company said that stage rehearsals would require a month,
but they were only able to secure two weeks. Even a public theater recognized as a top-level space for creative development must engage in thebusiness of renting its facilities for a fee, and there are major problems
with this operation system.
While prefacing that there are continued challenges, Sakai stated thatthe role of a public theater is to create model cases focused on the grandcycle of creation to performance, and to share these models with othertheaters. The problem is a lack of staff able to handle performances, aswell as presenters who can evaluate circus artists. Solving this problem
would definitely expand the field of possible activities. Sakai spoke of an

Julieta Salz
• Remarks made during post-show discussion on October 10, 2021 (interviewer: Sakai
Atsumi)Other remarks from rehearsals
Sakai Atsumi• Remarks during briefing on May 14, 2021
• Interview over Zoom on November 4, 2021 (interviewer: Kuremiya Yurika)
Artists
MINAKAWA Mayumu, HASEGAWA Aimi, SUGIMOTO Shun, MEGURO Yosuke, YOSHIKAWA
Kento, YAMAMOTO Hironobu, YASUMOTO Asami, YOSHIDA Aki• Interview for video on October 11, 2021 (interviewer: Sakai Atsumi)

ideal future of a virtuous cycle between talented artists and the theatersthat would seek them out: creation and development would be led not
only by theaters, but also by artists creating and proposing their own
works independently.

Mixing the Audiences for Street and Theater Performances
Today, street performance festivals are being held across Japan, and thepotential audience for circus performances is huge. However, there is stilla gap in the audiences for street and theater performances. Technically,
however, they are very close to each other, and in fact, some of the artists
who appeared in Fierce 5 are also active in the street performance scene.
One of the Setagaya Arts Foundationʼs strengths is that it has a successful track record of producing outstanding contemporary circus
performances in its theater while also having continued to organize thestreet performance festival “Sancha de Daidogei” for the past 25 years
together with local shopping districts. In fact, Sakai became interested incontemporary circus while serving on the production staff for Sancha de
Daidogei. She enthusiastically stated, “I hope pieces like this help people
see the fun of going to the theater.”Updating the Discourse and Systems Around Contemporary Circus
Sakai said that one thing that was very memorable for her was that allof the artists they had invited said that they called themselves “circus”
performers because there was no other appropriate word for it, and not
because they wanted to create any boundaries between genres. Fierce 5
truly is an embodiment of this line of thinking. Some contemporary circus
pieces are closer to contemporary dance or theater than they are to socalled “traditional” circus performances. Contemporary circus has both afree approach incorporating a variety of expression styles, and an intense
physicality. Its potential is high and it could be a trigger to help revitalize
the entire Japanese performing arts scene.
For this to be possible, it will also be necessary to update the discourseand systems that still hold on to vertical divisions. Artists have already

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Work-In-Progress forMusic Theatre Production
chelfitsch & Dai Fujikura with Klangforum Wien (Austria)
OKADA Toshiki ©USUYAMA Kikuko

Vienna-based contemporary music ensemble Klangforum Wien and London-based, internationallyactive contemporary composer FUJIKURA Dai joined forces with the theatrical company chelfitsch
led by playwright OKADA Toshiki to take on the challenge of creating a new kind of music theater
completely different from opera in this new work in progress.
Leading figures in the fields of theater and music pursue a new relationship between words and music performed by actors, not singers, using techniques other than the conventional singing of words
to a melody and with music detached from the scene or emotions depicted. Following the work-inprogress performance in November 2021, the performance is scheduled to be streamed online.
FUJIKURA Dai ©Alf Solbakken

Outline of Performances

Date: 5:00 p.m., Friday, November 5, 2021
Duration: 60–90 min.
Venue: Tower Hall Funabori, Small Hall

Credits
Klangforum Wien ©Tina Herzl

Playwright/Director: OKADA Toshiki
Composer: FUJIKURA Dai
Cast: AOYAGI Izumi, ASAKURA Chieko (absent in work-in-progress performance), OMURA Wataru,
KAWASAKI Mariko, SHIIBASHI Ayana, YAZAWA Makoto
Music:
Video Performance: Klangforum Wien / Bernhard ZACHHUBER (Clarinet), Annette BIK,
Gunde JÄCH-MICKO (Violin), Dimitrios POLISOIDIS (Viola), Benedikt LEITNER (Cello)Live Performance: YOSHIDA Makoto (Clarinet), Ensemble NOMAD (String Quartet) / HANADA Wakako, KAWAGUCHI Shizuka (Violin), KAI Fumiko (Viola), HOSOI Yui (Cello)
Dramaturge: YOKOBORI Masahiko / Stage Manager: KAWAKAMI Daijiro
Sound Director: SHIRAISHI Aki (ISHIMARU-GUMI) / Sound Designer: Nagie
Lighting Director: TAKADA Masayoshi (RYU) / Video Director: YAMADA Shimpei (AOZORA)
Sound Operators: KATAYAMA Takayuki, SAKAI Shuji, SAWAGUCHI Keiichi, TANAKA Subaru
Lighting Operators: YAMASHITA Megumi, YOSHIDA Yukio (RYU) / Video Director Assistant: SAITO
Shiori (AOZORA)
Shooting Director/Editor: TOMITA Ryohei / Shooting: ENDO Mikihiro, Woomin HYUN, NISHINO Masanobu
Photography: KATO Kazuya / Publicity Design: OTAKE Ryuhei
Social Media Publicity: MIYAZAKI Junko / Publicity Writing: YAMAZAKI Kenta / Producers: OUKI
Tamiko, MIZUNO Megumi
Production Managers: ENDO Nanami, BABA Yuina / Project Managers: SAITO Yuri, TAZAWA Mizuki
Production Assistant: MURAKAMI Ema (precog co., LTD.)
Organized by the Japan Foundation
Planned and produced by chelfitsch and precog co., LTD.
In cooperation with OFFICE threeI's, KAJIMOTO, CUBE Inc., nakagoo, Steep Slope Studio, and YAMABUKI FACTORY(*World premiere will be performed in 2023 as commissioned by Wiener Festwochen.)

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Performance photos ©KATO Kazuya

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about two weeks of workshops from July 12 to 23, 2021, just before thechelfitsch & Dai Fujikura with Klangforum Wien (Austria)

inauguration of the Tokyo Olympics. However, prior to this, I interviewed

Work-In-Progress for Music Theatre
Production
First Report: Launch of Project

Producer OUKI Tamiko remotely on June 30 out of my belief that the

Author: SHIMANUKI Taisuke

entirety of a work includes not only the practical creation by the director
and actors, but also the planning from which it all started and the management by producers.
According to Ouki, the project originated in a commission from Vienna,
Austria.

The Role of the Process Observer“Process Observer” may be an unfamiliar job title to many, but I feel likeit accurately encapsulates what I was requested to do by the Japan Foundation. The contents of that request can be summarized as follows:
To participate in the production process of a collaboration between
artists with differing interests as a third-party observer and to conduct

Ouki: It all began with a commission from Wiener Festwochen ar-tistic director Christophe (SLAGMUYLDER) to create a new work forthe 2022 festival. Initially, the commission was for a work related tomusic in some way, namely, music of a genre originating in the West.
This was connected to the local character and history of Vienna,
which is known as the “City of Music.”

interviews and monitor the progress of the project; and to verbalize andreport on that process, including any problems or challenges that arise.

Wiener Festwochen is an arts festival held annually from May to June. It
was founded in 1951 with the aim of reviving culture after World War II. In

Archiving the performing arts has become actively discussed and prac-

addition to a program to delight fans of classical music with magnificent

ticed in recent years. However, unlike formative arts such as painting andconcerts by famous conductors and the Vienna Philharmonic, the festi-

sculpture, the results and processes of the performing arts are difficult toval also includes experimental stage productions and operas by diverse

preserve in material form. Or rather, because they center around sharing

artists at the forefront of contemporary dance, theater, and film such as

the experience of complementary and continuous collaboration among

Anne Teresa DE KEERSMAEKER, Romeo CASTELLUCCI, and Michaelactors, audiences, and spaces amid the irreversible flow of time, unless a

HANEKE, as well as exhibitions of contemporary art.

special concept is established in advance, it is extremely rare for the work

Literally translating to “festival weeks,” Wiener Festwochen could truly

to be fixed as a physical object. Furthermore, as the performing arts often

be called a festival in which the city and its inhabitants are blessed withdo not belong to individuals but rather to large groups of unspecified peo-

art. At the same time, it has also been characterized by critically and po-ple (the “creator” may sometimes even include the audience), it is by defini-litically provocative content. In 2000, Christoph SCHLINGENSIEF staged

tion impossible to consolidate the creation to a single location. This makes

Foreigners out! (Ausländer raus! Schlingensiefs Container, 2000), a legend-

it difficult to convert the performing arts into linear discourse, such that

ary work still talked about today, in which immigrants to Austria (played

they seem to inherently refuse archiving. Perhaps, that is why performingby actors) living in a makeshift container camp (actually a set) installed inart creators and researchers have become caught up in renewing under-

front of the city hall were deported one by one through a public vote. His

standing of works based on the reproduction of their totalities via frag-scathing criticism of the right-wing drift in the Austrian political climate

ments that constitute and prove their existence like plays, photographs,

resulted in a firestorm of controversy and ended with a left-wing group

video, props, audio sources, and descriptive information such as reviews,

raiding the venue to rescue the “immigrants,” an outcome that surpassed

as well as approaches toward their origins and the zeitgeist of the timeeven the creatorʼs expectations. The duality of art is that it can comfort

and place. An obsession with archiving the trajectories of works is born.

and delight people or challenge society as an external provocateur. In thisHere in Japan in 2021, it is “Process Observers” who play a part in theeffort to record the generation and transformation of physical expressions that humanity has repeated tens and hundreds of millions of times

sense, too, Wiener Festwochen plays an important role.
chelfitschʼs Music Theatre Production was a work to be created within
the context of this city and history.

since the dawn of history. I believe that the fact that the Japan Foundation, which is neither a creator nor a researcher but rather a public institution, has strongly indicated its willingness to lead these efforts lends
great significance to the project.
Despite my somewhat long preamble, it is against this backdrop that I
was assigned to chelfitschʼs Music Theatre Production.
At least, that was the title when I was commissioned in the spring of

Ouki: “A collaboration with music not limited to classical” and “a per-formance accompanied by live music” were presented as conditionsof the project. The next premise was that the players would be Klangforum Wien. When it came to the composer, I remember that FUJIKURA Dai, who had a history of collaborating with them, was named.

2021. By the time that the details of the performance on November 5 at
Tower Hall Funabori (Tokyo) were released in October of that year, the of-From Objects to Sound

ficial title had become chelfitsch & FUJIKURA Dai with Klangforum Wien:
Work-In-Progress for Music Theatre Production. The phrase “Work-In-

OKADA Toshiki (chelfitsch) has a deep relationship with music. It is well

Progress” indicates that the performance is not the endpoint of the proj-

known that the title of his magnum opus Five Days in March (premiered

ect. It is with a detailed explanation of this context that I begin my report.

in 2004) derives from “Five Days” by the band Sangatsu (meaning “March”
in Japanese). In addition to scenography by contemporary artists such

In the Producer s Words
My involvement in the project began in earnest with my participation in

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

as KANEUJI Teppei, TAKAMINE Tadasu, and HISAKADO Tsuyoshi, manyof Okadaʼs works were born from collaboration with musicians. Groundand Floor (premiered in 2013), for which Sangatsu served as composers, is

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such a case in which the organically transforming relationships between

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chelfitsch as a Laboratory

the actors, the lines spoken by the actors, and the music that fills thespace are intertwined on a high level. Christophe Slagmuylder, the origi-

Taking Music Theatre Production as a novel work positioned within thenal proposer of Music Theatre Production, was also deeply involved in thelineage of Okadaʼs interest in “humans and objects,” or to go one step

lead-up to its creation.

further, his search for humanity through expressions to materialize impersonal representations (the shifting of persons, diversification of identities,

Ouki: Ground and Floor was the first work commissioned by Chris-and so on within the work), there is yet another perspective.

tophe while he was the director of Kunstenfestivaldesarts. Sureenough, it was born from a commission to “do something related to

Ouki: Music occupies a large part of the production, and constantmusic.” Christophe and Matthias (LILIENTHAL) have played some-collaboration with the composer and players who realize that is awhat of a parental role in fostering Okadaʼs creative work in Europe,

major challenge on the production level as well. This is one of theand we have immense trust in them. It was therefore clear that theirreasons why we had YOKOBORI Masahiko, who is well versed in bothcommission represented a high-level challenge, and we were quite

contemporary and classical music, join us as a dramaturge.

naturally able to envision trying something new.
Okada himself is the kind of person who flexibly accepts the lim-

Although the production is under the name of Okada Toshiki,
thereʼs significance in taking on this challenge as “chelfitsch throughitations heʼs given and develops his imagination on that basis, so you

and through.” Itʼs something I discuss a lot with Okada̶ we think

could say it was an ideal creative environment.

about the group chelfitsch as a kind of “laboratory.” We see it as avenue for developing new methods and acquiring new dramatic lan-

The timing of the commission may have also yielded results. It wasaround the time when chelfitsch had begun planning Eraser Mountain(premiered in 2019) in collaboration with the previously mentioned Kaneu-

ji. The theme of the relationship between “people and objects” was at theguages. Itʼs meaningful for us to take on the challenge with actors
who have been working on those experiments with us for a long time.
Thatʼs why for this project, we approached six actors without holding
auditions.

foreground of this work, which was created following research into thechanging relationship between humans and nature in the wake of theMusic Theatre Production has six cast members: AOYAGI Izumi, ASAK-

2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, such as the massive levees construct-

URA Chieko, OMURA Wataru, KAWASAKI Mariko, SHIIBASHI Ayana, anded in devastated areas along the coast as a countermeasure against fu-

YAZAWA Makoto. Aoyagi and Yazawa in particular are actors whom one

ture tsunami waves.

might call Okadaʼs “regulars.” The other four have only taken part in one

Taking dialogue as the smallest unit of communication between peo-or two works each, but most have experience in roles at the cores of theple and drama as the cultural form in which people receive this as an

respective works. Regarding his criteria for choosing them, Okada noted

audience, Eraser Mountain sought to establish a dialogic relationshipin the workshops and a later interview that “each of them has the power

between the actors and various ready-made goods such as daily necessi-of an original ʻvoice.ʼ” He also emphasized “having adequate volume forties and sports equipment placed on the stage. For this reason, the per-the audience to understand what is being said even when acting with live

formance included attempts to break away from the existing formation

music.” One could say that the cast was assembled for its potential toof relationships with the audience by having the actors often direct theenhance the accuracy of this experiment while flexibly changing and de-vectors of their performances far above the stage rather than at the au-

veloping its direction.

dience. Okadaʼs interest in creating these kinds of “non-anthropocentric”
representations seems to have developed radically, particularly in thewake of the 2011 disaster.
It figures prominently in Ground and Floor and Timeʼs Journey Througha Room (premiered in 2016), which depict ghosts or ghostly presences,and in NO THEATER (premiered in 2017) and Unfulfilled Ghost and Monster - ZAHA / TSURUGA (performance version premiered in 2021), whichreflect Okadaʼs interest in the format of Noh theater, an artistic medium

Ouki: Another important thing is that Christophe values the experi-mental nature of chelfitsch. The number of commissions received by
Okada personally has increased greatly over the past several years,
but Christopheʼs commissions are always for chelfitsch. I think thatʼsbecause he understands the importance of the many challenges that
Okada has undertaken with his actors.

that straddles the border between this world and the next. In Wakatta-sanʼs Cookies (premiered in 2015), currently the only childrenʼs work ofInternational Exchange in the Wake of the Pandemic

Okadaʼs career, he also experimented with building “imagery” using objects through collaboration with Kaneuji Teppei.

In this interview, which was conducted before workshops began in earnest, references to Fujikura Dai and Klangforum Wien remained minimal

Ouki: At the first meeting for Music Theatre Production, we discussed

replacing the “objects” in Eraser Mountain with “sound” and developing the issue of “humans and sound.” Of course, the earthquake
wasnʼt the only turning point, but I believe that awareness of theissue of how to respond to things beyond human control, like thechanges in “ways of viewing the world” to which we were awakened
by events connected to the disaster, has been fundamental to Okadaʼs works over the past ten years.

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts(due to my limited knowledge as a researcher at that point). However, I am

sure that I will go into more detail regarding the importance of the musical aspects of the production in the third and fourth reports, which bringup the workshops and subsequent work-in-progress performance held in
November 2021.
I would like to conclude this report by touching on the future of Okada
Toshiki and chelfitschʼs overseas activities. Performances of many works
both in Japan and overseas were forced to be canceled or postponeddue to the COVID-19 pandemic that broke out in late 2019. Music Theatre48

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Production, too, suffered no small impact. The originally planned per-of turns will it take? Although this research is not necessarily an opportu-

formance with Fujikura Dai and Klangforum Wien invited to Tokyo wasnity to approach the answer to that great question, the intersections andquickly abandoned, and an alternate plan was considered with the Japa-

exchanges of values that Okada and chelfitsch have implemented may

nese side traveling to Vienna for a local performance. In the end, the for-serve as a valid measure for contemplation. I will finally delve into more

mat was switched to hold the performance at the Tokyo venue with previ-

details of the practical production in the second report. As I proceed with

ously filmed footage of Klangforum Wien playing, live music by Ensemble

my writing, I hope to continually check my awareness of the issues un-

Nomado, and Fujikura giving feedback via remote connection. Over the

derlying this process.

past two years or so, the performing arts that arise when performers travel to different places and are received by audiences in each place havebeen forced into direct contact with a global-scale paradigm shift due tothe pandemic. How is chelfitsch confronting this situation?

Ouki: This is something weʼve been thinking about for a while. The

basic premise is that our policy of sustaining global deployment
wonʼt change. The issue is finding a way to sustain it more flexibly. In
truth, whether or not we can tour with full-scale works in upcoming
years like we did in the past has become quite precarious. Although
discussion of a future European tour has already begun, weʼre moving
ahead with the discussion with an eye on changes in the situation,
ready to partially apply the brakes at some point. Weʼre constantly
prepared to propose a “Plan B” in response to the pandemic.
We also have to consider the changing awareness of environmental
impacts in Europe. For example, Eraser Mountain is one of chelfitschʼs most voluminous works, both in terms of the number of people and the amount of art. Now that artists like Jérôme BEL who donʼt
travel by plane are appearing in the performing art world, I feel like
we need to call into question the meaning of holding performances that require the movement of people and things, investing hugeamounts of money and time, and burdening the global environment.

Okada has earned a solid reputation in Europe through the enthusiasm
generated by Five Days in March in 2004, Ground and Floor inspired by
the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, and Super Premium Soft Double Vanilla Rich (premiered in 2014), as well as his four-work repertoire
starting with the 2016 remake of Hot Pepper, Air Conditioner, and theFarewell Speech (premiered in 2009) for Münchner Kammerspiele andcontinuing with NO THEATER, NO SEX (2018), and The Vacuum Cleaner(2019). What has been expected of Okada and what he has responded tothrough these works is representations of Japan and Japanese people asseen by Europeans. Here, I feel that one cannot deny the curious gaze ofEuropean exoticism, which still remains deeply rooted. How to relativize
this, whether to cover it conversely in the work or to give a completely
different answer, will be an issue for Okada and chelfitsch and perhaps
an even greater one for critique on the Japanese side.

Ouki: I believe that transposing Japanese contexts into different ones

is an intuition, and also a weapon, that Okada has cultivated overabout fifteen years of overseas performances. Now that the entire
world is facing the same crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thevalidity of that intercontextuality is something we will need to continue thinking about.

Today, all of humanity has synchronously experienced the pandemic,
albeit with various gradations. Given that one of the primary purposes ofcontemporary art is the discovery of differences through interaction as
well as critical dismantling and reconstruction based thereon, what kinds

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Mountain of “becoming semi-transparent” (the concept, first proposed bychelfitsch & Dai Fujikura with Klangforum Wien (Austria)

artist KANEUJI Teppei, that relating to objects makes oneʼs own existenceWork-In-Progress for Music Theatre
Production
Second Report: Rehearsal, Part I

become semi-transparent). Okada concluded his opening speech by ex-

plaining that although this is not a phrase or idea that everyone can comprehend immediately, the people involved in the creative process need tofind some kind of key concept for the production.

Author: SHIMANUKI TaisukeFirst, a workshop was held, partly in order to share chelfitschʼs creative

July 12, 2021: Workshop Day 1

process with Fujikura, who was observing it for the first time. In the workshop, the actors were to one by one “describe how you imagine the room

The creation of Music Theatre Production began in earnest at Steepin which you currently live or used to live.” This format is an old standby

Slope Studio in Yokohama, a place where many previous chelfitsch works

of Okadaʼs that he always uses during the creative process and auditions.

were created. At the same time, with the exception of OKADA Toshiki andHowever, the content seemed like it might resonate with that of Music

FUJIKURA Dai, who had already taken part in several meetings, the actors

Theatre Production, which was to have a “house” as its main setting. It

and nearly all of the staff were meeting for the first time as a cast today.

would also be meaningful in conveying to Fujikura the embodiment andAs the starting time of the workshop approached, the six actors trickled

amplification of “imagination” that Okada emphasizes.

in and began their own particular warm-ups.

OMURA Wataruʼs turn was first. Although he had experience partici-

Fujikura, who is based in the UK, joined via Zoom from London, where itpating in one of Okadaʼs works with EIZO-Theater, this was his first timewas 7 oʼclock in the morning. Sound designer Nagie was also present on

joining in the theatrical creative process. Omura attempted a perfor-

the Yokohama side to convey a sense of actually being at the venue bothmance of interacting with an invisible house. In response, Okada com-visually and auditorily to the remote location. Microphones were set up

mented that he “might be able to perform more freely by removing thethroughout the studio to catch every word of the practice and feedback,act of touching.” What struck me was how by repeatedly asking everyone

almost as if a traveling music studio had visited the theatrical space (this“Do you understand what Iʼm saying?” it felt like Okada was restoring the

setup would go on to be used to even greater effect in the latter half of theactorsʼ awareness so that the goal would not become too abstract, andcreative process in November).

at the same time conversely liberating that awareness. When Omura ac-

First, Okada explained the principles of the project: that it was commis-

tually tried limiting his “touching” gestures after these exchanges, a chel-sioned by Vienna and therefore needed to be a work incorporating music,

fitsch-style performance suddenly materialized. I also had the impression

namely, Western music other than rock. However, the assignment was notthat the restrained movements caused the actorʼs imagination to be more

to create an opera, so the production would aim for musical theater with-tightly condensed within his mind and body, resulting in a greater density

out “singing.” What did that mean? Well, it was still only a vague concept,of visual information for the viewer (me).

but that was the starting point.
Okada: Itʼs not that I want to make the audience think that the actor
Okada: My image of these actors is that they have rhythm when theyis imagining something, but thatʼs the result. Itʼs important to convey

speak, their own sort of musicality. But that shouldnʼt be expressedthat sense of “Oh, Iʼve got it.” Liberating the actor from the specificthrough singing. And the creation will be based on the format ofaction of “touching the wall” creates new potential.

“musical theater.” I think the next two weeks will be spent figuringout more or less what that will look like.
I considered holding a karaoke contest on the first day, but as weʼrenot aiming for “singing,” I gave up on that thought. Theatrical lines
have a melody that ought to emerge even without music, but itʼs

While forming a robust axis to his modes of expression, these kinds ofindications by Okada were not conveyed homogeneously to all of the actors.

often accompanied by music. How to link these two aspects will beessential.

Okada: As these six actors have strong personalities, if left to their

Ordinarily, singing consists of uttering words to a melody. Music is

own devices, theyʼll become disjointed in a positive sense. I definitely

a fairly strong condition, with the words fitting into it. But itʼs possi-

donʼt want to force them into the same format; I want to figure out

ble to reverse that relationship. While Iʼm saying this, Iʼm thinking ofwhat kinds of directions are interesting to explore without sorting or

Different Trains by Steve REICH. What I imagine is the “lead-up” toconsolidating them into a clean explanation. Something unbroken

this application of a melody to recorded audio.

with clear logic loses the elements that were haphazard or fragmented in a good way. I want to pursue completion in a different direction,

Different Trains (1988) by Reich, a pioneer of minimal music, is a piecea more mysterious kind of completion.

in which a string quartet performs live while a tape of a prerecorded
string quartet, speech by acquaintances of Reich, and fabricated train

During the first dayʼs workshop, Okada urged the participants several

sounds and sirens plays. Although it is a political work drawing on thetimes “not to rush for completion.” What surprised me personally wasthemes of Reichʼs Jewish heritage and the Holocaust, it is also a strongly

how at the start of the workshop, Okada set aside the recent trend of in-structured work that creates a sense of urgency, with the preconfigured

voking the theatrical format exemplified by the face-to-face relationshipand live sounds pursuing and breaking away from one another, as well aswith the audience inherent in the proscenium arch as well as the mo-the in-between space formed by that interplay.

dality and spatiality of classical performing arts, and yet sharpening the

Next, Okada introduced the idea shared during the creation of Eraser

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through varied introduction and reinforcement of “imagination,” as some-

Next, a very short play with the provisional title Never Given was sharedthing to be expected. For example, he pointed out that evaluation of theamong the actors and staff. This work was to be modified daily with ad-pros and cons of the kind of overly movement-focused performance that

ditions and deletions through the workshop. Its title was taken from the

Omura attempted in the beginning could fall into the binary of whether

container ship Ever Given, which ran aground in the Suez Canal in Marchor not the imagery portrayed is vivid. Okada stated that rather than the2021, causing the long-term obstruction of one of the worldʼs most key

actors full-out driving imagination into their bodies and building it up, heshipping routes. Okada said that the title was just something he made up,

wanted to pursue more relaxed completion keeping a sense of imperfec-

but he seemed to feel some conviction in it̶ the grounding of the shiption. (Okada also worded this as “not being dependent.” However, he added

blessed with the name Ever Given changing its name to Never Given.

that dependency is a necessary condition of acting and that it is not usuallyseen as something negative.)

The work carries on the themes explored in Eraser Mountain, which
concerned itself with the “outside” of the human world. It presents an unsettling depiction of the lives of liberal-minded people about to descend

Okada: Tomorrow, weʼll start using the script Iʼve written. Althoughitʼs a complicated script, letʼs think about how to “leave space without rushing.” Even though there are pauses, they definitely shouldnʼtinto chaos due to the intrusion of a natural phenomenon (a typhoon) andthe law (an eviction order from a landlord), with references to the January
2021 attack on the US Capitol by conservative and far-right Americans.

be idle time for expression. These pauses may be meaningful̶ may
be effective̶ when theyʼre intertwined with Mr. Fujikuraʼs music.

Okada: If itʼs acted out with a high finished quality, I feel like the con-Intertwining the script and music in that manner̶ thatʼs the kind of

cept will waver. Reading through the script printed out like this, eachvision I have right now.

line is long, even though I tried to make them short when I was writing it.

July 13, 2021: Workshop Day 2
On the morning of the second day, Okada, who had been suffering from

I donʼt know how to achieve the “notes” that Takahashi was talking
about, playing something as if it were scribbles. So, for now, letʼs justread it all together.

a sore neck since the previous day, indicated that his discomfort had
increased even further. Despite his painful appearance, there was something chelfitsch-style about his shuffling and sliding motions aimed at

The following are excerpts of exchanges between Okada and the actors
after reading the play several times.

minimizing the movement of his upper body, reminiscent of Noh theater.
(The situation might not have been out of place in one of Okadaʼs plays.) Ev-

eryone wished for his recovery.
The day started with a continuation of the previous dayʼs “room” workshop. YAZAWA Makoto enacted revisiting the house where he had lived
when he was kindergartner. Okada pointed out that when Yazawa wastalking about a photograph, he lifted up his hand. Yazawa replied that hedid so because it was on the second floor.

KAWASAKI Mariko: I said the line as if I were in the rain, or rather, in-side a house while raindrops were falling.
Okada: I thought that was good. Imagining how to close when you

start talking is difficult, at least for me, because you start without afull picture.
Yazawa: Mumbling awkwardly, itʼs not quite right either. I think thatʼs

Okada: Itʼs interesting that the memory is above when you try to re-the thing about Takahashi practicing so hard.

enact it concretely, because thereʼs no inherent necessity for it to be
above. Thereʼs a hint here. Spatializing something thatʼs not a space

Okada: While itʼs possible in theory to present the play totally ana-

generates movement. Although itʼs a violent process, memories andlyzed and torn apart, I donʼt feel like that leads to the acting becom-

recollections can be spatialized.

ing more interesting.

Rather than how imagination is reflected in the performance, what
I want to question with this lineup is how to use your imagination

SHIIBASHI Ayana: Without imagining anything... In terms of emotion,

when talking about something. And now, letʼs watch a video together.

itʼs a bit uncomfortable, but...something like uttering lines differently,
not imagining a space. Although, Iʼm not sure.

The video showed composer and pianist TAKAHASHI Yuji playing Bachand talking about contemporary music on the occasion of the release of
his album Yoin to teutsuri (2018) 1. In the interview, Takahashi is asked
about the concept of his playing and composing. He responds, “A work itself isnʼt something complete, but rather a collection of fragments̶notes
for what youʼre planning to do... Bachʼs music consists of finished works,
but in the process of playing them, theyʼre able to become incomplete.” Inparallel with the interview, Takahashi plays Partita in C Minor, BWV 997,
while alternately looking at the sheet music and his own fingering withgreat care. Okada described this as Takahashi composing right at thatvery moment and suggested that the practice of taking something complete and making it incomplete would harness the potential of the scriptthat he had written.

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Okada: I donʼt think “emotion” should be disregarded, but just like thegrowth of a tumor, emphasizing emotion is a question of degree. For
example, if you were suddenly asked to give a wedding speech, you
could do it, even if it was a bit awkward, because of your feelings ofhappiness for the couple. On that level, emotions are key. But could
you call falling rain a question of degree on the scale of emotion?
...Uttering lines, aiming them at a target, is parabolic. In acting,there may be an “understanding” that assumes youʼre approaching alanding, the end of the line. This is something you can only do when
you have a birdʼs-eye view of all of the lines. Itʼs possible that pretending you donʼt know despite having a birdʼs-eye view allows you tomake the parabola invisible to yourself.

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Based on these kinds of exchanges, in his next performance, Omura

Just like the previous day, on this day there was continuing discussion

Wataru tried uttering his lines or performing as if his motivation abruptlyof the extemporaneity and incompleteness of performance, such as thegave out. Taking this as experimentation without defining the endpoint of

peculiar way in which novelist TAWADA Yoko, who writes in German as

the performance, one might refer to the phrase “jumping the gun,” which

well as Japanese, ends her writing (if there is an order for two hundred pag-emerged later during ASAKURA Chieko and Yazawa Makotoʼs practice, as

es of manuscript paper, spontaneously ending as the two-hundredth pagethe verbalization of experimenting without defining a starting point.

arrives). Different views on “parabolas” were also presented.

Okada: The subject of “jumping the gun” that was raised here con-cerns itself with “length”̶ so long that you donʼt know when itʼll end.
This could possibly mean not knowing the direction of what youʼretalking about. Itʼs like getting on a train with no idea of where itʼll arrive or when.
Obviously, you need to correctly understand the script you ʼ rereading right now. But I want you to intentionally leave it loose̶ justwhether the shape is round or square, for example. Something madeto order or specially arranged is too boring.

Afterwards, experimentation connected to the concepts of “incompletion,” “parabolas,” and “jumping the gun” continued almost until the ending time. Lastly, video was recorded to be sent to Fujikura as a reference
for composing.

July 14, 2021: Workshop Day 3
On the third day, Okada arrived at the studio after visiting a hospital tohave his neck checked out. Although the examination did not reveal any
serious problems, he made for a sorry sight in his immobilizing neck cast.
Fujikuraʼs adaption of his existing compositions for the video recordedat the end of the previous day had arrived without delay, so everyonegave it a listen. According to dramaturge YOKOBORI Masahiko, he had
the impression that Fujikuraʼs works included a relatively large number ofvery dense and continuous ones but that this time he had chosen moreporous compositions with breaks or pauses. Following this, opinions were
exchanged about the music.

Okada: Itʼs interesting that when the piano is used, it feels like the

pianoʼs talking or acting like a translator. The pianoʼs great. But conversely, it also makes me want to create interesting relationships withthe other instruments as well.
It seems like you could express scene changes through differencesin the melody and instruments. For example, if two characters arehaving a dialogue and another character enters, you could think ofthat as the scene changing. You could also assign melodies and instruments to each character. I think it would be interesting to explore
the relationship between the composition and scene in different
ways.

Never Given is a dialogic play for six characters reminiscent of a university professor, an assistant, and students. The idea of defining and rearranging their relationships through the instruments and melody would
continue to be discussed and implemented in various ways in later workshops once Fujikura had become involved in earnest. I will go into detailregarding the contents of those workshops in the latter half of my report.
(As of the third-day workshop, my impression was that the music was still
only realized as a hint or guide for experimenting with the performances.)
Creation workshop

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Okada: Although not making language parabolic suffices as a con-cept, a determination to never make it parabolic isnʼt really usable.
More normally, itʼs just “talking without knowing the ending,” or rather, itʼs simpler to think of it as always jumping the gun in life, like Ms.
Asakura said.

While Okadaʼs interest in this kind of “uncertainty” in a broad sense isconnected to his experimentation with techniques and styles of performance, it may also be very much tied to the plot of Never Given, which
depicts premonitions of happenings “outside” a certain community andthe “internal” disquiet they produce. Okada made statements to this effect during the dayʼs workshop.

Okada: I want this to be an event happening inside a certain building.

Whenever thereʼs an inside, thereʼs also something outside. You cantranslate this into a controllable humanistic space and what lies outside it.
Whatʼs important when acting is creating something “outside” onthe level of imagination. By doing this, you establish the issue of
there being both an inside and an outside. Itʼs not an issue of whether or not the set has physical walls, but rather of the method of imagining. In this case, “rain” is a very easily understandable subject. People hang bedding outside because they want it to dry soft and fluffy,
but itʼs completely possible that itʼll become soaking wet instead.
Thatʼs what I want to present through every possible means.
The simulated family problems that we ʼ re currently doing areenough to create drama, but thatʼs not what I want to do. Whatʼs outside is bigger. This is the early stage to establish that thereʼs something outside, and itʼs bigger. And later, it wonʼt even matter. The
creation of this contrast is what Iʼm envisioning.

1 “Takahashi Yuji Plays Bach and Talks about Contemporary Music”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YBG1WbufTY (Last accessed: March 2, 2022)

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chelfitsch & Dai Fujikura with Klangforum Wien (Austria)

Work-In-Progress for Music Theatre
Production
Third Report: Rehearsals, Part II
Author: SHIMANUKI Taisuke
July 21–23, 2021

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Fujikura: The two musicians in the video are orchestral players. Theirbodies move because theyʼre trying to match each otherʼs playing
without a conductor. The number of musicians I envision for Music
Theatre Production, five, is the very limit of viability without a conductor, but what I wanted to show with the video I created is the appeal of chamber music. Itʼs an example of an ensemble as acting.

After rehearsing several times with just the actors, rehearsals beganwith couches and stools lined up in a stage-like setup. Okada divided the

I joined the workshop for the first time in three days. Starting on thisactors into two groups of three members each and tried some very simple

day, rehearsals took place at Yamabuki Factory in Tokyo. OKADA Toshiki

direction such as getting on and off stage, speaking while standing, andseemed to be in excellent condition with his neck cast removed.

speaking while sitting. Watching and listening from his home studio inFirst, a video was shared in which FUJIKURA Dai had added fragmentsof some of his original compositions over the run-through footage filmed
at Steep Slope Studio. Fujikura had also edited the video so that two musicians (a flutist and guitarist) appeared to be playing alongside the actorsʼ

London, Fujikura appeared to experiment with applying various compositions to the real-time video.
The following is an exchange during the performance by SHIIBASHI
Ayana, KAWASAKI Mariko, and AOYAGI Izumiʼs group.

performances. The setup was such that there was space for the actors
on the left side of the stage and for the musicians on the right side as
viewed by the audience. Okada, who had been continually thinking about
the antagonism between the music and performances throughout theworkshops, supported the idea for use in the actual performance.
In an email that he sent to Okada based on the content of past workshops, Fujikura said that performing together with the musicians (or audio) would strongly influence the actors. More specifically, the addition ofmusic would alter the performance. For example, the performers mightchange the speed of their reading according to that of the music. Okada
responded that while the possibility of this collaboration promised toserve as a powerful weapon for the work, he wanted to emphasize the“comprehensibility” of the lines of the play, that is, the words of the ac-

tors. I had heard similar statements during the production process for
Pratthana – A Portrait of Possession (premiered in 2018). The acoustic design of this work was handled by ARAKI Masamitsu, an artist who makes
acoustic-sculpture-like installations. He was very careful in finding ways
to balance the sound from the acoustic equipment so that it would not

Shiibashi: I acted as if I were listening to the music, but that made itdifficult to concentrate on the script. The music is “present.” I wonder what it means to be intertwined with that.
Okada: Instead of trying to approach the music, I imagine that themusic will become intertwined all on its own if you grasp the core of
the script, which is already beside you. Itʼs important for this imageof intertwining to end up being visible to the audience.
Fujikura: Itʼll probably stand out even more when thereʼs actually aspace for the musicians, wonʼt it?
Okada: As long as the actors move in a good way, the musicians will

naturally notice it. In this case, wonʼt the actors and musicians look
like theyʼre dancing? I think that would be very funny. It would begreat.

interfere with the actorsʼ speech.
The relationship between music, movement, and words is a theme also
Okada: If the listeners give up on understanding, the lines will be-come mere sound. It goes without saying that we canʼt let that happen. Through the rehearsals, I think the actors will gradually be able
to grasp the logic of what theyʼre saying. As long as thereʼs somekind of core or structure to it, the audience will be able to grasp it aswell. Otherwise, I imagine that itʼll slip away like an octopus. “Incompletion” is crucial as well, but first, letʼs create a core.

explored in Super Premium Soft Double Vanilla Rich. The work uses all
48 preludes and fugues of Bachʼs The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1,
which strongly take on the characteristics of “shackles” constantly tethering the play and the actorsʼ performances to a certain frame. The workʼsdramaturgy lies in the superimposition of this with the sophisticatedly
managed setting of a convenience store and, by extension, the state ofJapanese society. However, Okada said that he was pursuing a more organic relationship with music in the current work. The receptive sensibility of “the music becoming intertwined all on its own” certainly seemed todiffer from the passivity of Super Premium.

In the later July workshops, the relationships established between theperformances and music became a prominent element. Rehearsals continued, interposed with discussions with Fujikura in London remotely
linked to the studio.

Okada: By watching Fujikuraʼs video, I learned that playing musicmeans moving your body. However, I donʼt think that itʼs a good idea
for me to direct the musiciansʼ movements. I feel like I can accentuate something by showing the actors and musicians moving respectively.

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Fujikura: If you think of each musical composition as an “island,” you

can lie in wait for the sound by creating stopping points in between,
which we call “pauses.” This makes the music more elastic as well.
Itʼs one of the properties of live music.

Repeated attempts were made to assign six different compositions toeach of the six actors, start the music in the middle of a line or ahead ofspeech, and so on. Thus, the workshop moved into the next day.

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Fujikura: As the work will be over one hour long by the time it pre-formances are good, the sound will become intertwined with them.

mieres in Vienna in 2023, itʼs probably better if there are fixed rules

Today, I want to try “listening to the music” more intently or “taking

for Okada, the actors and musicians, and me. In terms of the orches-a more passive role.” The music is always audible̶ always reaches

tration, I think that a clarinet and string quartet will be most effec-

your ears. You can listen even when youʼre not taking a break, so you

tive.

donʼt need to take a break to listen, but I want to try “taking a breakto listen.”

However, because of the length, Iʼm agonized by wanting to construct the music. Normally, I wouldnʼt take the classical approach of
sandwiching the music between the same themes at the beginning

What Okada may have meant by this was to convert non-speaking time
into “listening time” or “rests.” Naturally, the actors were to continue var-and end, but as this is musical theater, it might be a chance to dojust that.

ious movements at these times as well. However, the momentary rests
accentuated the central theme of the work, “inside” and “outside,” andThere was also mention of the presence or absence of music in amore specifically the existence of the “house” that the characters want tomanner linked to the discussion of “pauses” in the previous dayʼs per-protect from external enemies and that they feel is being invaded. Oka-

formances. Assuming the strength of the structure of the music and theda emphasized that he wanted to share the “presence” of this fictional

concept supporting it, “looping” could be used to broadly establish threespace with the audience and entrench it in their imaginations. Following

categories: “lines over the music,” “no music,” and “musically static.”

this, ASAKURA Chieko, OMURA Wataru, and YAZAWA Makoto performed

Fujikura suggested that by shuffling these, a natural structure could be

as a group.

created while accentuating a pulse-like tempo. Based on his suggestions,parts without music were added to the performance. Some roles were

Yazawa: I thought that it would be really hard to act out “sharing withalso swapped between male and female actors.

the audience” like you said, but it felt like there was something maintained by the music even without me doing anything on my part.

Fujikura: It might not be necessary to aggressively attach meaning to

the “absence” of music. Also, a major discovery for me personally is
Okada: I think itʼs fine to feel a sense of reassurance from the music.

the fact that male and female performers give a very different feel toItʼs like Spider-Man coming to save you even if you fall off a building.

the performance. My music tends to be in the upper register, so itʼsprone to clashing with female voices. Thatʼs what I tried to avoid in

Fujikura: The chattering-like clarinet composition fits Yazawaʼs partmy compositions, but there were some parts that I felt were ques-

so well that I thought, “This is it!” The composition feels like a com-

tionable. As a future policy, it would be good if we could settle which

ponent of the lines.

lines are spoken by male or female actors.

Okada: One might say that theyʼre just pauses, but I feel like they

Okada: Letʼs do that. In the production that we rehearsed last month

really create a sense of singing. At the same time, itʼs not just to do(Yuzuru), there were also problems with the ranges of the actors orwith the sound. I think that itʼs connected to performing the work as

singers, making some parts difficult to hear.

something incomplete by giving the impression of fluctuations in theactorsʼ awareness. At one point, I had a plan to fabricate musicality

Fujikura: In opera, thatʼs a constant issue. Japanese pop has a strongby making the actors string out their vowels, but now Iʼve realized

tendency to actively pit the instrumentals and backing vocals againstthat itʼs completely unnecessary.

the main female vocals, generating conflict. But what I want toachieve is coexistence between the two̶ a state in which this coex-

It seemed important to note that the sharing of images with the audi-

istence occurs spontaneously.

ence through pauses is not a means of emphasizing the transmissive intent to make the audience listen to something in particular. The intervals

While updating the central axis of the acting was a point of contention

that were extended in order to entrench the fiction highlighted by thein the earlier July workshops, the later ones developed the performances

play that “this is our house” as something “present” would not provide

overall by exploring their relationship to the music. Through these work-

answers to the audience, but rather reveal a space for questioning.

shops, it seemed as if Okadaʼs very concept for Music Theatre Production
was greatly expanded. The play, which started as the story of a core “fam-Okada: Unless we open it up to the audience like this, I think that themusic, that is, the playing will become mere background music.

ily,” had previously given the feeling that the six characters would survive
until the end. However, amid the antagonism between the music andperformances, the family (or community resembling one) exited early, andits presence ceased to be a problem. In other words, as Okada predicted,
human matters were no longer the central theme.

Only two days remained of the first series of workshops, and this was

Non-anthropocentricism is a hot topic in many areas of contemporary

the final day that I was able to observe. However, the experimentation

art, science, and philosophy, but insofar as it is grasped by the European

would continue. Fujikura commented on the play Never Given, which wasstandards of the modern era and later, it remains a matter of humans (andupdated and grew in length daily.

deities or faith). Similarly, insofar as it deals with the abstraction and em-

bodiment of diverse human behavior, it is difficult for theater to become
fully divorced from human existence. However, rather than uncritically

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foregrounding his reliable method of “imagination” and “conception of

the scope of the original author and the decorative and formative aspects

imagery,” Okada attempted to envision a new form of musical theaterthat constitute the muscle and fat of the work being that of the sce-

based on unrefined (in a positive sense) collaboration between the music

nographer, Okadaʼs task of embodying the drama as the playwright andand actors in this workshop, filling it with creative potential and anticipa-

director naturally converged, or shrank, into a limited domain. Although ittion. The next would be in November.

is, of course, the role of the director to synthesize these divided elements
along the timeline of the performance, they are synthesized in a realer

Resumption of workshops after the premier of Yuzuru

sense by each audience member. (This is where the issues of imaginationand conception of imagery mentioned by Okada enter the foreground.) It

About three months had passed since the previous workshop. The orig-

goes without saying that this broadly collaborative aspect is the reason

inally scheduled work-in-progress performance in Vienna, Austria, was

why not only Okada, but all physical artists emphasize the presence ofquickly abandoned and switched to a second series of workshops andthe audience. Theater is “something created collectively.”

work-in-progress performance at Tower Hall Funabori in Edogawa, Tokyo.

Nonetheless, what Okada idealizes may not be uniaxial collaboration in

In the meantime, Okada had experienced directing his first operatic work,

which the boundary between the self and the other becomes ambiguous-

Yuzuru (premiered in 2021). The workshops were resumed only two days

ly fused, evoking a living organism or blood ties, but rather a state of (a)after the premiere.

synchronous collaboration with the individual outlines or sharp distinctions of the director as director, the actors as actors, and the musicians

Okada: Back in July, I said that I wanted to create something thatwasnʼt opera without knowing much about opera. But after directing
Yuzuru, the meaning and texture of “not opera” have changed greatly
for me. In a way, itʼs like Iʼve just gotten back from the land of opera
and am suffering from jetlag, but I think thatʼs definitely a good place
to start.

as musicians kept solid and yet running side by side in the same direction. His previously mentioned statement that “the actorsʼ movements
and acting are in yet another layer,” as well as the dialogues that took
place at the workshops previously described in this report, appear to bepotential evidence of that. In Okadaʼs case, his awareness of the collective/cooperative in theater prescribes not only the state of organization
but also his own creative grammar.
Returning to the topic of Yuzuru, Okada spoke as follows about opera

When I asked the actors who had watched the Tokyo performance twoand the various forms of staging derived from it.

days prior about their impressions, one by one they shared realizations
connected to the relationship between the performances and music as
explored in the July workshops. “I was surprised that the singing sounded
more like lines than Iʼd imagined. It was also interesting how the singers
interacted with the music onstage” (Yazawa). “I practice rokyoku (recitationof stories accompanied by shamisen playing), so I really want to be able toachieve narrating the verses instead of singing them. The opera did that”(Shiibashi).

Okada: In addition to the concert format, opera can apparently also

be performed as just singers singing, without a set or costumes. Itʼssaid that many opera fans prefer that. But I feel like thatʼs totallywrong. In opera, thereʼs music that canʼt be heard unless itʼs staged
narratively with the singers present as actors.
As Fujikuraʼs music is really strong, I want to make that strength
audible. I hope that I can make the actors and audience aware of itso that it comes through even more by watching the performance.

Okada: Singing and music tend to be thought of as abstract, but

Thatʼs the goal for the next four days of workshops̶ how the music

Yuzuru reminded me that opera has concrete storylines and roles.

will change when the layer of imagination is created.

The emotions of the actors or singers are expressed through thesinging and music, so you could think of them as lines.
The way I see it, opera is a format suited to starting from “what toimagine” like we did in the past workshops, because the music carries the “emotional” aspect of the work. The actorsʼ movements andacting are in yet another layer.

My first report introduced OUKI Tamiko and Okadaʼs recognition of“chelfitsch as a laboratory.” For me, the word “laboratory” conjures up

the image of “a vessel for things that are less than the finished work.” Italso suggests room for a large number of unspecified people from various
backgrounds to become involved. This is truly how the creation of Music
Theatre Production can be put into perspective.

Looking back on the production of Yuzuru, Okada said that while there

Does this mean that once the results of the experiment are given explic-

were certainly moments when he was tempted to have the actors or sing-it form, the name “chelfitsch” has completed its role? In some ways, thaters themselves express the emotions represented by the music, doing so

may be the case. After experimentation through chelfitsch, Okada uses

would have led the music and actors to clash, missing his original aims.

his personal name, “Okada Toshiki,” because it is backed by his directo-

Writing this report after the fact, I hypothesize that concretely build-rial success and its reproducibility̶ in other words, his directing abilities

ing up the comprehensive nature of the act of drama and then clearly(although I believe that this is usually an external decision by the other par-dividing those elements into layers so that they run side by side may beties who commission Okada rather than his own choice). At the other end

the foundation of Okadaʼs creative work. For example, while working onof the spectrum, projects that maintain an experimental nature, such as

Pratthana – A Portrait of Possession with its original author, Thai novelist

Eraser Mountain and EIZO-Theater, proactively use the name “chelfitsch.”

Uthis HAEMAMOOL, and scenographer TSUKAHARA Yuya of contact

However, in the case of a work such as Pratthana where the three

Gonzo, I heard Okada himself make statements to the effect that his di-names “Uthis Haemamool,” “Okada Toshiki,” and “Tsukahara Yuya” arerecting in that play was fairly conservative. However, I feel like this wasplaced side by side, I feel like Okadaʼs individual role as director becomesdue to the scale of production of Pratthana being the largest that he hadconceptually isolated from the others (it is because it is sufficiently isolat-

ever worked on. With the main line that moves the narrative along being

ed that effective collaboration with others is possible), and his self-aware-

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ness of grasping the overall work as a “playwright” is already abandonedby the time of the performance, when the work is widely shared withaudiences. It is somewhere within the production process transitioning
from “chelfitsch” to “Okada Toshiki” that the moment arrives in which theidentity of “playwright Okada Toshiki” is outlined. It may be the identity
named by the phenomenon that occurs in the moments of encountersand collisions between different values and layers as seen in Music Theatre Production and Yuzuru, as well as in the aftermath when those layers
are progressively divided to run side by side in the quest for imaginary
synthesis.

Photo: KATO Kazuya

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well as desirable, but as an observer, I also felt like the openness of thechelfitsch & Dai Fujikura with Klangforum Wien (Austria)

laboratory in July and the more relaxed pace with no hurry to complete

Work-In-Progress for Music Theatre
Production
Fourth Report: Performance and Reflection

the work had receded, which was a pity. The fact that it was just after the

Author: SHIMANUKI Taisuke

elements to improve the precision of the laboratory̶ namely, the partici-

performance of Yuzuru, Okadaʼs first chance to work on an opera, may
have also had some effect.
On the other hand, one thing to be welcomed was the fresh addition of
pation of the engineering team composed mainly of sound staff from the

Toward the work-in-progress performance

Born Creative Festival organized by FUJIKURA Dai at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. Although the remote system built by Nagie had been utilized

With the location moved to the Small Hall of Tower Hall Funabori, where

to full effect in the July workshops, it was now further enhanced. Multiple

the work-in-progress performance would be held, November began withmicrophones and cameras were installed inside the theater along withseveral days of “story sessions.”

oversized wireless communication equipment resembling military com-

“Story sessions” are a standard warm-up in OKADA Toshikiʼs creative

process. Sitting in a circle, the actors listen to an episode related by themunication devices. Thus, higher-definition audiovisual information could
be transmitted to Fujikura in London.

previous member and reenact it themselves. Then, they add their own

To quote Fujikura in an interview during the workshops, “the functions

story. This is repeated by the next member and then the next. (The topic

of a studio were transferred directly to the theater.” This enabled his workof the story can be anything, such as something that happened on the way

operating production equipment at hand to be delivered to Tokyo in real

to the rehearsal room, or the actorʼs recent hobbies.) Resembling an “acting

time, as well as footage of the practice in Tokyo to be transmitted to Fuji-

telephone game,” the method is one that Okada often uses in theatricalkura in London without any delays. Establishing this environment, whichworkshops for students and children as well. Although I have never par-required dedicated staff and technical gear for communication, set a fair-ticipated directly, and it is only my impression as a bystander, I feel likely high bar in terms of both the budget and technology, one that would

the methodʼs advantage lies in molding oneʼs own imagination physicallybe utterly unaffordable for an individual or single-company production.

and psychologically to assimilate another personʼs experiences throughHowever, as a positive example of a new creative environment produced

this playful process. The irregular, hearsay-style reporting (and attempts

by the COVID-19 pandemic, it deserves mention that if leading public

at such) that materializes in this manner, reminiscent of a medium chan-theaters in Japan and overseas used similar systems for cooperation, it

neling a spirit, quite naturally brings out what can be described as a very

seems that they could definitely establish specialized remote creative en-“chelfitsch-style” performance.

vironments usable even after the pandemic.

Becoming another person is a basic element of acting. However, rather
than trying to erase the self, I suspect that the multiplexing, fluctuations,and friction in identity produced by tracing or overwriting anotherʼs imagination as if it were oneʼs own while maintaining oneself have somethingin common with the “layers” to which Okada frequently alluded within
this creative process, as well as the “running side by side” that I mentioned in the previous report.

Photo: KATO Kazuya

So, how did practice with Okada and the actors change? It may havebeen because he was more conscious of giving shape to the work thanin the July workshops, but my impression was that more of the analogies
that Okada used with the actors were specific things explicitly eliciting
images of weight and gravitation̶ an anchor that “refuses to budge,” or a
Photo: KATO Kazuya

great several-hundred-year-old tree spreading its roots to secure its position. The actors, too, used expressions such as “building a brick house

Partly because it was the first time the cast had come together in about

for the three little pigs” (AOYAGI Izumi). In an interview that I conducted

three months, the main point on the first day was to restore the sense

following the July workshops, I had told Okada I was “surprised that cre-attained in the previous workshops while further expanding it. Owing

ation with such capable actors begins from a ground zero that is so un-

somewhat to the fact that the performance in front of an audience wasrefined, in a positive sense.” Okada had responded, “Itʼs largely because

only four days away (November 5), everyone seemed to share a more prac-theyʼre so capable. And when creating something, starting by grappling intical feeling of tension. This kind of immediate tension is stimulating as

the mud of the foundation leads to better results in the end.” Weighty ex-

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WIP for Music Theatre Productionchanges continued, evoking the process of mud becoming sand and thenbrick and gaining materiality.
After a fitting session for the performance (although all of the “costumes”
were the actorsʼ own clothes) and a break, practice resumed with Fujiku-

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that actually exists. And yet, no matter how much you push it, it remains nonexistent and invisible. Thatʼs why Kawasakiʼs character is
comfortable despite the external enemy.

raʼs participation.
Spinning off from this discussion, Fujikura pointed out the following reOkada: In this phase, Iʼd like to experiment with how far to moldgarding the changes he expected to see in the live-music version.

imagination into the performances. To put it simply, instead of Fujikuraʼs music being tied to the charactersʼ emotions, I think that itʼd beinteresting if it was connected to the charactersʼ imaginations…if themusic could look like it was depicting that. This is an area where Iʼminfluenced by having staged an opera.

Fujikura: When the musicians actually join, theyʼll probably be in-fluenced by the actorsʼ speaking tempo and phrases. This made me
wonder whether itʼll be difficult for the musicians to ignore the actorsʼ performances because they understand Japanese. But as Austrian musicians who donʼt understand Japanese wonʼt understandHearing Okada recount the experience he gained from Yuzuru, Fujikura
retorted slyly, “Welcome to the world of opera!” It seemed as if Fujikura

the meanings of the words, I feel like something interesting could
happen.

had already predicted that the experience of working on an opera wouldchange Okadaʼs views on “musical theater.”

Suggestions for collaboration gleaned from music production

Something rather unique about the work-in-progress performance on
the final day was that the actorsʼ performances, based on the approximately 10-minute play that Okada had newly written for the production,

Going slightly off topic, I would like to quote another fascinating comment by Fujikura.

were to be staged with two different versions of accompaniments: one
with footage of the five members of Klangforum Wien (string quartet andclarinet) playing filmed in advance in Vienna, and another with the Japa-

nese string quartet Ensemble NOMAD (HANADA Wakako and KAWAGUCHI Shizuka on the violin, KAI Fumiko on the viola, and HOSOI Yui on the cello) and YOSHIDA Makoto on the clarinet playing live. The former, with theprogression of the music determined in advance, and the latter, with theactors and musicians interacting, would naturally result in performances

Fujikura: When thereʼs a conductor, the ensemble or orchestra plays

according to the conductorʼs notions, so without a conductor, it inevitably becomes more democratic. Each of the five members plays
while sensing the others. Itʼs a very interesting situation. Even if theperformance in 2023 has more than five players, I think it can still be
written so as not to require a conductor.

with different qualities. However, there were also commonalities.
Okada commented as follows regarding the performance of KAWASAKI
Mariko, who had the first lines in the play.

As my interests skew toward contemporary theater (or rather, the formalistic and postmodern trend in Japanese theater, of which the emergenceof Okada Toshiki and chelfitsch is a historical node), I have focused on de-

Okada: I thought that it was good that she didnʼt start speaking assoon as the music started. Although the play begins with a call froma real estate agent, imagining the voice on the phone, which is unpleasant to her, acts as a switch. If she thinks about the music thisway, she might be able to impart a subliminal meaning for the audience.
Then, her performance naturally became bigger by working with themusic, and I think thatʼs a good thing. Itʼs like hitting back hard whenyouʼre hit first. I feel like imagination and the kind of performancethat spreads from it will make it easier for her to create certain physical movements and states from the core of the image she has now.

scribing the theatrical aspects, especially for the July workshops. However, what surprised me while observing the November workshops was the
meticulousness of the arrangements for the creation of the music, which
did not assume extemporaneity.
Considering the schedule and workshop program, the music used wasconstructed by cutting and pasting fragments of several of Fujikuraʼs pastcompositions. However, this definitely did not mean that the work waseasy. As the performance would include live playing by an ensemble, theentire score written for the production needed to be given to each musician in advance. If the work required composing from scratch, like a new
opera, this would take an exponentially greater amount of time. The fullorchestra would not be able to practice until just before the performance,and plans would need to be made while constantly anticipating the feasi-

The method of acting in which the actor outputs a physical and psychological reaction to a certain phenomenon that occurs is the same for bothbility of the orchestration and tones. The composerʼs role would become
almost as rigid as that of structural design in architecture.

recording and live music. But this is commonplace. What makes Okadaʼs

On the other hand, as long as there is a completed score, a professional

directing unique is that it encourages recombination of the circuits of themusician has the skills to reproduce the music perfectly with just a bit

input phenomena and the output via the actorʼs imagination.

of practice. If anything, this is the domain of Western music, which wasbacked by a firm system for artistic expression premised on reproduction

Okada: If an actor bursts into tears in response to the music, themusic will become tied to crying. In other words, itʼ s too broad.
But no matter how concrete the things we imagine are, they donʼtexist. Still, imagination and the music are tied firmly together. Even if
only a little, you push the image of the voice as if it were something

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

before the birth of replicated art.
Instead, whether contemporary art, theater, or music, artistic expression in the modern era, which relies greatly on the primacy of the agent ofexpression, has affirmed the accidents and happenings contained in “extemporaneity”̶the singularity or uniqueness that cannot occur without aparticular person, time, and place̶ as something welcome. Okada Toshi-

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ki and chelfitsch, who have constructed their own styles and forms with

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Summary (or an abrupt ending that does not fully serve as one)a high degree of precision, are no exception. Often employing the production method of a work in progress, they are, needless to say, extremely

I am nearing the prescribed word count, and although there are count-modernistic artists. Given that fact, the offer from Wiener Festwochen toless scenes and comments that it would be a shame not to include, I“create a new work related to music of a genre originating in the West”

must hasten to finish this text. Thus, I would like to conclude by present-

begins to seem like an immensely difficult task.

ing my emailed interview with Hanada Wakako, who played in the work-

That is why Fujikuraʼs comment I cited earlier is so significant. The
reason he put a string quartet at the core of the creation is that thisin-progress performance as a member of Ensemble Nomad. The following
are some of her post-performance impressions that I have compiled.

configuration makes it possible to look for musicians anywhere, and it is
the smallest unit that can guarantee musical range through the playing― How were the sessions with Okada Toshiki and the actors?

method of each instrument. Clarinetist Yoshida Makoto and the members of Ensemble NOMAD also have past experience with Fujikuraʼs

Hanada: Even though Iʼve provided recorded music for theater and dance

creation, making them musicians with full knowledge of the intentions

works before, Iʼve never played onstage as part of one. Not only that, but

and tendencies of a composer. This creates a flexible framework with ainstead of a finished work, we joined during the production process, so

strategy to avoid the risk of creation collapsing, while also remaining re-the other members and I all began with confusion and puzzlement. I feelsponsive to the improvisational creation required of contemporary the-like it ended while we were still exploring the meaning of our presenceater.

onstage and the demands of the live playing, but it was an extremely exciting experience.

Although interdisciplinary cooperation/collaboration is common at

The “intersection of the world that the actors imagine in order to speak

artistic events these days, my impression is that the point of these

their lines with the world that the musicians imagine in order to play the

projects is usually a creative explosion born from singular encountersmusic” that Okada talked about on the first day of practice was especial-among artists inhabiting different disciplines.

ly fascinating̶ the fact that these imagined worlds, which cannot be ex-

Of course, multiyear medium-term frameworks occasionally appear aswell, but even these are very much like anomalous training camps or re-pressed (or are not visible) externally, cross each other through the acting
and playing.

treats temporarily provided for the ongoing activities of individual artists.
It seems unlikely that the experiences and techniques acquired there― Playing usually follows a score, but this performance included exper-

will be worked up to a level resembling a “system.” One might call it theiments with improvisation, where you adjusted the transitions of the com-“chronic ailment” of arts and culture in a globalized economy where quar-

positions according to the actorsʼ performances. How did you feel about

terly closing of accounts is the norm, but the framework of this project,dealing with this at the same time as the music?

one of interdisciplinary co-creation, real exchanges between contemporary art and classical art and accumulated outcomes, and international

Hanada: In conventional operas and musical works with recitation, thejoint production, which does not rely excessively on the fashions of themeasure of the music is predetermined, and the relationship between theday, the fickle desires of consuming audiences, or the moods of artists

music and words consists of timing the words to it. However, with thisand planners, needs to be requestioned.

work I had the chance to experience a new kind of relationship, one in

In this sense as well, the Music Theatre Production project, which has

which the music is timed to the lines spoken by the actors. As the actorsʼ

set the not-so-distant year 2023 as its finish line, seems to be of greatlines are something living, I realized that this kind of relationship with thesignificance. Although I have only touched on them slightly in this report,

music is possible, and I anticipated that it might even create a more equal

it contains more than a few promising seeds and hints, such as the ver-relationship between the music and the lines. (Perhaps this is what is re-ification of specialized remote engineering. Something like a hackathon

quired of “musical theater” that is neither a musical nor a theatrical work?)

or open hub focused on fine-art or performing-art productions might also
be possible.

A major feature of this work is that it strives to create an integrated relationship, with the music equal to the acting rather than just backgroundmusic. Still, when it came to moving to the next composition without playing the previous one all the way through, as a musician, not being able toplay the composerʼs work all the way to the end felt like a waste. In the
beginning, I was caught up in thinking that music is “complete” when thelast note is played, so it felt strange to move on to the next composition
while the previous one was unfinished. However, through my interactions
with Fujikura, I was relieved to learn that it didnʼt necessarily matter tohim as composer whether each composition was “played all the way tothe end.”As for the technical side of things, due to the nature of the relationshipwith the music, I really struggled with having to listen for the flow of theactorsʼ lines while playing. In particular, as it was ensemble piece without
a conductor, when I focused on making music as part of the ensemble,
I would sometimes unconsciously stop hearing the lines and miss theirtiming, but when I tried to listen to the lines, there were moments when I
would become a bit detached from my playing. On the first day, I thought,“I wish I had two brains!”

Photo: KATO Kazuya

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― How did you feel about the concept of the music assuming the roleof an “outsider” or “other”?
Hanada: There were two combinations, one with live music and one withvideo footage. When I saw the rehearsal with the video, I felt like it gave astronger impression of an “outsideness/otherness” (in the sense that there
was no response to changes in the actors). On the other hand, when we

performed live, whether consciously or subconsciously, we couldnʼt help
reacting to the delivery and movements of the actors. In that sense, I feellike we produced a sense of “outsideness/otherness” completely different
from that of the video. If the onstage configuration were switched fromthe current one, with the actors and musicians all in a nearly straight line,
to one with us arranged in a V shape facing each other slightly or withsome members in front or behind, it might change how we, the musicians,
perceive the actorsʼ movements and energy.
These responses provide many realizations and implications, but tosummarize them roughly, just like the changes in the actors in responseto the music that I described earlier, it seems that the actorsʼ performances also had a strong influence on the musicians. Due in part to thefact that there was limited time for creation, that influence tended to bea strain on the information processing necessary for playing. However,there is surely much to be gained from repeated practice and concept
sharing. Meanwhile, the embodiment of “outsideness” or “otherness”
sought by the work, as pointed out by Hanada, holds the potential forvarious trials.
For example, it might be possible to explore larger structures such as
introducing the musical systems and rules of “reproduction from a score”
that I mentioned in the previous section as another element of otherness
to theater. Okadaʼs work in recent years includes attempts to “hack”
the systems and histories of classical performing arts like Noh drama,
opera, and ballet on a contextual level. The abstract concept of “musical theater” sought through this project can allow for diverse forms ofexperimentation not limited to practical performances. As I look forward
to the finished form of Music Theatre Production in 2023, I hope that thevarious discoveries and results obtained along the way will grow and takehold with a reach that extends beyond artistic creation.

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PROJECTSPAC Autumn–Spring 2021–2022 #2:

The Cherry Orchard
SPAC-Shizuoka Performing Arts Center and T2G-Théâtre deGennevilliers-Centre Dramatique National (France)

Performance flyer

This production of The Cherry Orchard was a collaboration between SPAC-Shizuoka Performing Arts
Center and T2G-Théâtre de Gennevilliers-Centre Dramatique National. Working on the play by AntonCHEKHOV with Japanese and French actors, director Daniel JEANNETEAU embodied the depths ofthe human psyche in delicate art and lighting to create an onstage world that stirs the memories ofaudience members.
It was the fourth play directed by Jeanneteau in Japan following his previous collaborations with
SPAC, consisting of Blasted (premiered in 2009), The Glass Menagerie (premiered in 2011), and The
Blind (premiered in 2015).
Both French and Japanese were spoken onstage in a complete reimagining of Chekhov’s world ofdrama. The premiere was in November 2021 at Shizuoka Arts Theatre.

Outline of Performances

Regular performances
Schedule: 2:00 p.m. on Nov. 13 (Sat.), Nov. 14 (Sun.), Nov. 20 (Sat.), Nov. 21 (Sun.), Nov. 23 (Tues.
public holiday), Nov. 28 (Sun.), and Dec. 12 (Sun.), 2021

Daniel Jeanneteau ©Olivier Roller

Performances for junior and senior high school students
Schedule: 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 12 (Fri.); 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 16 (Tues.); 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 17 (Wed.),Nov. 22 (Mon.), Dec. 6 (Mon.), and Dec. 8 (Wed.); 2:00 p.m. on Dec. 13 (Mon.); 1:30 p.m. on Dec.
14 (Tues.); and 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 15 (Wed.), 2021
Duration: 2 hr. 20 min.
Venue: Shizuoka Arts Theatre

Credits
Direction and Scenography: Daniel JEANNETEAU
Artistic Collaboration, Dramaturgy, and Video: Mammar BENRANOU
Text: Anton CHEKHOVTranslation: André MARKOWICZ, Françoise MORVAN (French), and ADACHI Noriko (Japanese)
Cast: SUZUKI Haruyo, FUSE Asuka, Solène ARBEL, ABE Kazunori, Quentin BOUISSOU, Aurélien ESTAGER, KONAGAYA Katsuhiko, Nathalie KOUSNETZOFF, KATO Yukio, YAMAMOTO Miyuki, Axel BOGOUSSLAVSKY, DAIDOMUMON Yuya, and OUCHI Yoneji
Lighting Design: Juliette BESANÇON / Sound Design: Isabelle SUREL / Music: TANAKAWA Hiroko
Costume Design: KOMAI YumikoStage Manager: OGAWA Tetsuro / Stage: ICHIKAWA Kazumi and TSUCHIYA Katsunori / Lighting Operator: HANAWA Yuuki
Lighting: KOBAYAKAWA Hiroya and MIZUNO Hikaru / Sound: HARADA Shinobu and TAKESHIMA Chisato / Artwork: FUKASAWA Eri and SATO Yosuke
Chairs: HIKOSAKA Reiko / Video Technician: TAKEZAWA Akira/ Video Operator: MORITA Honoka / Wardrobe: YAMAMOTO Kana
Technical Director: MURAMATSU Atsushi / Interpretation: ISHIKAWA Hiromi, YOKOYAMA Yoshiji, YAMADA Hiromi, and HARA Mariko
Production: KEIMI Aoi, YONEYAMA Junichi, SAKANAKA Toshiki, and OISHI Takako / Subtitle Operation: OISHI Takako and NAGAI Kenji (December 12
only)
Flyer Design: ABE Taichi (TAICHI ABE DESIGN INC.) / Promotional Photography: HASHIMOTO Hirotaka
Organized by The Japan Foundation and SPAC-Shizuoka Performing Arts Center
Produced by SPAC-Shizuoka Performing Arts Center and T2G-Théâtre de Gennevilliers-Centre Dramatique National
Coproduced by Théâtre des 13 vents CDN Montpellier

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Performance photography ©K. Miura

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July 19 thanks to an exemption for “exceptional circumstances.” They de-

SPAC-Shizuoka Performing Arts Center and T2G-Théâtre deGennevilliers-Centre Dramatique National (France)parted Paris (Charles de Gaulle Airport) on July 21 and arrived at Haneda

The Cherry Orchard
First Report: Launch of Projectin Shizuoka. Rehearsal started after they had finished their 14-day period

Author: HORIKIRI Katsuhiro

Airport the next day, traveling from there straight to the SPAC dormitoryof isolation. Although the number of infections, which had been on therise since early July, peaked on August 26 (at about 25,000 new infections),
the fact that the creative environment of SPAC was isolated from urban
areas ended up being the most positive factor in terms of carrying out in-

T2G Théâtre de Gennevilliers:
A Hub of Theatrical Exchange between Japan and France

ternational exchange amid a health crisis. Most importantly of all, at thistime of emergency posing a risk of cultural atrophy, the flexible response
and cooperation for artistic creation from both Japan and France contrib-

SPAC-Shizuoka Performing Arts Center has invited director Daniel

uted to major achievements on the production side.

JEANNETEAU, a central figure in French public theater circles who has

The first phase of rehearsal started with a read-through of the script. In

been serving as the director of T2G Théâtre de Gennevilliers in the Pari-order to make effective use of the actorsʼ government-mandated isolation

sian suburbs since January 2017, to work on an international coproduc-

periods, this was begun in late July using a videoconferencing tool (Zoom),tion of The Cherry Orchard by Anton CHEKHOV. While this is the fourth

but it was far from ideal. The actors did not all have the same script ontime Jeanneteau has taken up residence at SPAC, following Blasted (2009),

the first day, there was frequent noise such as the sound of shuffling

The Glass Menagerie (2011), and The Blind (2015), it is the first time that

papers and email notifications, and network connection and microphone

actors and staff from both Japan and France will participate, generating

issues occurred repeatedly. Under these challenging conditions, director

huge anticipation for the resultant work.

Jeanneteau first and foremost emphasized carefully sharing the charac-

Needless to say, this is a continual exchange between public theaters

teristics and ambience he had envisioned for each act of The Cherry Or-

in Japan and France on an unparalleled scale. However, I should perhaps

chard with not only the actors but also the partial participation of musicemphasize at the outset that it cannot all necessarily be reduced to theand wardrobe staff. The importance of interpreting to such an interna-

activities of SPAC. T2G has become a hub of theatrical exchange between

tional project was also affirmed again and again.

Japan and France in recent years thanks to the personal relationship oftrust between its previous director Pascal RAMBERT (in office from 2007
to 2017) and Japanese playwright HIRATA Oriza (Reference: FUJII Shintaro,“Pascal Rambert and T2G Théâtre de Gennevilliers: Driving Forces behind

Theatrical Exchange between Japan and France”).

T2G Théâtre de Gennevilliers is currently one of the venues hostingartists from Japan as part of Festival d'Automne à Paris (a performing arts
festival held every year from around September to December at theaters inParis and its suburbs). In 2021, two works are scheduled to be performed:

Fortress of Smiles by Niwa Gekidan Penino and Eraser Mountain bychelfitsch and KANEUJI Teppei. Fujii ends his previously cited report bystating, “The new director of T2G who took over from Rambert is DanielJeanneteau, a leading expert on Japan in French theatrical circles, who
has forged deep connections with Japan. This must be more than justa coincidence and raises hopes that the heritage of cultural exchanges
built by Rambert will be passed on to the next generation in a different
format.” In this sense, the Cherry Orchard project could be called thesecond chapter of international exchange between T2G and Japan. The

Zoom orientation prior to travel to Japan

fact that it was a coproduction with SPAC, which had already establisheda trusting relationship with Jeanneteau, might even be called inevitable.

Progress of Rehearsal (Phase I)

Challenges for an International Coproduction amid
the COVID-19 Pandemic

ly encouraged both the Japanese and French actors to “read slowly andWhat was interesting in the read-through was that Jeanneteau frequentcarefully rather than at natural speed.” In other words, at this stage, heAhead of the performances from November to December 2021, SPAC,

was trying to minimize the incorporation of characterization or interpreta-

which would host the French actors, divided rehearsal into two phasestion in the acting in order to pursue the various possibilities of the script.

(first: August 6 to 31; second: October 11 to November 11). However, the fu-

Although Jeanneteau can communicate with basic greetings, he cannot

ture of the project was clouded by uncertainty amid fears that COVID-19

perfectly understand Japanese. However, he gave the actors fairly precise

infections would rise due to the Tokyo Olympics (July 23 to August 8) andinstructions by comparing their lines (acting) with the bilingual Japanese

Paralympics (August 24 to September 5) being held despite insufficientand French script. The relationships of trust he had already built with

progress in vaccinations.

them played a large role.

As of July 2021, visas were not actually being issued for travel fromIn the latter half of the first phase of rehearsal (starting in mid-August),

France to Japan, and it would not ordinarily have been possible for therehearsal began in the theater on a stage with minimal props. The actors

actors to enter the country. However, they were able to receive visas onvaried their speed of delivery, inflection, and pauses as well as bodily

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movements. (At this point, they still wore masks.) In addition to directing

New National Theatre, Tokyo, during the 2015–2016 season (directed by

the actors, what became important at this stage was the musical work for

UYAMA Hitoshi) and by director GONOHE Marie of the Bungakuza theater

Act III (music is a critical element in this act, which is set in a drawing roomcompany at Kawasaki Art Center and other venues in 2020. In terms of

where music played by a Jewish band can be heard). In this production, thecommercial theater, it was staged by PARCO Theater in 2012 (directed bylighting design was assigned to the French side and the costume design

MITANI Koki), and a production was planned by SIS Company in 2020 (di-to the Japanese side (lighting: Juliette BESANÇON; costumes: KOMAI Yu-

rected by Keralino SANDOROVICH). The Dainanagekijo, which has stagedmiko), while the sound design was assigned to the French side and theall of Chekhovʼs four major plays, also staged The Cherry Orchard in Oc-

music to the Japanese side (sound: Isabelle SUREL; music: TANAKAWA Hi-

tober 2021, during SPACʼs preparatory period (composition, directing, art,roko). Thus, the image of the work was gradually shared among the actors

and translation: NARUMI Kohei). Narumi is close friends with SPACʼs Gen-and staff. Despite concerns and difficulties related to travel restrictions

eral Artistic Director Miyagi Satoshi, and MISHIMA Keita joined the castcaused by the pandemic, it can be concluded that the first phase of re-from SPAC. That being said, in Japan, where scenography and reading ofhearsal went along without any major disturbances.

the play constitute a relatively lower proportion of directing, the work may
not be considered to set such a “high bar.”

The Significance of Staging The Cherry Orchard

In this context, although the production was based on the most recently
published translation of The Cherry Orchard by ADACHI Noriko (Mirai-sha

It was SPAC (General Artistic Director MIYAGI Satoshi) that had selected

Publishers, 2020), Jeanneteau proposed using the translation by André

Chekhov as the playwright for this coproduction. However, I was shocked

MARKOWICZ, which reconstructs the first version of Chekhovʼs manu-

to learn that Jeanneteau had never before in his 30-year career staged ascript. This was because most of the translations currently in circulation

work by Chekhov (either as a director or a scenographer). Chekhovʼs works

are based on the revised version requested of Chekhov by director Kon-

are, of course, frequently performed in France; for example, it was The

stantin STANISLAVSKI. In particular, there is supposedly an interesting

Cherry Orchard (directed by Tiago RODRIGUES) that opened the 2021 Fes-

exchange between Firs and Charlotta at the end of Act II. (In the popular

tival dʼAvignon in the courtyard of the Papal Palace. Nonetheless, it was

version, the act ends with the dialogue between Anya and Trofimov.) This act

for this very reason that a work by Chekhov would require a brand-new

had to be newly translated in order to correct the differences from thestyle of staging and reading from a French director, setting a high bar.

Adachi translation.

Of course, this may hold true in Japan to a certain extent as well. Just

As a sidenote, Markowicz (born in Czechoslovakia) is a poet as well as

looking at recent productions of The Cherry Orchard, it was staged bya translator who has collaborated with Jeanneteau on stage productions
before. In 1990, he began publishing the complete works of Fyodor DOSTOEVSKY. In the performing arts field, he has translated works by Maxim
GORKY, Nikolai GOGOL, and William SHAKESPEARE. Together with hispartner Françoise MORVAN, he has also published the complete works
of Chekhov through Actes Sud, which has published numerous plays, finishing in 2014 with Platonov. Since 2006, he has engaged in sessions hecalls “open improvised translations.”
How the lines of the play envisioned by the director as a poetic text are
to be developed through teamwork by both the Japanese and French actors will surely become clear during the second phase of rehearsal.

©HIRAO Masashi

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Photo: Hirotaka Hashimoto

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Dialogue with Director Daniel Jeanneteau

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Jeanneteau: Yes, but itʼs all intuitive. It might seem superficial, but I feellike weʼre now at the end of an era, and how we live will change tremen─ Over the course of your career, have you ever staged a work by

Chekhov before?

dously. I feel like even the theme of (viral) mutation itself is relevant tothis play by Chekhov. Thatʼs what makes it interesting to me. The Cherry
Orchard doesnʼt depict any frenzied scenes. No single character is right;

Jeanneteau: In my thirty-year career, Iʼve never staged a work by Chekhov

instead, theyʼre all correct in their own ways. But no one can go back to

before, either as a director or a scenographer. This is my first time.

the old days. I feel like the essence of this situation is very similar to theone weʼre currently in.

─ That means this will be a big challenge for you, doesnʼt it?
Jeanneteau: Iʼve actually wanted to stage Chekhov for a long time. Heʼsa great playwright. But his works are staged all the time and everywhere
in France, so Iʼd need to discover something new in them. Instead, Iʼve
always staged more contemporary works, but then I received the proposal
from Japan. In France, Iʼd probably never have staged Chekhov. It was
Japan that brought me closer to him when Miyagi Satoshi invited me tostage Chekhov at SPAC, which I think is sort of interesting. After agonizing about all kinds of things, I eventually decided to stage The Cherry
Orchard.
─ Previously in Japan, youʼve staged works by Sarah KANE, Tennessee

WILLIAMS, and Maurice MAETERLINCK, focusing on the “contemporary”
rather than the “classical.” Given this, why did you choose The Cherry Orchard?
Jeanneteau: I was torn between Uncle Vanya and The Cherry Orchard, but

I thought that The Cherry Orchard might be a more wide-open work witha larger capacity. Itʼs also more complex. No major happenings occur inthe work. Itʼs just a chain of trivial events. Thereʼs a lightness to it, likechatting or gossip. Itʼs not dramatic like Uncle Vanya or Ivanov, and thatʼswhat I like about it. In other words, even though itʼs a work without a single serious element, it has an aspect of showing the state of the world.
Itʼs a profoundly tragic work, and more broadly speaking, itʼs a work that
depicts people in an era of extremely dramatic social change.
─ Chekhov died only a few months after the play opened in 1904. The

Russian Revolution beginning with the “Bloody Sunday” incident occurredin the next year, 1905, leading to the February Revolution of 1917. It was aturbulent era, wasnʼt it?
Jeanneteau: The Cherry Orchard has been interpreted in various ways, but

for me, I think it really resembles the current times.
─ What, specifically, do you mean by “the current times”?
Jeanneteau: I mean the times in which weʼre living now. The era of The

Cherry Orchard is the turn of the 20th century, so to speak, just before
major events like the Russian Revolution and World War I. I think people
in those days more or less sensed that something was brewing. I thinkthey realized that the ways of doings things in the previous century would
no longer be viable. As industrialization progressed, and the speed of production increased, new forms of business developed. At the same time, ahuge gap emerged. I think Chekhov must have realized this̶ that things
could no longer continue on the same path. Although, as he died shortly
thereafter, he never saw the revolution or the war.
─ So, you sense this sort of “discontinuity” in the times?
©HIRAO Masashi

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─ In other words, although it may seem at first glance like a work com-posed of silly little conversations, your view is that itʼs more in line withthe times than Chekhovʼs other three major plays.
Jeanneteau: I think global crises like the pandemic and climate change

have dramatically changed my reading of The Cherry Orchard. Of course,
my readings in previous projects have also been influenced by the current
state of the world. For example, I staged The Glass Menagerie in Shizuoka in 2011, which is when the big earthquake and resultant Fukushima
nuclear accident occurred. Sharing a lot of time with the Japanese actors, whose sensibilities were shaken by the catastrophe, led to various
discoveries. Curiously enough, the fact is that whenever I do work withJapan, I canʼt help but think about how it aligns with the times. Due tothe current health crisis, there was a period of isolation, and we have towear masks even during rehearsal. However, instead of mere external obstacles to the project, itʼs almost like these restrictions are driving it fromwithin.

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The Cherry Orchard
Second Report: Rehearsals
Author: HORIKIRI Katsuhiro

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ters, Kobunsha New Translations of Classics Library, p. 315). This “loss” or“omnipresence” of a focal point may be considered a rationale for staging

Chekhovʼs works multilingually rather than monolingually. In particular,
The Cherry Orchard, which depicts the fall of the aristocracy, is an intimate drama set within a single room/family, and yet the characters arelike ghosts tossed about in a turbulent world.
FUSE Asuka, who plays the role of Anya, explains that in the first phaseof rehearsal (August 6 to 31), it was difficult for her to predict the rhythm

Why Stage a Multilingual Adaptation of Chekhov Now?

and breaks in her counterpartsʼ lines, and she was forced to concentrateon listening. However, in the second phase (October 11 to November 11),In Drive My Car (directed by HAMAGUCHI Ryusuke), the most-talked-

she came to understand their lines. Little by little, they became able toabout Japanese film of 2021, the protagonist, theater director Kafuku

catch each otherʼs words and move “freely.” That being said, from the(NISHIJIMA Hidetoshi), is commissioned by a theater festival in the Setou-

audienceʼs point of view, the establishment of “natural” communication

chi Region to create a multilingual stage production. Whatʼs more, thebetween the French-speaking actors and Japanese-speaking actors must

play is Uncle Vanya, by the same Anton CHEKHOV who wrote The Cherry

surely appear strange, even while remaining aware that it is “art.” In other

Orchard covered in this report. Is this sheer coincidence?

words, the closer the actors get to “natural” communication, the more

Chekhovʼs four major plays (The Seagull, Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters,“unnatural” it appears to the audience.

and The Cherry Orchard) are categorized as “classical” plays in that they

One interesting aspect of the casting is the fact that Solène ARBEL,

have been staged repeatedly all over the world. However, this is not in

who plays Varya (the twenty-four-year-old adopted daughter of landown-

the same sense as the works of William SHAKESPEARE. First of all,er Madame Ranevskaya), the counterpart to Anya (Ranevskayaʼs seven-the original works are written in Russian, a language difficult for mostteen-year-old daughter, who has returned home after five years living in

non-Russians to understand. Nonetheless, in terms of theatrical history,

France), has played the same characters as Fuse in The Blind and The

rather than something separate from European literary history, they are

Glass Menagerie. According to Fuse, during the course of rehearsal, thepositioned at the starting point of contemporary drama (together with

two gradually became like real “sisters”̶ or rather, “artistic sisters.” In

the works of playwrights such as Henrik IBSEN). This is because over the

addition, the role of the “eternal” student Peter (Trofimov) in this pro-course of the nineteenth century, Russia, which had previously lagged

duction is played by Aurélien ESTAGER, a translator who has worked on

far behind Western Europe, raced from romanticism to modernism within

Japanese manga. He completed an undergraduate program at the Frenchjust a single century (from Alexander PUSHKIN to Fyodor DOSTOEVSKY andNational Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations in 2001 and

Leo TOLSTOY).

won the Konishi Foundationʼs third annual Konishi Prize for the Transla-

As Daniel JEANNETEAU himself emphasized in my first report, the eration of Japanese Manga into French in 2020 (for his translation of EGUCHI

in which Chekhov lived was a turning point in history. From the vantage

Hisashiʼs Stop!! Hibari-kun!). Among the cast, he is the only actor with apoint of future generations, it was the eve of revolution and thus an al-command of both Japanese and French, and thus, in his role as the pe-most dystopian time in which the past had become a complete relic, anddantic young man, Jeanneteau has experimented with directing him toyet the future was impossible to predict. This is why Jeanneteau sees

switch languages partway through his lengthy lines speaking of an ideal

the current state of the world in Chekhov. He asserts that while the fu-“future.” As mentioned earlier, Peterʼs lines play a meta role in defining

ture appeared bright when he was a child, that is no longer the case for

The Cherry Orchard as a drama of humanity. In this sense, the casting ofchildren nowadays. “Nowadays, children are taught that the earth is tiny,

Aurélien is also something that could only be tried in an international co-full of people, and thoroughly polluted; that changes in the climate canproduction.

no longer be predicted; and that the gap between the rich and poor has
become larger than ever before... I suspect that many people feel like

The Difficulty of Staging a Bilingual Drama

weʼve entered an era beyond what we can imagine, an era in which itʼs nolonger possible to envision the future” (excerpt from interview with DanielMultiple translations of Chekhov ʼs The Cherry Orchard have been

Jeanneteau in Stage Natalie). Needless to say, his statement carries traces

published in various countries. As I mentioned in my first report, thisof the following lines by the character of Trofimov in The Cherry Orchard:

production is based on a Japanese translation by ADACHI Noriko (Mi-“The human race progresses, perfecting its powers.” “The land is greatrai-sha Publishers, 2020) and a French translation by André MARKOWICZ

and beautiful” (Act II). Children nowadays must despair of even the lofty

and Françoise MORVAN (Actes Sud, 2002). The French translation is theideals espoused by Trofimov.

eighth to be produced. A new translation emphasizing the rhythm andThis kind of transnational inquiry may serve as another model withincadence of the Russian language was used in a 1992 staging as part of

the framework of an international coproduction, as well as one for a pro-Festival d'Automne à Paris (directed by Stéphane BRAUNSCHWEIG). The

gram for junior and senior high school students.

theater hosting the performance was T2G Théâtre de Gennevilliers, where
Jeanneteau currently serves as director.

Language, Translation, and Communication

Meanwhile, the Adachi version was a new translation for The Cherry
Orchard: A Comedy in Four Acts directed by GONOHE Marie of the Bun-

The 1880s, when Chekhov became active as a writer, are considereda “Great Interregnum” in the Russian literary world, when the so-called

gakuza theater company in 2020. The Japanese predilection for Chekhov
is evidenced by the sheer number of translations, as listed below.

masters retired from the front lines. As if to epitomize this, Chekhovʼsworks lack a core protagonist. If anything, the focal point in his stories is“omnipresent” (URA Masaharu, “Commentary” in Uncle Vanya / Three Sis-

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◆ ITO Rokuro (1915 Japanese premiere at the Imperial Theatre)out of joy at being alone with Peter. The immediately ensuing lines were

◆ YONEKAWA Masao (Compendium of Modern Plays, Vol. 14, Compendium

changed as follows.

of Modern Plays Publication Society, 1923; Shincho Bunko, 1952; Kadokawa Bunko, 1953; revised edition in 1968)◆ KUSUYAMA Masao (The Complete Works of Chekhov, Vol. 3, Shinchosha
Publishing, 1920)◆ NAKAMURA Hakuyo (Three Sisters / The Cherry Orchard, Shunyodo
Publishing, 1932; The Collected Writings of Chekhov, Sangaku Shobo,

Anya: Peter, what have you done to me? Why donʼt I love the cher-ry orchard as I used to? I loved the cherry orchard it so tenderly. I
thought there was no better place in the world than our cherry orchard.

1943–1944)◆ HANAI Shuzaburo (The Cherry Orchard / The Seagull, Bunshinsha, 1935)

Such changes to the script may seem unnecessary for a multilingual◆ YUASA Yoshiko (The Cherry Orchard, Iwanami Bunko, 1950)

play. However, in this production of The Cherry Orchard, the actors must

◆ JINZAI Kiyoshi (The Cherry Orchard / Three Sisters, Kawade Shinsho,

understand the feeling and rhythm of the foreign language spoken by

1955; Shincho Bunko, 1967)

their counterparts, not on the level of grammar and syntax, but in terms◆ SASAKI Akira (The Cherry Orchard / Three Sisters, Obunsha Bunko, 1966)of the images stirred up by the speech as a whole. Thus, it is a task that

◆ MAKIHARA Jun (A Complete Collection of World Literature, Duet Edition,cannot be ignored by either the director or the actors. It also mirrors theVol. 43, Shueisha, 1969)◆ KAWABATA Kaori (A Complete Collection of World Literature, Vol. 61, Kodansha, 1975)◆ MATSUSHITA Yutaka (The Complete Works of Chekhov, Vol. 12, Chikuma
Shobo, 1987; Chikuma Bunko, 1993)◆ ONO Michiko (The Cherry Orchard, Iwanami Bunko, 1998)◆ ODASHIMA Yushi (The Cherry Orchard, Hakusui U Books, 1998)◆ HORIE Shinji & Nina ANARINA (The Cherry Orchard, Gunzosha Publishing, 2011)◆ URA Masaharu (The Cherry Orchard / The Proposal / The Bear, Kobunsha
New Translations of Classics Library, 2012)

task of the audience members, who must listen to (and thus understand)about half of the lines in a foreign language. Although the performances
will be subtitled, this is merely an auxiliary function. Instead of the surface meanings of the words in the lines, what is more important is thetone, rhythm, and cadence of the actorsʼ words, as well as their expressions and gestures.
This task is also connected to the work Jeanneteau did in the plays hepreviously directed in Japan, especially Blasted and The Blind. Vsevolod
MEYERHOLD once praised Chekhovʼs The Cherry Orchard by stating thatin pursuing realism, it achieved symbolism. Jeanneteauʼs lyrical direction belongs precisely to that very lineage of symbolism. This aspect isslightly removed from the frequently emphasized comedic (vaudeville-like)No matter which translations are used, the French and Japanese ver-qualities and absurdity of Chekhovʼs plays. The characters in The Cherrysions will not necessarily share the same principles in every sense. It was

Orchard, who flounder about almost blindly, are certainly foolish, but if

therefore the best decision to use the Adachi translation for the Japa-

we assume them to be portraits of ourselves, then they are also objects

nese, as it allowed for close and direct communication with the transla-of angst (fear). In order to produce The Cherry Orchard as “a play about

tor. When the need arose to make changes to the Japanese translation onhumanityʼs angst,” straightforward characterization becomes, if anything,

the spot, alternatives were actually explored by contacting Adachi. In thisa foreign element. This principle of the direction gradually became clear

regard, although it is necessary for a Chekhov play, where subtle nuancesin the second phase of rehearsal in the theater, as work on the music,of the lines have major implications, one may imagine the extremely de-set, and lighting progressed.

tailed work required on the spot.
As one example, Anya has the following lines in Act II.

Anya: Peter, what have you done to me? Why donʼt I love the cherryorchard as I used to? I loved the cherry orchard so tenderly. I thought
there was no better place in the world than our cherry orchard.

The Difficulty of Holding Rehearsals During
the COVID-19 Pandemic
Shizuoka Prefecture instituted priority measures against the spread of
COVID-19 from August 8 to 19 (originally until August 31, but measures wereenhanced due to increasing infections) and state of emergency measuresfrom August 20 to September 30 (originally until September 12 but thenIn the Adachi translation, the playʼs titular “cherry orchard” occurs

extended). The number of daily new cases continued to rise and reachedthree times within the short speech. This seems to be the result of avoid-a record high of 675 on August 19, leading to the declaration of a state ofing pronouns (“it”) and alternate expressions (“our orchard”). In the Frenchemergency for the prefecture on August 20. Hamamatsu Medical Center

version, the phrase “cherry orchard” (la Cerisaie) only occurs once. Con-was pushed to the limit, with the occupancy rate of beds for COVID-19

sequently, the Japanese lines, which already have more syllables than thepatients exceeding 80% in late August. Thanks to exhaustive measures

French ones, sound even lengthier to French speakers.

against infections, which continued to be implemented during the second

Apparently Fuse, who plays Anya, originally intended to resolve thisissue by speaking her lines rapidly. However, in the scene Anya is asking

phase of rehearsal for The Cherry Orchard, no infections emerged among
the actors or staff.

Peter, who has greatly influenced her, to explain what is going on in theWith conditions changing moment by moment, SPAC established rather

world. Despite the existential angst she feels, she also (vaguely) identifies

strict guidelines to prevent infections. As the “strictness” of these guide-with Peterʼs “futurism,” and thus it is not such a serious speech. (Althoughlines diverged in many ways from the standards in France, time was set

in literal terms, she seems to be seriously accusing Peter, that is not actu-

aside to explain them carefully to the French actors and staff. It appar-

ally the case.) As such, the Japanese lines, in which the phrase “cherry

ently took an especially long time for them to accept the actors wearingorchard” is repeated three times, are at odds with the acting up to thatmasks onstage during the performances (as this kind of performance does

point. In the rehearsal on October 25, Anya playfully sprawls on the floor

not even exist in France). Even in Japan, theaters in Tokyo that have actors

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wear masks onstage are in the minority. However, in light of the fact that
The Cherry Orchard was also to be performed for junior and senior highschool students, SPAC decided to have the actors wear masks onstage so
as not to deprive the students of a “once-in-a-lifetime” encounter with atheatrical work.
Because of this policy, opportunities for the actors to eat together
during the course of rehearsal were also avoided. According to the previously cited Fuse, being able to communicate freely outside of rehearsal inprevious projects led to understanding the other actorsʼ ways of thinking
and vibes. She felt that this was often fed back into the performances
onstage and said that it was “too bad” that it wasnʼt possible this time.
Although it is up to the discretion of the director who leads the actors, it
might have been beneficial to consider allowing both the Japanese andFrench actors to share the same spaces and times (if not mealtimes) outside of “rehearsal” in a narrow sense. As long as measures against infections are rigorous, providing safe opportunities for recreation and looking
after the mental health of the actors and staff within that framework may
also be an important factor amid a pandemic. After all, taking Trofimovʼslines to heart, “The human race progresses, perfecting its powers.”

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The Cherry Orchard
Third Report: Performance
Author: HORIKIRI Katsuhiro

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hosted by one of SPACʼs affiliated actors aired an open talk session withthe cast members as guests (“ISHII Moemi Will Take Center Stage!, Vol.
86: Special talk session with the cast of The Cherry Orchard currently
playing to rave reviews” aired on November 22).
In external media, the theatrical information website Stage Natalie published interviews with director Daniel JEANNETEAU along with cast members Suzuki Haruyo and Aurélien ESTAGER as advance coverage (“DanielJeanneteauʼs hopes for The Cherry Orchard by SPAC: Suzuki Haruyo

Media Coverage of The Cherry Orchard(Advance Coverage, Interviews, and Talks)and Aurélien Estager discuss ʻunderstanding beyond differences,ʼ” October 29). The same website also ran an article to mark the playʼs opening(“Jeanneteau pleased by opening of SPACʼs The Cherry Orchard : ʻThe

The international coproduction of The Cherry Orchard by SPAC andrealization of this international coproduction is a victory,ʼ” November 14).

T2G Théâtre de Gennevilliers premiered as a performance for junior and

The Shizuoka Shimbun newspaper ran an article about the performances

senior high school students on Friday, November 12, and as a regularperformance on Saturday, November 13. The former consisted of a totalof 10 performances finishing on Wednesday, December 15, and the latterof a total of seven performances finishing on Sunday, December 12, for a
grand total of 17 performances at Shizuoka Arts Theatre. A performance
was also held at Ryuyo Naginoki Hall in Iwata City on Friday, December
3. The duration of the performances was two hours and twenty minutes,
without any intermission.
As I mentioned in my second report, rehearsal for this production proceeded smoothly according to rigorous guidelines against infections. As aresult, not a single infection emerged before the performances. Enhanced
publicity began to be actively promoted in November, when rehearsal was
almost finished, and the performances were close at hand. Although the
SPAC blog usually consists of real-time reports under ordinary circumstances, the first post on November 4 started by looking back on the firstday of rehearsal.
◆ SPAC Blog

November 4, 2021

The Cherry Orchard Blog #1: “Long time no see!” and “Nice to meetyou!” online on the first day of rehearsal
November 12, 2021

The Cherry Orchard Blog #2: Cast Interview with SUZUKI Haruyo &Quentin BOUISSOU
November 19, 2021

The Cherry Orchard Blog #3: Opening & Artist Talk Report
December 11, 2021

The Cherry Orchard Blog #4: Artist Talk 11/20 Report
SPAC uses various social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube) for publicity, but I should emphasize that the abovementioned

blog on its website serves not only as “reading material” but also as an“archival” function. In particular, the publication of the content of inter-views and talks online provides a record of works from the perspectivesof both cast members and audiences. This sort of online initiative cannot
currently be found at any of the core public theaters in Japan. Under current conditions, with reviews and criticism rarely printed in newspapers
or magazines, it deserves to be recognized as a model for presenting andpublicizing the results of theatrical work.
SPAC itself also shared a “collection” of Tweets related to the performances (“SPAC Autumn-Spring 2021–2022 #2: Collection of Tweets
Related to The Cherry Orchard ,” November 23). In addition, a program
Performance photography ©K. Miura

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featuring an interview with Estager (“Faint understanding across the lan-of the festival, cast the great actress Isabelle HUPPERT in the role ofguage barrier: Estager from SPACʼs The Cherry Orchard ,” November 24).

Ranevskaya, the production was far from a success. Still, his transforma-

In retrospect, these articles describe the appeal of the play as if thetion of the play into musical theater by bringing the musicians of a rock

COVID-19 pandemic had never happened. However, the circumstances ofband onstage in Act I was laudable. In highlighting the anachronism of

Le Théâtre du Soleilʼs LʼÎLE DʼOR KANEMU-JIMA (October 19–28 at Tokyo

the story and the isolation of the characters, Rodrigues did not take such

Metropolitan Theatre; November 6–7 at ROHM Theatre Kyoto), which wasa vastly different approach from Jeanneteau.

scheduled to come on tour to Japan from France at roughly the sametime, make it understandable why preparations for this international

However, Jeanneteau suffuses his play with more of a sense of “awk-coproduction were carried out with such careful planning. Although it

wardness,” a feeling of “being out of place,” or more crudely, “unease”

cannot necessarily be compared to KOTATSU written and directed byregarding an unpredictable future. Unlike Rodrigues, who created the

Pascal RAMBERT (September 9–12 at Ebara Riverside Theatre), which wasmusic and staging based on brainstorming with the actors rather than theforced to be performed with almost no audience due to the cancellation

script itself, Jeanneteau honors the poetic resonance and imagery of theof Toyooka Theater Festival 2021, the fact that the project concluded suc-lines written by the playwright. Returning to the plot of The Cherry Or-

cessfully and without disruption despite the challenging circumstances

chard, at the end of their troubles, the characters venture out into a new

was thanks to the efforts of the SPAC production team.

environment and era. However, they still cling to nostalgia for the bygone

What Kind of Production Was Jeanneteau s The Cherry Orchard ?

already lost their reality. This is represented by the musical scene in Act

era (yearning for the cherry orchard). When all is said and done, they haveIII. The xylophone music composed by TANAKAWA Hiroko functions as
What kind of production was The Cherry Orchard by Daniel Jeanneteau,
who has mostly directed contemporary plays? First of all, the set was aa metaphor for the finely wavering emotions of the characters. It is herethat the somewhat ghostly aspect of The Cherry Orchard emerges.

simple one consisting mainly of lighting and images, rather than a real-

Act III has a special resonance within Chekhovʼs The Cherry Orchard.

istic one seeking to “recreate” the mansion with actual nineteenth cen-

The initial stage directions indicate, “An anteroom. A Jewish band, thetury-style furnishings. The props were also kept to a minimum. Although

one mentioned in Act II, is heard playing. Evening. In the ballroom, a cir-this might have been influenced by Jeanneteauʼs aesthetics as a scenog-

cle dance is being danced.” Faced with the loss of her familyʼs mansion

rapher, it may also in some ways reflect his image of Japan (for example,

and “cherry orchard,” Ranevskayaʼs adopted daughter Varya inconspicu-

his image of Noh drama).

ously wipes away tears. The party in this act is the flip side of the playʼs

On a textual level, this onstage world transports the audience back to“unease.” In the end, Ranevskaya weeps and seventeen-year-old Anyaa specific time and place, namely, Russia at the turn of the twentiethconsoles her as the music plays. Incidentally, this scene was completely

century. However, on a spatial level, it evokes extremely abstract hu-

cut in the Rodrigues version.

man depictions. As a contrasting example, in KURIYAMA Tamiyaʼs 2002

Belgian theater collective STANʼs production of The Cherry Orchard,

production of The Cherry Orchard (New National Theatre, Tokyo), thewhich premiered in 2015, is unusual for its indication of potential in the

director chose to shift the setting to Japan and realistically recreate themanner of storytelling, with only five actors swapping roles. In Act III, thecostumes and the house in order to restore the various characters toplay shows the partygoers gathered at the mansion as being in an almost

fixed “personalities” and showcase the dramatic conflict between them.

cult-like trance by having the actors dance feverishly to fast-paced elec-

In this case, the actorsʼ performances will inevitably resemble the acting

tronic music. (As a sidenote, this collective has also had a decisive influencein a television drama (depicting states of mind through facial expressions

on the theatrical career of the aforementioned Tiago Rodrigues.) The power

and movements). In other words, the production becomes the naturalisticof music is extraordinary. This is the very reason why Plato banished art

Chekhov of Konstantin STANISLAVSKI, rather than the symbolic Chekhov

from his ideal state and why MISHIMA Yukio had a distaste for the intox-

of Vsevolod MEYERHOLD.
Although it is a very rough generalization, Meyerhold and Stanislavski

icating nature of music. When the “trance” is broken, the “music” is nolonger audible to Ranevskaya.

are frequently depicted as diametrical opposites within Russian theater in

However, in Jeanneteauʼs The Cherry Orchard, the music is not external

the early twentieth century. Stanislavski demanded that actors “reexpe-

to the characters. It is treated on the same level, so to speak, sympathiz-rience” their roles onstage based on naturalism and realism. By contrast,

ing with their (un)conscious anxiety. A key feature of Jeanneteauʼs di-rather than embodying “natural” psychology through character analysis,

rection is that he does not cynically suggest that people are automatons

Meyerhold attempted to portray the human condition on a different level

controlled by music, but instead creates a “temporally disjointed” space

through new modalities and physicality (which would eventually lead to him

in which they speak of their own philosophies, ideals, and lives on the

being purged by Stalin in 1940). As the theories of the Japanese shingeki

level of reason, or rather, madness. In our society (even within families),

theater movement were based on SENDA Koreyaʼs interpretation of Stan-

we must all to varying degrees get along with people whose values or

islavski, the aforementioned Kuriyamaʼs directing is positioned as an ex-

ways of thinking differ from our own. In this sense, The Cherry Orchard

tension thereof. Jeanneteau is the type of director who emphasizes “script

is like a multi-protagonist play in which the characters are “antiheroes”

reading” and focuses on spatialization of the playʼs subtext. However, his

who accept compromise as part of a “losing battle.” No one is right, andspatialization, or the aesthetics of his directing, is symbolic and different

conversely, no one is entirely wrong. It is a microcosm of our labyrinthinein nature from that of realism.

modern society, which gives to rise to laughter and humor that have a

One recent example of simple staging breaking away from realism is the
production of The Cherry Orchard directed by Tiago RODRIGUES, which

completely different aspect from the surface-level comicality of lines andgestures.

was performed in the courtyard of the Papal Palace at the 2021 Festival

Normally, staging a nearly two-and-a-half-hour scripted play wouldd'Avignon. The stage was only set with a large number of chairs. Althoughrequire physically and mentally drawing the audienceʼs attention to thethe young Portuguese director, who is eyed as the next artistic director

stage by varying the tempo of the music and images. In this sense, Jean-

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neteau does not “grovel” to the audience. Even when the performance istransformed its “World Theatre Festival Shizuoka” usually held every year

directed at junior and senior high school students, instead of presenting

in spring and summer into “World Theatre Festival on the Cloud” via on-an “easily understandable” story, he seeks to convey the atmosphere,line performances and streaming. With a plan to “bring art into peopleʼsworldview, and spatiality of the work to the audience through the reso-

homes,” shows were delivered to facilities such as nursing homes withnance of the lines, with minimal stage setting and music. Like the imagessocial distancing ensured, and telephone theater was also performed.

of “clouds” projected onto the back of the stage in Act I, the actors on-

Surrounded by such diverse public projects, the 2,000 students whostage form a single mass and yet continue to move subtly. By focusing

were able to attend this international coproduction realized despite aon the movements of actors other than the speaker, the circumstances

pandemic are lucky indeed. Of course, they are only “seeds,” and it mayof the family and their acquaintances, who resemble “clouds” before atake a long time for them to sprout. However, the theater is a place wherestorm, are steadily changed over the course of mindless “chatter.”such seeds are planted, watered, given light, and sometimes fed with fer-

More than anything, the fact that Jeanneteau has produced a bilingual

tilizer. The concept of “culture” in both of its senses is being realized on aadaptation of a Chekhov play (which he has never staged before) with hisdaily basis at SPACʼs unique theater, with involvement from the commu-

actors is the workʼs greatest feature. Any other device would therefore

nity and local residents. Not only the creation (invitation) of a high-quality

almost be a distraction. As I touched on in my second report, the actors

production, but also the inclusion of 2,000 junior and senior high schoolfrom the two countries do not perfectly understand each otherʼs lan-students as audience members ought to be remembered as a miraculous

guages, but at the same time, there is not a complete lack of understand-outcome of these performances.

ing. Creating an integrated and intimate drama under these conditions
requires very elaborate, careful, and disciplined work. By adapting theplay with the awareness that the world is currently undergoing a historictransformation, Jeanneteau attempts to derive hints for how to face ourown fears from Chekhovʼs lines, and as such, his production will surely
remain deeply etched within the history of The Cherry Orchard in Japan.

Partnership Initiatives with Educational Institutions
About 2,000 junior and senior high school students from Shizuoka Prefecture were able to attend these valuable performances. As the numberof junior and senior high school students in the prefecture is reported to
be about 100,000 for each, this works out to 1% of the total. SPAC aims
to deliver performances to about 35,000 junior and senior high school
students (100 performances) annually, not limited to just this play. If thattarget is achieved, it means that junior and senior high school students
in Shizuoka Prefecture will be able to watch a SPAC performance at least
once during their six years of schooling. SPAC has created a system toreduce the burden on participating schools by subsidizing the cost ofchartering buses from the schools to the theater, in addition to making
the performances free for the students and their chaperones. SPAC
also conducts guest performances and visiting school workshops, andfurthermore, Shimizu Minami Senior High School has just become thefirst public high school in Shizuoka Prefecture to sign an agreement withSPAC aimed at offering specialized theatrical training (“Shimizu Minami
Senior High School becomes first public school in Shizuoka Prefecture to offer specialized theatrical training under agreement with SPAC,” The Shizuoka

A performance for junior and senior high school students

Shimbun, November 5, 2021).

Free pamphlets are also distributed at the performances for junior andsenior high school students (available for sale at regular performances).
These have been produced by students in the graphic design course of
the Shizuoka Professional Training College of Design since 2014, with
the quality improving every year. They are beneficial not only to the highschool students, but also to regular audience members unfamiliar with
Chekhovʼs plays or theater. The pamphlets can be viewed on the portalsite “Shizuoka ebooks.”
Shizuoka Prefecture has established a system to promote regional development through culture based on its “Basic Ordinance for Cultural
Promotion” formulated in 2006. Since the appointment of MIYAGI Satoshi
as its second General Artistic Director in 2007, SPAC has also been focusing on outreach under the principle that “theater is a window on theworld.” In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, SPAC hastily
Pamphlet distributed to junior and senior high school students

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Among the reviews written so far, Odaʼs is the richest in analysis andSPAC-Shizuoka Performing Arts Center and T2G-Théâtre deGennevilliers-Centre Dramatique National (France)

also comes closest to the subtext of the work and direction. Although the

The Cherry Orchard
Fourth Report: Reflection

ination of the acting methodology of each character and actor, I would

Author: HORIKIRI Katsuhiro
As my third report focused on advance media coverage, interviews, andtalks, in my final report I would like to present some stage reviews interspersed with my own brief comments. Media in which public reviews of
the play may be published are currently limited to the stage-review columns of newspapers, theatrical magazines (Theatreux, Higeki Kigeki, etc.),
or review websites. In terms of reviews and criticism, the performing arts
are surrounded by a far from abundant environment. However, the following two stage reviews have been published as of January 2022.
○ KITANO Masahiroʼs review in Shimbun Akahata (published December 1,
2021)○ TAKAHASHI Hiroyukiʼs review in the February edition of Theatreux(published January 13, 2022)

previously mentioned Kitano review is interesting for its detailed examlike to cite the following passage regarding the intertwining of the themesof the work and the bilingual staging.

The whole play is dominated by a vague sense of unease. Something
like sound effects that build suspense in a horror movie accompanies
the monologues of Ranevskaya (SUZUKI Haruyo)... With the directions
for “pauses” written throughout Chekhovʼs script presented literally, thegaps in the charactersʼ words and conversations take on an absurd degree of horror and ominousness. Certainly, the actors talking past eachother is to a certain extent due to the obvious reason that they are
engaging in dialogues in two different languages, Japanese and French.
However, the thorough miscommunication onstage cannot be blamed
entirely on linguistic issues. The frustration of words that convey nomeaning, or rather, the inability of the words to reach their target in thefirst place is topicalized. This is the degree to which the peculiar bilingual format is incorporated into the method of direction. As the playmoves along, we begin to accept the different languages as obvious.

As Kitano has also covered past SPAC productions in his column, hewrites as follows with the stylized acting of director MIYAGI Satoshi (or even

While pointing out that Jeanneteauʼs idea of structurally building the bi-of SPACʼs first General Artistic Director SUZUKI Tadashi) in mind. “SPAC is alingual staging into his directing functions well with the lines and “pauses”

theater company that prizes stylistic beauty, but the acting this time seemsof the play, Odaʼs review also clearly identifies the directorial theme of

to be almost realistic for them. Still, as it is a bilingual (subtitled) production“unease.” The review is particularly brilliant for its juxtaposition of Chek-

with actors invited from France, rather than immediately reacting to or em-

hov and Samuel BECKETT, focusing on the directing in the final part ofpathizing with the words of the characters, the premise of distance enables

Act II. We could call this an example of a “fortunate encounter” between

a unique viewing experience in which the audience savors the meanings

a director and critic.

and nuances of those words.” As I mentioned in my third report, when we
consider the special circumstances of the “realist” reception of the worksof Anton CHEKHOV within the shingeki theater movement in Japan, it may
naturally follow that the play is critiqued as a “unique viewing experience”
domestically. Ideally, I would have liked the reviewer to go further and share
how that “uniqueness” may influence interpretations and experiences in thetheatrical world, but unfortunately, he was constrained by space limitations.
Takahashi, on the other hand, writes as follows, focusing on the onstage
visuals and “symbolism” as a keyword. “[The multi-protagonist play] islike a mirage filled with symbols. For example, there is a scene where thecarpet on the floor, which initially appeared to be covered with a thicklayer of sand, is cleaned all at once and swept into the corners so thatthe floor of the stage is visible. This alone seems to symbolize that thecherry orchard has been sold off, the old generation is in decline, and everything has been lost.” As I mentioned in my third report, the visual-arts
approach of Daniel JEANNETEAU is derived from the poetic aspects oflanguage, and the fact that this leads Takahashi to conclude that “thereading of Chekhovʼs The Cherry Orchard stands out in the careful directing” could be considered a certain degree of praise. Regarding thebilingual staging, he writes, “Strangely, it did not bother me at all.” As

The climax of Jeanneteauʼs directing is probably... the scene with the“passerby” (OUCHI Yoneji), who appears only in Act II. His arrival is amysterious one. With the scrims removed, blinding light pours in fromboth sides of the stage. A beggar wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt
and pants, blue down jacket, and ocher baseball cap walks extremely, almost terrifyingly slowly from stage right to stage left. All eyes areon him, and everyone turns toward him. The intruder has the power
to make everyoneʼs attention converge upon him. Who is he, really?
In Chekhovʼs script, he declares himself “a hungry fellow Russian,”but to Jeanneteau, he is a divine stranger who is not supposed toappear, and perhaps even an absolute other. When Varya “screams,
frightened” at the sight of him, her intense startlement and backing
away may represent our bewilderment and discomfort at being unable to understand the discovery of the strange neighbors who arealways and already present in modern society, which we mistakenly
thought to be homogenous and stable.

In an ordinary reading of the play, the “passerby” appears in order todescribed by this report, that was the result of careful work carried out

demonstrate Ranevskayaʼs “cluelessness” in giving away her gold withoutaccording to meticulous planning at a difficult time.

fully grasping her own debt. However, Oda indicates the appearance ofSome excellent writing can also be found on personal blogs and social

this bit character to be the arrival of a “divine stranger.” He is like Godot,

media posts. I would like to present some excerpts here with the authorʼs

who never arrives, or like the “intruder” in the play by Maurice MAETER-

permission.

LINCK. Make no mistake, The Cherry Orchard is not a story of hopelessness. Although it depicts a hopeless situation, each character sets out on○ ODA Toruʼs review posted on his personal Facebook page (updated December 10, 2021) and personal blog Uratadona

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Artsa new path, and in doing so, their “bewilderment and discomfort” is thevery mirror image of our panic amid a pandemic.

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The Cherry Orchard

Entry and Exit Procedures amid the Global Pandemic

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▼ Return to France

Surel & Besançon: Left Japan on Tuesday, November 16
Thus, The Cherry Orchard finished its run in Shizuoka, and the France

Jeanneteau: Left Japan on Wednesday, November 24

staff members sequentially returned to their home country. The play is

Benranou and the five actors: PCR test at clinic in Tokyo on Thursday,scheduled to be performed in France next season (2022–2023), but for

December 16; left Japan on Friday, December 17

now, in my report, I would like to summarize production under the “extraordinary circumstances” of the past six months. Ahead of the performancesin November and December 2021, the French actors and staff first arrived

Amid the special circumstances of a global pandemic, cooperation within Japan in late July. Their six-month entry/exit schedule was as follows.

government policy (border control measures) was necessary with regardto (1) entry, (2) isolation, and (3) exit. The first obstacle was (1) entry. As▼ Rehearsal, Phase I: Jeanneteau, Mammar BENRANOU, and the five ac-

I briefly mentioned in my first report, the performances were extremely

torssignificant in terms of creating a model for inviting artists to Japan from

Wednesday, July 21: Departure from Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris

overseas despite entry restrictions.

Thursday, July 22: Arrival at Haneda Airport and entry into Japan; travel toConversely, SPAC took responsibility for (2) isolation. As of the summer

Shizuoka via chartered bus → Isolation until Thursday, August 5 (14 days)of 2021, entrants and returnees from overseas (those who had tested neg-

*Only Aurélien ESTAGER entered Japan on Thursday, July 29 and was inative upon entry/return) were restricted from using public transportation

isolation in Shizuoka until Thursday, August 12.

when heading to their homes, accommodation facilities, or other quar-

Wednesday, September 1: Two of the actors (Nathalie KOUSNETZOFF andantine locations. Accordingly, a bus to Shizuoka was chartered. The fact

Estager) return to France

that SPACʼs headquarters are located about four hours from Haneda Air-

Wednesday, September 8: Jeanneteau returns to France (due to a family

port by bus and the accommodation facilities were so far from the Tokyo

matter)area appears to have been a factor in greatly reducing the stress of stag-▼ Rehearsal, Phase II: Jeanneteau, two of the actors, Isabelle SUREL

have been different had infections emerged, but fortunately, none of the(sound), and Juliette BESANÇON (lighting)visitors tested positive or were identified as a close contact.

ing an “international coproduction” amid a pandemic. The situation might

Saturday, September 25: Departure from Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris

Finally, with regard to (3) exit, trouble occurred due to changes in the do-

Sunday, September 26: Arrival at Haneda Airport and entry into Japan;

mestic situation. First of all, because there was a reduction in the number

travel to Shizuoka via chartered bus → Isolation until Sunday, October 10of flights and there were no daily direct flights between Paris and Tokyo,(14 days)

the travelers had to deal with cancellations of their tickets (or changes

Performance photography ©K. Miura

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to flights) even after booking depending on the number of reservations.

to France, with major achievements including the invitation of Olivier PY

Second, as of December 2021, all travelers were required to take a PCR(first visit to Japan in 2008), who served as director of the Festival dʼAvignon

test before boarding (regardless of vaccination status), but there was no

until this year, as well as the production of Interior directed by Claude

hospital or clinic in Shizuoka that could issue proof of a negative test on

RÉGY (premiered in 2013).

schedule. Accordingly, it was also necessary to make bookings with test-

Miyagi directed Grimmʼs Fairy Tales (The Real Fiancée and The Girl, theing clinics and make travel and accommodation arrangements on a tightDevil and the Mill) written by Py in 2012. In 2014, while Py was the direc-

schedule, just before departure and during the performance period. It may

tor of the Festival dʼAvignon (held every year in July), Miyagi staged Ma-

be difficult, as this is a case-by-case issue, but with regard to flexibility

habharata – Nalacharitam in the Boulbon Quarry, where Peter BROOK had

for schedule changes, the possibility of institutional design to reducepreviously staged that same work. Later, in 2017, Miyagi staged Antigone

confusion on the ground might be something to examine in the future.

in the festivalʼs main venue, the courtyard of the Papal Palace. These per-Role of The Japan Foundation and Future Prospects:
Relationship with SPAC

in the 2010s. However, it goes without saying that those “incidents” wereformances became important “incidents” in Japanese theatrical history
based on the accumulation of various events. Although there were majordifferences between the two, the prototype for the SPAC version was the
The past activities of The Japan Foundation focused on disseminating

Ku Naʼuka Theatre Companyʼs version of Antigone. It premiered at theJapanese culture overseas and not on “inviting” foreign culture to Japan.

Ancient Stadium of Delphi, Greece, in July 2004, 2,500 (!) years since the

However, this has changed since the outbreak of the global COVID-19

birth of its author Sophocles, one of the three great Greek tragedians. The

pandemic. The foundationʼs project to support international co-produc-value of a single work can paradoxically only be discussed from medium-

tions is one such endeavor.

and long-term perspectives measured in terms of five or ten years.

Since the time of its first General Artistic Director, Suzuki Tadashi

Varying degrees of “incidents” undoubtedly occurred within the process(1997–2007), SPAC has possessed a creative theatrical environment un-of this production of The Cherry Orchard as well. My report was only able

like any other in Japan (Shizuoka Arts Theater, Performing Arts Park, andto track a few of those many “incidents.” That is why when I wrote the

SPAC theater company) and established a history as a venue for inviting

four reports, I envisioned the role of myself, a single critic, as a “Process

and presenting theatrical works from around the world. In particular,

Observer” to be reporting on the path of a single work to its performanceits international theater festival (now “World Theatre Festival Shizuoka”)

onstage (not only that, but amid the unusual circumstances of entry restric-launched following the success of “The 2nd Theatre Olympics” (1999) has

tions and measures against infections) from as many different angles andbecome one of the pillars of its activities. SPAC has especially close ties

viewpoints as possible, while also placing it within a historical context.

Performance photography ©K. Miura

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Because of the designated length, I was unable to avoid bias. However,that is due to my own lack of ability, for which I hope you will forgive me.
Although it may be redundant, I would like to add at the very end of myreport that “dissemination” by The Japan Foundation is expected by theaters to play an enormous role. In particular, the “STAGE BEYOND BORDERS” online distribution of performances launched around the sametime (a free distribution project launched in February 2021) has the reach todeliver performance footage to various viewers beyond the “built-in audience” of each theater and company through platforms such as YouTube,
where its channel has 21,100 subscribers (as of January 2022). The SPAC
productions currently being distributed are the previously mentioned (1)Grimmʼs Fairy Tale – The Girl, the Devil and the Mill, (2) Grimmʼs Fairy
Tale – The Real Fiancée, and (3) Antigone. The view counts are about
48,000 for (1) (released February 2021), about 35,000 for (2) (released May2021), and about 64,000 for (3) (released October 2021). The distributed

videos may also be used for lecture presentations and lessons. Most ofall, the fact that they are accessible from anywhere in the world as an archive makes them of great benefit to the public.
Needless to say, The Japan Foundationʼs international creations must
provide a high degree of public contribution. However, this is achieved
not only through their position within history as described in this report,
but also through their comprehensive approach to the contemporary
receiving environment. Accordingly, it may be advisable for The JapanFoundation, which leads Japanʼs cultural sector, to develop medium- andlong-term receiving platforms for the performing arts while exchanging
opinions with theater and company producers. Furthermore, from theperspective of audiences, the method of attending performances is
ceasing to be limited to just “sitting in the theater across from the stage.”
Despite the circumstances of the pandemic, it is important for the parties
concerned in each cultural sector (national, prefectural, and municipal) andon the ground (theaters, companies, artists, producers, and critics) to widely
share the fact that the time has come to explore and examine new waysof “disseminating” Japanese creativity in the performing arts.
Note
In the process of writing this report, I received significant assistancefrom everyone at SPAC. In particular, I would like to express my gratitude
once again to NARUSHIMA Yoko on the production side, as well as actors
FUSE Asuka and Suzuki Haruyo and director Daniel Jeanneteau, for theircooperation regarding the interviews. I would also like to thank KEIMIAoi and YONEYAMA Junichi on the production side for fact checking andproviding photographs and video footage.

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PROJECTElectraSCOT (Suzuki Company of Toga) and
Restu I. Kusumaningrum (Indonesia)
Electra was an international collaboration between members of SCOT (Suzuki Company of Toga) inJapan, led by SUZUKI Tadashi, and Indonesian actors. SCOT previously produced the play Dionysus(co-produced by the Japan Foundation Asia Center), which was directed by Suzuki and performed by
Japanese, Indonesian, and Chinese actors from 2015 to 2019. It was performed in Japan and Indonesia to high acclaim.For Electra, a project to build on the success of Dionysus, Suzuki auditioned
and selected Indonesian actors undergoing training in the Suzuki Method of Actor Training under thesupervision of Indonesian producer Restu I. Kusumaningrum. With the accompaniment of percussion
music performed by TAKADA Midori, this production shed a unique light on the assets of Asian the-SUZUKI Tadashi

ater and presented the world with a new version of the Greek tragedy. Electra was first performed at
Toga Grand Theatre (Toga Dai-Sanbo) in November 2021.

Outline of Performances

Date and times: November 27, 2021 (Sat) 1:00 p.m. / 6:15 p.m.
Duration: 75 minutes
Venue: Toga Grand Theatre (Toga Dai-Sanbo)

Credits
Director: SUZUKI Tadashi
Original work by: Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Sophocles
Music composed and performed by: TAKADA Midori
Cast:

Restu I. Kusumaningrum

Clytemnestra: SAITO Maki
Electra: Andhini Puteri Lestari
Chrysothemis: Agatha Irena Praditya
Orestes: Jamaluddin Latif
Men in wheelchairs: Dian Nova Saputra, Wahyu Kurnia, Erik Nofriwandi, Ahmad Ridwan Fadjri,
WashadiNurses: KIYAMA Haruka, KITO Risa, SHIN Marie, YOSHINO Karen, SUGIMOTO Sachi, FUSO Miyuna
Doctor: Bambang Prihadi
Set Design: SUZUKI Tadashi
Lighting: NIWA Makoto
Sound: KOBAYASHI Junya
Costumes: MITSUDA Toshimi
Assistant Directors: TAKEMORI Yoichi, SATO-JOHNSON Aki, Bambang Prihadi, Anak Agung Iswara
Administrator: Wiwit Roswita
Producers: Restu I. Kusumaningrum, SHIGEMASA Yoshie
Organized by The Japan Foundation and SCOT
Co-produced by Purnati Indonesia

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ElectraREPORTA

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Performance photos ©SCOT (Suzuki Company of Toga)

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1. Intensive training at Purnati, April 10–24, 2021

SCOT (Suzuki Company of Toga) and Restu I. Kusumaningrum(Indonesia)

Electra First Report: Launch of Project
Author: UCHINO Tadashi

Conducted in Jakarta with 15 invited actors/performers
Purpose: To enrich the vocabulary of physical expression and to identify
potential actors for Electra
Program Content:• Lecture on philosophy through Javanese dance by an expert on Javaneseculture invited from the University of Indonesia

Initially there were fears that this project would be difficult to imple-• Saman, an Acehnese dance for the organic connection of the senses

ment due to the worldwide spread of COVID-19. The project was originally• Martial arts of West Sumatrascheduled to be presented during the SCOT Summer Season in the sum-• The soft movements of the Pakarena dance of South Sulawesi

mer of 2021, but due to universally known situation, it became no longer• Basics of Balinese dance for women and men

possible to schedule. However, thanks to the professional and calm

• Introduction to the Suzuki Training Method

response of SCOT in Japan and their Indonesian collaborators, producer• Voice training through text reading in each personʼs native language

Restu Kusumaningrum and Purnati1 staff, and their deep understanding• Viewing of videos of SCOT, Indonesian, and international performing artsof the artistic and art historical importance of this project, which is more

• Exchange with invited professional actors, directors, and writers

than just an international exchange, preparations are now well underway
for the performance scheduled for November 27 at Toga Grand Theatre

2. Electra audition, April 22, 2021

(Toga Dai-Sanbo) in Toga Art Park, Toga Village, Nanto City, Toyama Pre-

15 actors participated and the following six were selected:

fecture. The first meeting with both sides was held remotely via Zoom

1. Washadi (performed in Dionysus3) 2. Erik Nofriwandi 3. Wahyu Kurnia 4.

on October 22. At that time, the Indonesian actors had already arrived

Ahmad Ridwan Fadjri 5. Andhini Puteri Lestari 6. Agatha Irena Praditya

in Japan and were already in Toga Village, SCOTʼs home base, where the

The following three actors who were in the Indonesian version of Diony-

production is to be staged, and in self-isolation.

sus were also invited:

The following is mainly a summary of a presentation given by the Indo-

7. Jamaluddin Latif 8. Dian Nova Saputra 9. Bambang Prihadi

nesian side (by Restu) at the meeting, translated from English into Japa-

These are the nine people who were offered roles in Electra.

nese (the Japanese translation was done by the author), interspersed withcomments noting my impressions at this point.

3. Training program for the selected actors
a. May–June

1st Meeting (Using Zoom)

Regular Zoom meetings with Restu

October 22, 2021, 2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.

Viewing SCOT performance recordings

Participants: SHIGEMASA Yoshie (SCOT production), Restu Kusumanin-

Suzuki Training Method training every Wednesday and Saturday at Pro

grum (producer, Singapore2), Wiwit Roswita (Purnati manager, Jakarta), AnakArt Space

Agung Iswara (interpreter, Bali), Uchino Tadashi (observer)(Participants: Washadi, Andhini, Sarah, and via Zoom, Agatha, Erik, Ridwan,
and Wahyu)

The project has encountered various difficulties due to the COVID-19

b. July: Training

pandemic, but the Indonesian actors have finally been able to come to

Suzuki Training Method training at Pro Art Space from Monday to Satur-

Japan, the schedule for the performance on November 27 has been set,

day every week

and the first meeting to explain the project to the author was held via

7:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m. Morning session / 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Afternoon

Zoom, connecting Japan, Indonesia, and Singapore.
First, Shigemasa of SCOT gave an overview of the project and describedsession(Participants: Washadi, Andhini, Erik, Ridwan)

the purpose for the day, followed by a more than 30-minute presentation

Meditation and text readings at the studio (in Indonesian, at Jampang

on the project by the producer, Restu. The following is a summary of that

Farming Studio)

presentation.

c. July: Actors
Erik and Ridwan (Padang Panjang, West Sumatra) flew to Jakarta on June 30

The following 12 people are participating in this project from the Indo-(Tuesday–Thursday) Administrative work at the Purnati office of Pro Art

nesian side:SpaceJamaluddin Latif (Actor, Yogyakarta)(Friday–Monday) Outdoor activities for physical strengthening [agriculture,

Dian Nova Saputra (Actor, Trenggalek)

gardening, fishing, and renovation of Jampang Farming Studio (painting,Washadi (Actor, Jakarta/Brebes)

cooking, building an outdoor theater)

Erik Nofriwandi (Actor, Padang Panjang)d. AugustWahyu Kurnia (Actor, Lombok)

Agatha (Yogyakarta) took the train to Jakarta

Ahmad Ridwan Fadjri (Actor, Padang Panjang)

Wahyu (Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara) flew to Bali

Andhini Puteri Lestari (Actress, Jakarta)

Suzuki Training Method training (instructed by Restu, Bali Purnati), thenBambang Prihadi (Training Director/Actor, Jakarta)

flew to Jakarta on August 1

Agatha Irena Praditya (Actress, Yogyakarta)

All except Jamaluddin and Dian Nova gathered on August 2

Anak Agung Iswara (Interpreter, Bali)
Wiwit Roswita (Administrator, Jakarta)

Training Schedule for Electra

Restu I. Kusumaningrum (Producer, Singapore)• August 2–25: Suzuki Training Method training at Pro Art SpaceFY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

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ElectraMonday–Saturday, 7:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m. Morning session / 4:00 p.m.–5:00
p.m. Afternoon session

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4. The final casting was decided by Suzuki after the rehearsals in Toga
had begun (this part was based on information provided by Shigemasa).

Wednesday and Thursday: Training by Bambang
Viewing of Electra video

Impressions after Listening to the Presentation<Intensive training in the Suzuki Training Method>• August 26–September 5

Although the author has not yet been able to visit the site due to the

Quarantine/isolation at Jampang Farming Studio, 1.5 hours away fromCOVID-19 pandemic, it was understood through the first meeting dis-

Jakartacussed in this report that the project is overcoming various difficulties

Participating actors: Electra team (Erik, Wahyu, Ridwan, Andhini, Agatha),and progressing extremely well.

five Dionysus participants (Aditia, Anwari, Dexara, Sarah, Washadi), plus

I think I met the producer Restu for the first time in Toga Village in thefive new actors invited from Java and Sumatra

early spring of 2015. No one would dispute the fact that Suzuki Tadashi is

Led by Bambang, assisted by Washadi

a world-class director, but Restu was not a producer who simply appre-

Introduction of the Suzuki Training Method for new actors, training for

ciates Suzukiʼs works highly. I remember that she came to Japan to ask

the participants of Electra and Dionysus

Suzuki to stage an international co-production with Indonesia in order to• September 1–October 10

somehow contribute to the modernization and revitalization of the per-Jamaluddin and Dian Nova fly to Jakarta

forming arts in Indonesia, where Restu is from. Of course, there are many

Quarantine: At Jampang Farming Studio (outside Jakarta)

such requests, and it would be impossible to fulfill all of them, but Suzuki

Preparation for the Toga Program began on September 13

accepted Restuʼs request, and a relationship was slowly built over time.

• September 13–October 3

The result was performances of Dionysus, one of Suzukiʼs best-known

Suzuki Training Method training at Jampang Farming Studioworks. As already noted, it was performed during the SCOT Summer Sea-

Readings of the script of Electra in Indonesian and four local languages

son from August to September 2018.

Wheelchair training

In this production, the roles of Cadmus and the chorus were played by

Sunday–Friday

Indonesian actors. After its premiere at Toga Grand Theatre in Toga Art

10:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m. Morning session

Park, the play was also performed in a special open-air theater in the

2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Afternoon session

Prambanan Temple Compounds in Indonesia. During the 9th Theatre

6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Evening session

Olympics the following year, the play was performed again at Maezawa

Led by Bambang, assisted by Dian Nova and Washadi

Garden in Kurobe City, Toyama Prefecture, and at the open-air theater inToga Art Park.

Preparation for Departure
October 5–11

Dionysus, one of Suzukiʼs representative works, has not only been

Oct. 5: Move to Pro Art Space (Jakarta)

staged in more than 20 countries, but has also become known for being

Oct. 6–8: Conventional training

performed by a wide variety of actors. In the version that was performed

Oct. 9: PCR test at Japanese medical institution

this time, the Indonesian actors who played the chorus spoke in theirOct. 11: Departure for Japanown dialects, which was a major feature of the production. The actors,
who already had high physical abilities, further enhanced their potential

Health Considerationsas actors through training in the Suzuki Training Method. Their ability
to successfully present the image of a group of people from different• COVID-19

cultures with different sounds/languages, who grouped together in a reli-Two vaccinations completed

gious fervor to incite the masses, was most impressive.

PCR and antigen testing conducted prior to training participation

It is anticipated from the casting that Indonesian actors will be even

Weekly antigen testing with Purnati staff

more important in this production of Electra. In my next report, I hope to

Infection prevention measures: Wearing masks, hand washing, social

attend rehearsals in Toga Village one week before the performance anddistance

interview the actors, if possible.

• Quarantine
Quarantine (disinfection) system: Various facilities in Purnati
From August 2
Pro Art Space, Jampang Farming Studio, Bali Purnati Art Center
Restrictive measures taken in August for COVID-19 forced all actors tomove to Jampang Farming Studio, an hour and a half from Jakarta

The Casting Decision Process for Electra
1. Auditions were held and recorded in Jakarta on April 22.
2. Videos of the auditions with Restuʼs comments were sent to SCOT forreview.
3. The results were communicated to Restu, and after discussion, the actors were selected.

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

1 Purnati is an arts production organization headed by Restu and has facilities in Bali andJakarta, including residency rehearsal studios and theaters. It covers not only theater
but also dance, music, fine arts, and a wide range of other art forms (according to
information provided by Shigemasa).
2 Restu, the producer, is based in Indonesia, but also travels back and forth to Singapore.
She stayed in Indonesia (Bali or Jakarta) for most of the audition and rehearsal periodof Electra to organize and manage this project and to train the actors.Because theactors went to Singapore just before coming to Japan, the October 22 Zoom meeting
was attended from Singapore (this part of the information was provided by Shigemasa).
The other participants live in Indonesia, but not necessarily in well-known cities such
as Jakarta or Yogyakarta.
3 This is the second collaboration between Indonesian actors and SCOT. The first was
the three-year-long production of Dionysus, which welcomed actors from Indonesia andwas performed at Toga Art Park (Toga Grand Theatre) from August to September 2018,
and again at the end of September in the Prambanan Temple Compounds in Indonesia.
As will be explained later, this was a long three-year collaboration, and the trust built atthat time with the Indonesian side is thought to have made the current project during
the COVID-19 pandemic possible.

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except at universities. He believes that the Suzuki Training Method has

SCOT (Suzuki Company of Toga) and Restu I. Kusumaningrum(Indonesia)

Electra Second Report: Rehearsal
Author: UCHINO Tadashi

spread in Indonesia not only because it is systematic, but also because
anyone who actually tries it understands immediately that it is good for
actors. The way of concentration and the way of using the body in themethod can be understood naturally and effortlessly by Indonesian actors, and anyone can understand that this is a method necessary to become a good actor.

As noted in the first report, initially there were fears that this project

Andhini had the opportunity to perform in a Robert Wilson production in

would be difficult to implement due to the global spread of COVID-19. Al-

2018, for which she received training in the Suzuki Training Method fromthough it was no longer possible to conduct the project according to the

Bambang as well as Indonesian actors who appeared in Dionysus. She

prior performance schedule, the group decided to accelerate its prepa-

became interested in the method at that time and tried to participate inrations for the performance scheduled for November 27, 2021, at Togathe summer school scheduled to be held in Toga in the summer of 2020,

Grand Theatre (Toga Dai-Sanbo) in Toga Art Park, Toga Village, Nanto City,but unfortunately it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When

Toyama Prefecture. The first meeting with both sides, discussed in the2021 came around, she heard that there was an audition for Electra, so

first report, was held remotely via Zoom on October 22. At that time, theshe joined it and was hired. Andhini has been participating in a theater

Indonesian actors had already arrived in Japan (October 11) and were incompany called Teater Koma since 2005, which does not necessarily em-

Toga Village, SCOTʼs home base, where the performance is scheduled tophasize the physicality of the actors, focusing instead on spoken drama.

take place, and were self-isolating.

After experiencing the Suzuki Training Method, she came to realize thatAs the international co-production Electra will be rehearsed and performed at Toga Art Park, which has excellent facilities, some facilities

she could not speak her lines properly without training her bodily senses.
Therefore, she intends to continue the training as much as possible.

were available for the members from Indonesia to self-isolate. Therefore,

Jamaluddin, who played the main role of Cadmus in Dionysus, says thatthe 11 members who came to Japan spent the self-isolation period (14he first encountered the Suzuki Training Method in Australia way backdays) in the Toga Village facility without any particular problems, and re-in 1994. At that time, the instructor did not call it the Suzuki Traininghearsals for Electra began on October 26.

Method; it was just something that the Australians were doing. But Jama-

The author stayed in Toga Village from the afternoon of November 18,

luddin was interested, and when he researched it, he found that it wasnine days before the performance, to the morning of the following day,the Suzuki Training Method. He was a member of Theatre Garasi, one ofNovember 19. After arriving, I observed a full rehearsal of Electra on theIndonesiaʼs leading theater companies, from 1997 to 2011, where he also

afternoon of the 18th, and then had the opportunity to interview three

had the opportunity to experience the Suzuki Training Method. What heof the actors. In the evening, I also saw a rehearsal of Shinpan: Tsugaru

understood there was that the method is designed to help actors acquire

Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki (Isolated Landscape in Winter – New Version ), which isthe necessary physicality. If actors do not have control of their bodies,scheduled to be performed together with Electra. In the morning of thethey will not be able to convey anything to the audience when they are on

following day, the 19th, I was able to observe the Indonesian actorsʼ train-

stage. Jamaluddin believes that by developing a sense of body throughing in the Suzuki Training Method, followed by a part of their independent

the method, it is possible to acquire such a body.

rehearsal of Electra.

According to Jamaluddin, the reason the Suzuki Training Method has
spread in Indonesia is that, like Bambang said, it is an easy-to-under-

Those interviewed on the afternoon of November 18 were Bambang

stand method that shows actors how to acquire what their bodies need.

Prihadi, who is the assistant director of Electra and plays the role of the

He said that he felt that his performance in Electra was, in a sense, andoctor; Andhini Puteri Lestari, who plays Electra; and Jamaluddin Latif,

opportunity to experience the “real” Suzuki Training Method, and that he

who plays Orestes. The interview was conducted in Indonesian. The inter-

considers it to be a very valuable opportunity.

preter was Anak Agung Iswara, and Wiwit Roswita from production and
SHIGEMASA Yoshie of SCOT were also present. The following is a summary of the interview.
Bambang is an artist with his own theater company in Indonesia. In

Afterward, the author, understanding the importance of the Suzuki
Training Method for the Indonesian actors, asked how they feel it comesout in actual productions.

2015, he came to Toga for the first time under a Japan Foundation pro-According to Bambang, what he learned in training is directly appliedgram and stayed at SCOT for 40 days to experience the Suzuki Training

on stage, as shown by his ability to respond physically to Suzukiʼs direc-

Method. He had read about the method in books, but when he actuallytion, for example. In other words, training and the stage are linked. Fur-

experienced it, he says that he understood that it is even more wonderfulthermore, Bambang also said that his performance in Electra has madethan what he had gained by reading. Since then, he has continued his

him understand that the combination of Suzukiʼs direction and the Suzu-

relationship with SUZUKI Tadashi. The method itself has been taught in

ki Training Method is the probably the most appropriate way to convey toIndonesia since 2002 by artists from the Indonesian theater company

people the various tragic situations of the contemporary world.

Theater Garasi who studied the method in Toga and brought it back to In-

Andhini, in response to the same question, said that since she is play-donesia, but it is since 2015 that the method has finally been taught there

ing the role of Electra, she has experienced that the elements of thein earnest. The producer of Electra, Restu, understood the essence of the

Suzuki Training Method, from body movement to breathing and concen-

method and created a system to teach it in Indonesia, using the spaces

tration, play an extremely important role. In Indonesian contemporaryof Purnati, which she presides over, and other locations. Bambang also

theater, acting that relies on emotion tends to take precedence, but inbegan to use the method in his own theater company, Ciputat (Jakarta).

theater based on the Suzuki Training Method, it is important to convey

According to Bambang, in Indonesia, each theater company has its own
method of training actors, and nothing systematic has ever been taught

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

emotion without losing the form of the body, and she believes that she isgradually becoming able to do this.

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For Jamaluddin, the Suzuki Training Method was initially a tough experience that put a lot of strain on his body, but as he continued the training,
he found that when he actually went on stage, his body was stronger andhis sense of balance was sharpened, so that even in situations where hedoes not speak, he says that he is able to maintain his bodyʼs strength.
The body is acting.
Finally, I asked what the most difficult part of the project is, given that it
is an international collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Bambang, Indonesia was in a critical situation where the spreadof the virus resulted in lockdowns, and for nearly two years, people had
been unable to work in groups like they had before. He believes that it isimportant for people to meet in person, and in theater as well, new ideas
are created when people come together and talk, but he has experienced
that this is extremely unlikely to happen online. He said that he is grateful that this project gave him the same opportunity as two years ago tophysically interact with people and create something.
Andhini responded that she was even moved by the fact that she is able
to give normal performances in front of an audience. The only difficulty
was that she could not train during the initial 14-day quarantine period.
As she had been training in Indonesia before coming to Japan, training
itself became difficult after the quarantine period, but with the support ofthose around her, she managed to get in shape to perform on stage.
Jamaluddin told me that he thinks it is very important, in the midstof the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, that a new version of Electrais being created through this international co-production. He said thatthe presence of an audience is, above all, a treasure in this situation.
Although the 14 days of quarantine were also difficult for Jamaluddin, healso had some interesting experiences during the quarantine period, suchas drawing the sketches shown in the attached document, and communicating with the staff through the drawings.
The above is the content of the interview. The Suzuki Training Method is spreading worldwide, and the most interesting fact was that theIndonesian actors felt that it was the best method for them. After this, I
witnessed the actorsʼ performances from rehearsals to the live show, andeveryone was amazed that they had reached this level of performance insuch a short period of time. The fact that the actors trained for the performance before coming to Japan, went through the quarantine period,and had a series of extremely stressful rehearsals in Suzukiʼs watchfulpresence, may have been a major factor in their performances reaching ahigh level. However, it also seems to be related to the fact that the Suzuki
Training Method is, in the first place, an extremely compatible training
method for the Indonesian actorsʼ methodology and aesthetics of theaterand for their physicality.
This and other aspects of the performance of Electra itself will be discussed in detail in the next report.

From Jamaluddinʼs notes during his self-isolation period (photos by the author)

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Electra Third Report: Performance
Author: UCHINO Tadashi

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nature of their relationship with the absent Orestes. One is frightened her son will kill her, one wishes that her brother will kill theirmother, and one dreams that this situation will be transformed by her
brotherʼs death. (“Directorʼs Notes: Circumstances of Delusion̶ Waiting for Orestes,” https://www.scot-suzukicompany.com/works/05/)

The author stayed in Toga Village on the performance days, November

It can be seen from this that Suzuki believes that Hofmannsthal imagined

27–28, 2021, about a week after the visit described in the second report.

the inner self of modern humans, and regards the fact that this comes

During that period, the author attended four performances: Electra, aout “almost invariably in intense monologues” as the main characteristic

Japan-Indonesia co-production (from 1:00 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. on Novemberof the work. Moreover, because it takes the form of monologues, Suzuki

27 at Toga Grand Theatre (Toga Dai-Sanbo)), which was the subject of thissays that it “is a rather good fit” with his idea that “the world is a hospital,

observer work and Shinpan: Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki (Reissue: Winterand all people are sick.”View of the Tsugaru Straits; from 3:30 p.m. on November 27 and 1:00 p.m. on
November 28 at New Toga Sanbo). In addition, I attended a talk given by

SUZUKI Tadashi at 10:00 a.m. on the 28th.
I would like to briefly discuss here Electra, the subject of this collaborative production. The text of this work is based on texts by Sophocles(ca. 496–406 BC), a Greek tragedian, and Hugo VON HOFMANNSTHAL(1874–1929), an Austrian playwright active from the late 19th to early 20th

century.
The script composed by Suzuki consists of seven scenes. The char-

When humans are in an impossible situation̶ in this case, the situation of the three trapped women, to which are added several men(chorus) who are in isolation as sick people̶ what kind of mental

state and behavior do people develop when they feel that they lackthe power to change their situation? The most essential aspect of
this production was the pursuit of the clearest way to present that on
the stage. (Ibid.)

acters are Clytemnestra, Electra, Chrysothemis, Orestes, men in wheelchairs, nurses, and a doctor. After the famed Trojan War, the Greek com-

As a result, “as usual, we had wheelchairs and nurses making a grand ap-

mander Agamemnon returns to Mycenae, Greece, only to be murdered bypearance,” Suzuki continues, and aside from whether this is “as usual” orhis queen Clytemnestra, largely because of her affair with her lover, Ae-not, we can understand that this “wheelchairs and nurses making a grand

gisthus, during the ten years of the Trojan War. Agamemnon and Clytem-

appearance” is a major feature of Suzukiʼs direction. In addition, there

nestra have daughters Electra and Chrysothemis and a son Orestes. Or-

is an extremely important directorial touch in this work, which Suzuki

estes, fearing for his life after his fatherʼs death, flees, and Clytemnestra

himself explains below. This is the live percussion performance, and thetreats her daughter Electra coldly. Eventually, however, Orestes returns

presence of the percussionist on stage at all times.

and kills his mother and her lover to avenge his fatherʼs murder.
This tale of Orestesʼ revenge is one of the most famous in Greek mythology, and was a subject treated not only by Sophocles but also by
Aeschylus and Euripides, who, along with Sophocles, are considered thethree greatest Greek tragic poets. Meanwhile, against the backdrop of
the renewed attention to ancient Greece in the modern Western world,
Hofmannsthal, the author of the text used in the present work, adapted aplay based on Sophoclesʼ text and staged it in 1903. The composer Richard Strauss composed an opera from the text, using it as a libretto. The
opera version was premiered in 1909.
Regarding this Hofmannsthal version of the text, Suzuki writes:

The performance also features a unique technique for stage effect:
the addition of live percussion music, with the rather intense soundof the percussion instruments, and the percussionistʼs presence onstage from the opening of the show to the end. The actors move violently with the sound of the percussion instruments; however, thesound is not an accompaniment to their movements, but rather a cry
from their inner selves that bursts out and fills the space. Therefore,
it is fair to say that the body of the musician, who guides the movements of all the characters, is also one of the main actors in thisperformance. Perhaps there has never been a stage production in thehistory of the worldʼs theatrical arts where a musician has been so

The special quality of this play, based on a Greek tragedy, is in its de-present as a leading actor. (Ibid.)

piction of the emotions of each woman of the Atreus family, Clytemnestra, the wife who murdered her husband Agamemnon, and her
two daughters, Electra and Chrysothemis, in a way that is convincing
even to modern audiences. Although a bit wordy, the story is brilliant
in the way it makes us wonder if this is where the germ of insanity
begins. It is a rather good fit for my idea of stage production, which isthat the world is a hospital, and all people are sick. The main reason
for this impression is that the three women are placed in a closed“family” and the differences in their feelings are clearly depicted.

Their feelings are not expressed in conversation, but rather almost
invariably in intense monologues. And all of them are concerned withthe survival and return of Orestes, the absent son and brother. Thisis partly why I chose the subtitle Waiting for Orestes, but at any rate,
the present and future of these womenʼs existence is defined by the

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

As you can see, the percussion performance is not merely an accompaniment to the actorsʼ movements, but is intended to be “a cry from their inner selves that bursts out and fills the space.” This is generally presumed
to be difficult to achieve, but the participation of TAKADA Midori, one ofJapanʼs leading percussionists, in the show since its premiere has enabled Suzukiʼs directorial intention to be successfully realized. And thistime, of course, Takada is participating again.
Electra, composed and directed by Suzuki as described above, was first
performed at Toga Open Air Theatre in 1995. Although it has not necessarily been performed as frequently as his other major productions, in
2007, for example, Suzuki directed Electra at Taganka Theatre in Moscow,
Russia, where Yuri LYUBIMOV (1917–2014) was the artistic director, and it
later became a part of the theaterʼs repertoire, giving it a glorious history.

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the cast was as follows:
Clytemnestra: SAITO Maki

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pushed in a wheelchair by a doctor, echoing the percussion performanceby Takada Midori onstage as the performance proceeds.
Most of the performance is spoken in Indonesian and the dialects ofElectra: Andhini Puteri Lestari*

the Indonesian actorsʼ hometowns, with Japanese subtitles displayed.

Chrysothemis: Agatha Irena Praditya*

Only Saito Maki, who plays Clytemnestra, speaks in Japanese.

Orestes: Jamaluddin Latif*
Men in Wheelchairs: Dian Nova Saputra*, Wahyu Kurnia*, Erik Nofriwandi*,

It should be noted here that the wheelchair-bound men, who continue
playing a role from the beginning of the play, can be said to be the cho-Ahmad Ridwan Fadjri*, Washadi*

rus of Greek tragedy, and in Suzukiʼs staging, they sometimes also speak

Nurses: KIYAMA Haruka, KITO Risa, SHIN Marie, YOSHINO Karen,

Electraʼs inner voice. For example, in the stage directions for scene 3, it is

SUGIMOTO Sachi, FUSO Miyuna

clearly stated that, “The men begin speaking Electraʼs inner voice.” Thus,

Doctor: Bambang Prihadi*

it is the men in wheelchairs, as the inner voice of Electra, who play the(Honorifics omitted)

role of telling Clytemnestra that she herself is destined to be killed by Orestes (scene 5).

Of these, the actors marked with an asterisk are from Indonesia.

The principle of each speaking in his own dialect when speaking alone

The opening scene with the men in wheelchairs is a scene that is not

and in Indonesian when speaking in unison is maintained. Although I

described in detail in the performance script I have at hand (it says only

cannot tell the difference in detail, after listening to the play several

that “five men in wheelchairs appear”). This was first of all a showcase fortimes, I could begin to feel the distinctive tonal quality that each of their

the male actors from Indonesia. For a while they continue to make gro-languages has.

tesque and sometimes comical movements that rely on their outstanding

With that being said, Electra does not have as much dialogue asphysicality, almost dance-like, as they march across the stage in theirClytemnestra, who has rather long monologues in scenes 2 and 5, butwheelchairs, stamping their feet like an army, letting out incomprehensi-

she is physically present on stage from beginning to end, responding to

ble roars in unison, and breaking ranks. Then Electra appears on stage,

every bit of Takadaʼs percussion playing with gesticulations and showing©SCOT (Suzuki Company of Toga ）FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

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that she is the real main character of the play. Andhini Puteri Lestari, whoplayed the role of Electra, exhibited the acting skill to handle this difficult directorial challenge with aplomb. The same could also be said of
the Indonesian male actors who played the wheelchair-bound men witha sense of composed control throughout as well as individuality despite
their well-organized discipline.
As we have seen, the international co-production of Electra (directedby Suzuki Tadashi), which overcame various obstacles in the midst of the

COVID-19 pandemic, achieved results far beyond the authorʼs expectations. The Indonesian actors grew even more significantly than during thefull rehearsals I wrote about in my second report, and it is safe to assume
that this was due to the fact that they were able to continue to live in thefavorable environment of Toga Art Park, where they could concentratesolely on their creative work.
As noted above, two performances were held, drawing a total of 301
spectators. The fact that such a large number of visitors came to Toga
Village at the turn of the season is due in large part to Suzukiʼs achievements over many years, and the author is confident that this international
co-production must have made a striking impression on the audience.
Please see the photos provided by SCOT of the Indonesian actors training in the Suzuki Training Method and performing on stage.

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authors such as Peter BROOK, Richard SCHECHNER, and Erika FISCH-

SCOT (Suzuki Company of Toga) and Restu I. Kusumaningrum(Indonesia)

Electra Fourth Report: Reflection
Author: UCHINO Tadashi

ER-LICHTE are mentioned. The word “backlash” is used because, justat this time, postcolonial criticism was a major force in critical theory in
the English-speaking world, and the structure of artists from the former
colonial powers exploiting the culture of their former colonies was, in andof itself, severely criticized. Perhaps the most famous controversy is thecriticism by Indian critic and director Rustom BHARUCHA of the British,

Up to the third report, I mostly completed my reports as an observer. In
this final report, I would like to analyze the historical significance of thisinternational co-production, taking into account academic views.

white, Brookʼs production of The Mahabharata (1985).
The subsequent Wave Two of consolidation was a period when intercultural works had great influence within the festival culture circuit, mainlyInternational coproduction is a relatively neutral term, but the wordin continental Europe, against the backdrop of an era of globalization.

“international” nevertheless implies the assumption of a nation-state,

Partly because of this, intercultural theater practices had become someaning that different nations work together to produce a work of art. In

commonplace that even scholars had begun to point out the need to sep-

the case of Electra, this means Japan and Indonesia.

arate the categories within them. In this book, categories such as trans-

On the other hand, academically, the term interculturalism refers to acultural, intracultural, and extracultural are introduced. Moreover, articles

trend in performing arts that has emerged as a new phenomenon sincethat say things such as the following have also come to be written.2

peopleʼs interaction with each other has increased globally. It is important to note that the term “culture” is used rather than “nation,” and alsothat “inter,” meaning between or among, is used here. The Japanesetranslation has not been settled, and while some researchers call it ibunka-sesshoku-shugi (literally, different culture contact-ism), I have consistently used the term kanbunka-shugi (interculturalism).
The fact that different cultures come into contact and are influenced byeach other due to various factors is the very history of humankind. As

While [noting] that intercultural theatre as a whole has tended to
be dominated and over-determined by Western practitioners andtheorists, [it is argued] that intercultural theatre is better positioned
to “explore and critique alternative forms of citizenship and identity
across and beyond national boundaries, although the subjectivities
they produce are not wholly free of state mediation.” (p. 237).

such, it is possible to say that this is not a phenomenon unique to theage of globalization. However, considering the characteristics of the lim-

In other words, as intercultural theater productions matured with the pe-ited category of the history of contemporary theater, I believe that it isriod of consolidation, the discourse surrounding them also shifted towardpossible to segment/discuss the various practices that have come into

more subtle analysis and evaluation that could not be reduced to simple

the limelight with the keywords “inter” and “culture,” so I have adopted

dualism.

this translation and will use it uniformly in this report.

As for the current Wave Three, as it is one of the “other” intercultural-

Interculturalism first came to attention in the 1980s. More than 40 years

ism(s), it is noted that the attention of researchers is increasingly focusedhave passed since then, and it is safe to say that a common understand-on a very diffuse and diverse range of intercultural theater practices,ing of what interculturalism means in the context of theater has emerged

especially small practices in non-mainstream and non-Western-cen-among practitioners and researchers alike. With some reservations that

tered places. Of course, since we are talking about discourse in the En-

this shared understanding may be limited to the English-speaking world,

glish-speaking world:with which I am deeply involved, I would like to point out that the publication in 2020 of The Methuen Drama Handbook of Interculturalism and
Performance, co-edited by Daphne P. LEI and Charlotte McIVOR, demonstrates the growing understanding and expansion of interculturalism intheater.1
The final chapter of the book is an annotated bibliography by McIvor
with Justine NAKASE, in which the historical view of interculturalism
on which the book relies, and which is generally shared by the academic community, is presented, along with explanations of key terms andWave Three is characterized by… the study of intercultural performance with an emphasis on minority-led and/or Asian and/or
non-Western artists, projects, events, and experiences, and an evenmore pronounced focus on intercultural processes including but notlimited to actor-training and rehearsal processes… Wave Three might
be seen as centered on practices that repurpose, replace, redirect, or
ignore these [traces of Wave One and Wave Two] entirely. (pp. 239–240)

key references. According to the description, the winds of intercultural
theater began to blow at the end of the 19th century, forming Wave One

Within this stream of the “other,” coeditor Lei argues, for example, that a(“emergence and backlash”) from the 1970s to the end of the 1990s. Then,genre of “hegemonic intercultural theatre” (HIT) has come into existence.

Wave Two (“consolidation”) lasted from the early 2000s to 2010. And theFirst, here is the definition of HIT as a keyword in this book:present (2011 onward) is the era of Wave Three (“other” interculturalism(s)).
The winds were blown by the giants of theater history with whom we arefamiliar, such as Bertolt BRECHT, Gordon CRAIG, Vsevolod MEYERHOLD,
Antonin ARTAUD, and Jerzy GROTOWSKI, who are considered to havebeen influenced mainly by the Asian theatrical tradition despite being inEurope. They are referred to here as the “modernist genealogies of experimentation,” and key texts are introduced. They are all must-reads fortheater researchers, such as Artaudʼs The Theatre and Its Double (1938).

Daphne P. Leiʼs succinct term which describes elite practices of intercultural theatremaking that are unbalanced in their power dynamics between collaborators, typically lead by auteur directors, spectacular in scale, and driven by the West or Western sources of influenceand funding. (p. 240)

Wave One, which is considered the “ emergence and backlash,” isBrookʼs The Mahabharata is a typical example, but it is worth noting that

where many familiar names from my generation and others appear, andin the 2010s, Lei ventured to call it hegemonic. This is noteworthy be-

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cause Lei deliberately calls it HIT, as she wants to say that there are limits

which the international co-production is based. It is thought that the suc-to critical evaluation of such dualistic power structures.

cess of the co-production comes down to the fact that it took five years.

For example, Lei considers Robert Wilsonʼs (1941–) international collab-

Of course, it is not always better to spend a long time doing things. Evenorations in Taiwan, considered to be part of Wave One, to be typical HIT.

though the collaborations between Wilson and Taiwan only took place on

There were two collaborations between Wilson and local artists in Taiwan.

two occasions, they are said to have brought about significant changes

The first, Orlando (2009), was an intercultural performance that could(“interruption, intervention”) in the Taiwanese theater scene. What about

not withstand the postcolonial criticism. However, 1433̶ The Grandthe case of Electra this time?

Voyage (2010), which was produced in response to the first collaboration,

The key to this is the existence of the Suzuki Training Method as a

is said to have been able to present tremendous complexity that was ashared asset. By sharing this training method with Indonesian actors

complete change from the previous production. Although the details areas an introspective system to consciously cultivate not only their skills

beyond the scope of this report, Lei attributes this success more thanand physical abilities as actors, but also their entire being for speaking

anything to the positive lessons learned by the participants from theirdialogue, Electra was able to achieve the same level of theatrical per-experience with Orlando.3 To summarize briefly, opportunities that ought
to have been positive̶ the “Interruption, Intervention” mentioned in thetitle of the essay̶ were brought to Taiwanese theatrical culture throughtwo collaborations with the “other” in the form of Wilson. The cultural
flow, which had been in a natural state, was artificially interrupted, so to
speak, by the introduction of aesthetics and ideas (in this case, Wilsonʼsviews on theater) from the “other,” which normally should not have en-tered the flow, and an unexpected chemical reaction occurred. She alsosays that even researchers who are critical of HIT should recognize thissignificance of HIT. From a larger perspective, Lei believes that the stanceof criticism that criticized institutions from the outside and pressed fortheir dismantlement, which was the mainstream in the 20th century, has
become invalid via the postmodern, and that it is only from within institutions that institutions can be changed, a stance that is becoming themainstream in the 21st century.
If we bring in this theoretical or genre framework of intercultural theater, how does the Japan–Indonesia co-production of Electra (co-produced
by SCOT and Purnati Indonesia) look?

In Leiʼs paper mentioned above, SUZUKI Tadashiʼs name actually appears as one of the practitioners of HIT for some reason. Although I cannot find a very assertive reason other than the fact that Japan belongs to
the first world economically, it may have something to do with the factthat Suzukiʼs appearance in the period classification already mentioned
falls in the time of Wave One. In other words, is it because he has continued to be active since the “backlash era,” when being a “great director”
itself was simplified to such analyses as “unbalanced power dynamics”?
In any case, I am not going to personally quibble with this assessment
made in 2011. Rather, in looking at the chronology given in the book editedby the same Lei almost a decade later, I believe that it is important to notethat from the very beginning of his activities, Suzukiʼs work so far has realized a performative practice of subjectivity within the problematic sphereTraining in Indonesia ©Purnati Indonesia, 2021

of identity politics, which as I have already cited as a characteristic of theconsolidation of Wave Two, “explore[s] and critique[s] alternative forms of
citizenship and identity across and beyond national boundaries, although
the subjectivities they produce are not wholly free of state mediation.”
This applies not only to the works with actors from the former Waseda Little Theater and SCOT, but also to all of the various international
co-productions that Suzuki has created so far. The performances andpresence on the stage of the Indonesian actors who participated in thisproduction of Electra, as I have written about in previous reports, werecertainly a heterogeneous or intercultural physicality “explor[ing] and critique[ing] alternative forms of citizenship and identity across and beyond
national boundaries.”
It is important to emphasize that such “physicality” is not acquired
overnight, but is made possible first of all by the persistence and soundness of the organizations (in this case, SCOT and Purnati Indonesia) on
Performance photos ©SCOT (Suzuki Company of Toga)

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formance as Suzukiʼs many previous international co-productions. In
other words, not only did the actors give physical and concrete shape to“alternative forms of citizenship and identity across and beyond nationalboundaries” before the eyes of the audience, but through their bodies
and the words they uttered, they allowed the audience to become awareof, or rather to comprehend, an ancient Greek story that should be a greatreference for considering the crises of our own time.

1 It should be noted here that the term “theater” in this report refers to performing artsthat are not limited to theater in the narrow sense of the term, as well as to all so-called
performative works in general that do not necessarily take place on a stage.
2 The quotation in parentheses is from the following paper.
Lo, Jacqueline and Helen Gilbert. “Toward a Topography of Cross-Cultural Theatre
Praxis.” Drama Review 46, no. 3 (Fall 2002): 31–53.
3 Daphne P. Lei, “ Interruption, Intervention, Interculturalism: Robert Wilson ʼ s HIT
Productions in Taiwan,” Theatre Journal, Volume 63, Number 4, December 2011, 571–
586.

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PROJECT

TOGE
Company Derashinera with
LEE Ren Xin (Malaysia) and LIU Juichu (Taiwan)
TOGE is a new dance creation by Company Derashinera, which has collaborated extensively withperformers across Asia. Directed by ONODERA Shuji, Company Derashinera members KAJIHARA
Akiko, LEE Ren Xin (Malaysia), LIU Juichu (Taiwan), and other international artists explore shared
adaptability in different locations and examine how we can put our differences aside and live together. With the very survival of person-to-person exchanges at stake amid the COVID-19 pandemic, thework attempts to avert ruptures, to support opportunities for coming into contact with different value
systems, and to connect to the future by sharing with society at large. After a series of workshopswith a focus on body language, the piece premiered at the Atrium in Kanagawa Arts Theatre (KAAT) in
December 2021.

Outline of Performances

Top left: KAJIHARA Akiko ©Amandine Crochet
Bottom left: FUJITA Momoko,
Top right: SAKIYAMA Rina,
Bottom right: ONODERA Shuji (Company Derashinera)©Suzuki Jouji

Free Performance of TOGE Atrium
Dates: December 9 (Thu), 10 (Fri), 11 (Sat), 2021
5:00 p.m. on each day
Duration: 30 min.
Venue: KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre, Atrium
Theatrical Performance of TOGE
Dates and times: December 17 (Fri) 5:00 p.m., 18 (Sat) 1:00 p.m. / 5:00 p.m., 19 (Sun) 1:00 p.m.,
2021
Duration: 70 min.
Venue: KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre, Middle Studio

Left: LEE Ren Xin ©Bernie Ng
右 Right: LIU Juichu ©Yi Hsin Lo

Credits
Direction and Cast: ONODERA Shuji
Cast: KAJIHARA Akiko, LEE Ren Xin, SAKIYAMA Rina, LIU Juichu, FUJITA Momoko
Lighting: YAMAMORI Eiji
Sound Coordinator: IKEDA Nobu, YAMAMOTO Shuhei
Music: ONO Kishiro, OMURA Tomoya, TANNO Musashi
Scenic Design: HARADA Ai, ISHIGURO Takeshi
Costume Design: VuDuc DoanHung
Stage Manager: IWAYA Chinatsu
Organized by The Japan Foundation, Company Derashinera
Co-organizer: YPAM Executive Committee
Produced by Company Derashinera
Production cooperation: NISHIO Sachiko (arts knot), SONODA Shoko (arts knot)

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Performance photos: ©Suzuki Jouji

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imagining the paper as a letter, “with powerful words written on it like

Company Derashinera with LEE Ren Xin (Malaysia) and
LIU Juichu (Taiwan)

Sakiyama took on the roles of “one who wants to unfold” and “one who

TOGE First Report: Launch of Project

wants to close” the paper, with Fujita then replacing Onodera and giving

Author: TAKAHASHI Ayako

an election speech.” They crumpled the paper up, and Onodera andit a go with Sakiyama. Factors such as the way the paper is unfolded andclosed, and the timing and speed all make a difference in the way things
appear. In the process of searching for the right image, Czech filmmaker

1. Rehearsal Studio, BeginningJan ŠVANKMAJER was mentioned as a reference.

In preparation for the performances in December 2021, Derashinera
gradually started rehearsals at the end of July with the Japan-based
members who could get together: ONODERA Shuji, FUJITA Momoko, and
SAKIYAMA Rina. I observed one of these, a rehearsal held in the multipurpose hall at Academy Otowa on July 26.
At the beginning of the rehearsal, a meeting with the scenic design
staff was held to prepare for the atrium performance. They brought in a
cube-frame object that has been used several times in past Derashinera
performances, and discussed how it looks and how it could be used.
Especially as this is a joint production with an international cast, they
seemed to be conscious about using “simple tools that could be found inany country.” One of the artists commented, “It would be nice if we could
touch on something cultural.”Movement of competing for a piece of paper (photo by the author)

They plan to share these rehearsal videos with the performers overseas
as a resource.

2. Interview with ONODERA Shuji, Director of Derashinera, on the
Launch of the Project
Why Asia?
― What are your thoughts on creation with performers from other Asian

countries?
Onodera: When I was active in the group Mizuto Abura (Water and Oil), I

was more Europe-oriented and did not pay close attention to Asia. How-

Consider using art used in the past

ever, during my stay in Vietnam and Thailand as a Japan Cultural Envoy,Then, after trying “movements like a drunk holding a light” with the

I felt an energy that is not present in Japan today. In cities where manylights dimmed, Onodera, Fujita, and Sakiyama next tried movements

people live the same as in Tokyo, the stores and lifestyles are compa-

using “paper.” The paper was dropped, and Onodera and Sakiyama tried

rable, but at the base, the energy of the people who live in the city isseveral patterns to see how they could connect while Fujita took video.

completely different. It may simply be that peopleʼs voices are a bit loud-They explored expression by changing the meaning of the paper ander, but that sensation was the start. From there, I had opportunities tothe power relationships of the people involved in various ways, such as

collaborate with many people in Asia and became more interested in the
differences between Japan and other countries through the people I met
there.
― What are those differences?
Onodera: For example, NUNG Van Minh was a performer in KAAT with On-

odera Shujiʼs Without Signal! (February 2017) created through a workshop
in Hanoi. Van Minh is a member of an ethnic minority, living with his family near the border with China. He is very pure and honest, including his
passion for dance. I have the impression that he knows how to live properly as a human being, rather than just looking for interesting activities
Trying out using a spotlight with the lights
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young people in Japan, but I do not see many of his type in Japan today.

yet, Lee Ren Xin from Malaysia will also participate this time, and I have

I think this may be due to differences in the environment, such as thehigh expectations for her. I think she is in the dance or performance cat-amount of information and technology. After his performance in Derash-egory, but she also creates her own works, so I feel that she will present a

ineraʼs Knife (December 2020), he could not return to Vietnam because his

new image of womanhood. I am looking forward to seeing how I will react

country had restricted travel from abroad due to the pandemic, including

to that.

by its own citizens. So, he stayed in Japan for six months and we had him
participate in Derashineraʼs The Emperorʼs New Clothes (March 2021).

― That would change your way of making productions a lot, wouldnʼt it?

We had planned to have him join this performance as well, but as theVietnamese governmentʼs policy had not changed, we decided against it

Onodera: I think so. When I was working in Mizuto Abura, Fujita was the

because we felt that it would be problematic for him, considering his age

only female performer, and I asked her to take on characters who do

and his career, if we invited him back to Japan and he could not returnnot flirt or even laugh, aiming to erase the boundary between male andhome for six months again.

female. However, stories are inevitably told in “male/female” terms. In a

Also, after my experience as a Japan Cultural Envoy, I had a project tosociety where men are always considered to be dominant, how to show

gather young people from Taiwan and audition them to create a piece,

this is one approach [to addressing this issue]. However, as there is an allwhich later met with a hitch, but I did a work-in-progress performance infemale cast this time, I want to create a work that shows the strength andJapan. At that time, I felt that the way female performers [in Taiwan] standinterest of each of them.

on stage is a little different from in Japan. I feel that there is a certain way
that is considered good for female performers to express themselves on― What are your thoughts on the state of men?

stage in Japan. Donʼt get me wrong, but I have the impression that Japanese women want to be “cute.” That is great too, but with one standard

Onodera: As a man myself, I cannot be objective in some respects, but

for what is beautiful/not beautiful, everyone tends to look similar.

I feel that men may be given preferential treatment in Japan. When I go

In both Taiwan and Vietnam, on the other hand, I was impressed with

to Europe, for example, the attitude of men toward women is totally dif-the strength that these female performers showed. I was fascinated by aferent. I think men are strong in Europe as well, but I feel that they have

Taiwanese work-in-progress performer, LIU Juichu, who was just so cool

overcome this dispute. I feel that [society] goes awry to the extent thatno matter what she did in the audition. She will be performing again thisJapanese men are not aware of their privileged position, but if what istime, following her appearance in Knife. Then there is NGUYEN Thi Can

happening in Japan today is a transitional period, it may be inevitable.

from Vietnam, who is not participating this time, but appeared in Without

Come to think of it, when I did a workshop in Thailand, it was a pleasantSignal! She, too, was wonderful. When I look at other Asian countries, myexperience for me to be able to create just by being there, regardless ofhonest impression is that there are quite a few female performers whom

whether someone was male or female, because they were so open about

I would like to have perform and appear on stage with me. Of course, thisthe categories of gender.

is not to say that such performers do not exist in Japan, but rather thatAnyway, I feel that Japan has more to learn from other Asian countries,

they tend to not make their presence felt at the right time or end up be-

but as values never change in a stroke, I think there might be something

ing forgotten. That is why I want to show how cool female performers are.

to show after 10 years or so of continual work, rather than imagining a

Even when I was in Mizuto Abura, I enjoyed being told, “So thereʼs thisone-shot deal. As for myself, I think that I will keep making efforts little

way of looking, too.” This is work that can be done among Japanese per-by little without bending.

formers, but again, as I continue to have opportunities to do it with people
from other countries, especially in Asia, I want to bet on the possibility ofProjects Spanning Ten or Twenty Years

showing a new value system when done with performers from other Asian
countries.

― You just mentioned the words “after 10 years,” and this performanceis the first in The Global Theatre Project, which I understand is a 10- or

Wanting to Present an Image of Strong Womanhood

20-year project.

― Especially with your style, I imagine that an individualʼs gender ex-

Onodera: This is related to my problem awareness. For example, whenpression would have a big impact, as you use everyday gestures, such as

dancers who have been active abroad come back to Japan, there arereceiving and not giving things or pretending to give things to others inalmost no companies to receive them. KANAMORI Joʼs Noism Company

your productions ...

Niigata is open to people from abroad, yet in many cases, I feel that thedancers who return to Japan have to start from scratch. But I think that

Onodera: Thatʼs right. The acting aspect of how a person moves, which

if Japanese companies were more global, there would be more openness

goes beyond the matter of dance technique, is important. So, the kind

and we would be able to see different things.

of life someone usually leads and how that person lives his/her life have

Until now, I had been more conscious of doing what I wanted to do andan effect. I think it is interesting if I could pull out what is already inside

expecting someone to pick up the work, rather than engaging with soci-a person. When I suggest something that I think is interesting, it mightety. It didnʼt make sense to me to go out of my way and say, “for the good

be new for the person, and even if they do their best despite a sense ofof society,” so I thought I would just do my own thing and do it well. But

discomfort, it may not work. However, when I talk with Liu Juichu andat some point, however, I began to think that I needed to reflect on vari-

Fujita Momoko, a lot of times they sympathize with me and say, “Thatʼs

ous things and have words to express them in order to connect with so-

only natural,” or “I know what you mean.” KAJIHARA Akiko, who is com-ciety a little more. Now, I feel that my method of connecting with society

ing from France, is another dancer I love, and I hope she will show her

is to find and present a kind of universality using mime, a potential andstrength to Japanese people. Also, although we have not worked together

means of expression that does not involve words. Considering my age, I

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feel that I will not be doing this for that long, so I must proceed little by

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3. Impressions

little, as life is unexpectedly short.
An international co-production during the pandemic means that chang-Group Narrative, Both Abstractly and Figuratively

es had to be made, such as canceling the performance of Nung Van Minh,and there are many uncertainties about when the performers would be― What is your specific conception for this work at this point?

able to attend rehearsals, depending on the COVID-19 situation and government policy. I can see that Onodera and other creators are struggling

Onodera: I am thinking of George ORWELLʼs novel Animal Farm as a mo-with this situation.

tif. The conception itself is interesting, and I feel it is close to the world

On the other hand, for Onodera, who has been active on stage for more

we live in today, where a group or society is led around by the nose, andthan a quarter of a century, his encounter with other Asian countries has

after going in the direction they thought was best, they realize that theygiven him a new perspective and, coupled with his age, has brought him

ended up in a different place and are eventually swindled. However, as I

to a crossroads in terms of expression, in a positive sense.

am likely to be the only man in this project, it will be difficult to achieve

As many rich expressions have come out of various constraints, it willa balance in terms of expressing the story. I am thinking of taking a dif-

be interesting to see how this creation will turn out and what those in-ferent approach by adding some more elements such as different texts,

volved will gain from it.

paintings, and so on.
― By “paintings, and so on,” do you mean as objects? Or as stories?
Onodera: I donʼt mean to use the works as they are, but perhaps the con-

cept or the idea behind them. Also, I feel that deserts, towers, and otherthings that are both abstract and figurative in some way create a world.
I think it would be better to take in something different from the outside
and approach it with the feeling that I am likely as not to break it, rather
than to study it thoroughly as a basis, so as to not come off as preachy.
We are going to make cut-outs of moments such as quarrels or whenpeople say, “Letʼs try to do our best together,” but what kind of structure
can we use to show this? Considering the quarantine period for the performers from overseas, we donʼt have much time for rehearsals, and there
is also the language problem, so I am thinking of using a system where,
for example, I give people a theme and ask them to create a solo, andthen we discuss it.
I feel that Animal Farm has continuity with my previous work Knife.
Knife was inspired by MAUPASSANTʼs Boule de Suif, in which a group ofpeople are on a journey. I thought of it as the journey of life. In a sense,thatʼs what I want to do this time, so I was thinking of using the same artwork once more.
― I think if you were to use completely different visuals, it wouldchange the appearance and make it easier for both the performers andthe viewers to see it as something new, but thatʼs not the point, is it?
Onodera: No. It is wishful thinking, so I am not sure how it will turn out,but I am exploring new possibilities for expression, such as using paper.
I do not want to make everything new all the time. I want to make newworks, but I also want to be conscious of things like recycling and sustainability. The world is headed in that direction, and the performing arts
are also feeling the economic impact of COVID-19. I donʼt want to gainsay
shows that charge 10,000 yen to show something gorgeous and beautiful, but amid various restrictions, I would like to consider putting on
a rich performance in a simple, minimalist way, as a place to showcase
expression itself. I am very grateful to The Japan Foundation for giving mea push at a time when the common reaction is to question the need toinvite foreigners [to Japan] during the pandemic. In the midst of all this,I feel that I, too, am being questioned about what it means to create astage performance.

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For example, in a scene where Lee almost falls off the boat and Fujita

Company Derashinera with LEE Ren Xin (Malaysia) and
LIU Juichu (Taiwan)

TOGE Second Report: Rehearsal
Author: TAKAHASHI Ayako
1. Determining the Title and Concept of the Workappears to have saved her, Fujita falls off. When Lee then made a gesture
as if to follow, Kajihara, who was standing next to her, reacted the sameway, but Onodera pointed out that this made the movement too one-dimensional. So, Kajihara and Liu decided to make a movement of pulling
Sakiyama, who was stumbling backward.
In this way, as the same scene is repeated over and over again while
carefully crafting the details, the movements and nuances become richer

The plot was finalized in October, based on a concept that had beenand smoother. On the other hand, Onodera also says, “I want to show thein the works for some time. In Animal Farm, the motif for the project, theindividuality and presence of each character rather than a detailed story.”animals who have driven out the controlling humans try to establish a free

Next, the rehearsal moved to a scene in which Kajihara agitates every-

and equal self-government, but an imbalance gradually develops, and they

one, and her address brings about a change in the tamed people. Onode-are exposed to attacks from the dominant animals and the outside world.

raʼs cautioning to “go for discussion, not dance” was interesting.

The project abstracts the “rulers” and depicts people who are unaware of
their situation. The central characters are played by five women, with ON-

Here, Kajihara and Liu put their weight on a slanted platform, whose
durability was checked with the stage manager, IWAYA Chinatsu.

ODERA Shuji in a supportive role. The name of the project is TOGE.

2. Start of Rehearsals at KAAT
In mid-November, in the run-up to the December live shows, rehearsals
began at the Kanagawa Arts Theatre (KAAT), the venue for the production. Prior to this, although there was some exchange of text and video
via e-mail, there was no particular practice via Zoom or other means,
especially with the overseas group, as the emphasis was on face-to-facecreation in the rehearsal studio.
In early October, a tentative text (script) for the project was finalized,
translated into English, and shared with the performers.
On October 21, the director and performers held a face-to-face Zoom
meeting to discuss their impressions of the text and the original work.
On November 16, rehearsals began in KAATʼs 8th floor studio. This was
the first day of rehearsals for Onodera Shuji, FUJITA Momoko, and SAKI-

Checking the durability with stage director Iwaya (photo by the author)

YAMA Rina, who were already in Japan. LEE Ren Xin, LIU Juichu, and KAJIHARA Akiko, who were in quarantine, spent time working on their own

Onodera says that he was inspired by artist Mark MANDERS, whose

solos and other ideas, and communicated with everyone via Zoom.

world of sculptures and other objects existing in mysterious equilibrium

On November 18, Lee joined the rehearsals.

with simple chairs, tables, and platforms seems to fit the world of Der-

On November 19, Kajihara joined the rehearsals.

ashinera.

On November 23, Liu joined the rehearsals.

Conversation in the rehearsal studio was a mix of Japanese and English,
with Lee and Liu sometimes complementing these with Chinese. ThereI visited the rehearsal studio on November 24, when everyone was pres-was no confusion, and the atmosphere was friendly.

ent. The scene at the beginning of the story, where the “kept” characters

Although the rehearsal this day was for the theater performance at

conduct mutual surveillance on each other, is expressed using a long

KAAT, experiments with a giant plastic bag to be used in the atrium spacepiece of rubber. Various shapes are created, just like in a game of catʼswere conducted on another day. Preparations for this are also in progress.

cradle. Everyone holds the rubber, and when they go inside, it looks likea boat. It seemed difficult for the five people to handle a single piece of
rubber, because if thetiming was not right,
the rubber would
loosen or it would
look like a different
action. Onoderaʼs
instructions were
extremely detailed,such as, “Donʼt startrunning suddenly, butlean a little.”

A giant plastic bag for the atrium shows. The
cast will perform inside and outside of this bag.
Using a long rubber band to represent unstable and swaying
people (photo by the author)

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3. Interview with the Performers

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I watched the videos they sent me and memorized and thought about
my solo moves. My solo was supposed to be in the character of an office― What are your expectations for this project?

worker, and she was supposed move in a way between an animal and ahuman. I was given a video of what it might look like, and asked to think

Lee: This is not the first time I have collaborated with Japanese people,

about how I wanted it to look.

but it is the first time I have created a work together in Japan in this way.
I was interested in how we would work with the director and as group to

Kajihara: I was rereading Animal Farm, which is the motif of the piece. I

create a piece. When the rehearsals started, it was so detailed! I am now

knew that my schedule would allow me to participate in the rehearsals

very curious to see what we can create together, including myself, withright after they started, so I was trying to conserve my strength by doing

mostly Japanese people.

yoga, Pilates, and other workouts, and sometimes improvisation (laughs).

Liu: I participated in Derashineraʼs Knife in Japan last year. This time it is― I think that a lot of things are different from the norm due toa new work, different from that one, but there are similarities, such as the

COVID-19. How is that affecting you?

table. I am curious to see what will happen.
Fujita: We were miraculously able to perform Knife despite the high
Sakiyama: I was really looking forward to working with Liu and Lee, asprobability of cancellation due to COVID-19 (the November shows were

they are female dancers close to my age. Last year in Knife, Liu pulled

canceled due to a performer testing positive, and were held in early Decem-out an unexpected variety of useful tricks for handling things impromptu,

ber). I feel fortunate that we were able to get together this time, as it feels

and Kajiharaʼs free spirit was refreshing, stimulating my stiff head andmiraculous again.

making me think, “Itʼs okay to be free!” That was fun. This time, Lee will
join us and likely show us a new bag of tricks, and I am determined to re-

Sakiyama: I have become quite accustomed to rehearsing under COVID-19

veal what Iʼve got up my sleeve as well. If not, I will be left behind, and as[restrictions], but in terms of creating a piece with performers from over-there are many people here who do crazy stuff (laughs), I feel that we willseas with no time to spare due to their quarantine period, I think that last

be able to generate some great energy.

yearʼs experience has helped in preparing, with things written in English sothey are ready to be explained right away. We are more prepared this time

Kajihara: With Knife, it was exciting to have a mix of people from differ-than last time. For example, we have devised a way to communicate moreent cultures, and as it was a creation made in a short period, there wasclearly by naming things, such as “prologue,” and speaking in English.

a sense of excitement. This time, we are using some of the same props
again but in different ways, with some of the same members but also

Kajihara: I really get the impression that things are very well prepared. I

some new ones…… So while there has been a bit of switching aroundam relieved that they have made the preparations so carefully. It mustover time, I was looking forward to beginning another journey and goinghave been difficult for you two (foreigners) to prepare so many documents,

to an unknown world. This is my fourth creation with Onodera, and hiswasnʼt it?

work is always very detailed and precise, which feels very stimulating
deep down. As I always work freely, I find it difficult and interesting to

Lee: Yes, it was. But thatʼs okay (laughs). I donʼt feel any problems in

fit things into a proper form. In addition, I am also inspired by the activ-

terms of COVID-19 measures either. I am just thankful to be here because

ities of Derashinera, who are constantly searching for a different way of

the infection situation has been quite bad in Malaysia for the past few

seeing things while maintaining their own style of expression, which ismonths, and there have been no events at all.

somewhere between theater and dance. I feel very blessed to be able tochallenge myself and work with these young dancers.

Liu: COVID-19 has made it difficult for me to go abroad for the past two

Fujita: It may not be the case that I have created with so many people inparticipating in this project. As Taiwan is quite safe, with few infected

Japan, but when I create with people from overseas, I can question what I

people, my parents were worried about the situation in Japan. But I decid-

think is normal and see that it may not be so. There are many things thated that I would go, unless Japan banned entry, in which case I would have

I can learn from Lee and Liu, who come from overseas, and from Kajihara,no choice. After all, working with Derashinera is so much fun. Every min-who works outside Japan, that I cannot notice being in a small company,

ute and every second are a great experience for me as a performer, and I

so I am looking forward to seeing how this will become part of the work.

am very happy. I feel that this is something I cannot experience in Taiwan.

― Ms. Lee, Ms. Liu, and Mr. Kajihara, what did you do during your quar-― What is your impression of Onoderaʼs direction?

years, so I am happy and grateful for the rare experience I am having by

antine period at the hotel?
Lee: Onoderaʼs direction is very thoughtful about how the audience sees
Lee: Onodera had given me an assignment to see what I could do withthe performance. It is also impressive that he asks Momoko and others to

wrapping film, so I went through a lot of trial and error with that in my hotel

look and try to capture things objectively. For me, it is interesting to learnroom. I memorized ideas and e-mailed them to Onodera and the group. I am

how carefully he thinks about how the audience sees the piece, and it isstill working on it in the rehearsal studio. I am going to use it in a solo scene.

fun to try different things here, to have Onodera explain the effects of the
movements, and to try to change the way the audience sees the work.

Liu: During the quarantine period, I spent the first two days reading andrereading the plot. I had a hard time translating it into Chinese. After that,

Liu: Onodera just has a free imagination. He is full of possibilities. In

I juggled, did exercises in bed, and improvised moves. The last four days

rehearsing with him, I can try many different things for what I can do.

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Dance, movement, action, acting, mime…… all are included and all are

there are moments when I can understand who people really are when I

put together. This also frees up my own imagination.

stand facing them in the rehearsal studio or on stage. I feel very happy atthose moments when we understand each other in the absence of words.

Kajihara: He is energetic. I am attracted by his passion, and we become

passionate together. But sometimes he goes too fast, so I call him “TGV”

4. Comment from Onodera Shuji[the French high-speed train] (laughs). What Onodera emphasizes ismovement, situations, and people. What people are, how interesting peo-

Onodera: After the rehearsals began, I became convinced that this casting

ple are… these [ideas] are interspersed throughout the process, and it is

was the right choice. Lee and Liu catch [what weʼre trying to do] and giveinteresting and difficult to explore them through trial and error. But heoutput. Iʼm not going to agree with all the communication in the rehearsal

has a clear vision, so I trust him and follow him. The collaborators who

studio now, and I donʼt think that I need not study language so that I canusually work with Onodera are just what you would expect, and for his

explain more details, but I feel that we can use the fact that something

part Onodera is supported by all of them. I feel that this is a group work.

is missing as a possibility for new expression. This is because I am now

I am very happy to be able to join in as a guest from time to time. I live inaiming for mime that I think is beautiful for what it lacks, rather thanFrance and work with people from France and other European countries,

mime that is perfect in form. I am focusing on the fact that just stand-and their way of doing things really varies from person to person. So, it ising still can be attractive, or that various imagery is created from people

fun to start with a blank canvas and experience, “Oh, this time it is thismeeting and forming relationships, and I feel that what is strong in suchkind of color, this kind of painting.”

situations is a body that does not explain itself.

Sakiyama: I always work with Onodera. He has several patterns [of direc-

understand everything and what you can pick up and produce by feel.

tion], such as when he gives us a big theme, or when he has a clear idea

For me, this is a chance to think about creation once more. When deal-

In fact, there is a big difference between what you can do when youof what he wants to show, or when he says, “Give me this kind of atmo-

ing with people who understand Japanese, I tend to ramble on and on,

sphere.” I enjoy the feeling of making the finished piece through a pro-but in this project that is difficult. So, I try to say very simple words. The

cess of being asked, “How should we do it?” and then everyone saying,

cast moves in response to that and then I say “fast,” “slow,” or “a differ-“Letʼs do it this way.”

ent sense of speed,” and each person decides for herself based on her
own sense. Then, I say “no” or “yes” to it. Whereas normally I would have

Fujita: I feel like Iʼve gone around in a circle and now Iʼm back to mime. As

things pretty set in my mind, this time I am doing things the other way

I started to reflect more on mime as I got older, I found that continuous

around and asking for help because I am lacking in some areas, and I am

dancing or movement or speaking of lines isnʼt necessary; it is possible

getting more and more excited thanks to everyoneʼs input. So, it is a mat-to make oneʼs presence felt in the pauses, the blank spaces of inactivity

ter of whether or not I can correctly select from among what the ladies

presented. So, it is a great opportunity for me to collaborate with people

have felt and brought out. On top of that, there are days when an inter-

who can do that, who can make it “work” when I say, “Hey, Iʼm going topreter comes in, and while itʼs not like revealing a secret or something, I

present you with this space.”think it can be interesting to later be like, “Oh, this is what that person
was saying.” I regret that I am stressing everyone out, but I also enjoy the― What do you enjoy most in the rehearsal studio right now?

unexpected discoveries that come out of it.

Sakiyama: I feel itʼs an amazing thing to be able to communicate through5. Impressions

movement despite the language barrier. I can just say something like,“Letʼs do it like whoosh!” and when we give it try, to my surprise, theI had imagined that the creative process would make extensive use ofmood got across and people caught my drift. And when they add a bit oftools such as Zoom, but I got the sense that the creative process had pro-color to that, I think it is a very special thing.

gressed at a rapid pace after the performers met in person. Although thetime until the live shows is limited, the performers are all experienced, so

Liu: Everything is interesting. Lots of languages are flying about, but

after making their own preparations, they are able to give their best in thesometimes, even without language, you can tell what is going on, whatrehearsal studio.

the problem is, by the atmosphere and by looking at each other.
Lee: I guess the fact that everyone is trying to find something better. For

my part, I sometimes wish that I knew more of your language so we could
share images more clearly.
Kajihara: When I first went to France, I couldnʼt speak French at all, andI sometimes created things as the only Japanese with French flying
all about. So, I understand Leeʼs feeling of “if I could understand thelanguage,” but there is also the strength of being connected throughnon-verbal communication such as dance and mime. Sometimes it ismore important to use the sixth sense to understand than words, and I
think that is what makes international projects like this so interesting.
Fujita: Indeed, every year I sincerely wish I could speak English better, but

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pack up the plastic bag, return it under the platform, and leave.

Company Derashinera with LEE Ren Xin (Malaysia) and
LIU Juichu (Taiwan)

TOGE Third Report: Performance
Author: TAKAHASHI Ayako

This atrium performance, while using elements of the theater performance, was not a mere presentation, but rather a 30-minute piece thatallowed the audience to let their imaginations run free. And yet, when I
saw the theater performance afterward, it had been manipulated so as to
add a different interpretation and image from what had been seen in theatrium.

Derashineraʼs project was composed of two parts: TOGE Atrium (free ofcharge) at the Kanagawa Arts Theatre (KAAT) and TOGE theater perfor-

mances in the KAAT Middle Studio. After about two weeks of rehearsals
in a KAAT atelier (rehearsal studio), the performances were held in December on the following schedule.
5th:

1:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. Full-size rehearsal with actual props in the atrium

6th:

10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Rehearsal

7th:

10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Rehearsal

8th:

Rehearsal, followed byView of the atrium before the show (photos by the author)

1:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Preparation in the atelier
From 8:00 p.m. Atrium performance dress rehearsal

2. Notes (Criticism) after First TOGE Theater Performance

9th: 10:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Preparation in the atelier
17:00 TOGE Atrium
10th: 10:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Preparation in the atelier
5:00 p.m. TOGE Atrium
11th: 10:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Preparation in the atelier
5:00 p.m. TOGE Atrium

The first theater performance was held on the 17th, and before the two
performances on the 18th, Onodera gave his notes (criticism) of the first day.
He mainly went over a few scenes, named for convenience as “Flesh,”“The Fly,” “Dream Scene,” and so on. They reconfirmed the stage cues

for the “Flesh” scene, where Lee, who has fallen down and is lying on the

14th: No rehearsal, stage setting begins

ground, is surrounded by Fujita, Sakiyama, Liu, and Kajihara and, before

15th: 1:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Stage rehearsal

one knows it, turns into a lump of flesh. In this production, the perform-

16th: 1:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Stage rehearsal

ers and staff often move together in real time by means of cues. After the

17th: After dress rehearsal

opening day of the show, they reviewed and redetermined when the staff

5:00 p.m. TOGE theater performance

would give cues based on which performer moved at what timing, wheth-

18th: 11:30 a.m.–12:00 a.m. Notes (criticism)er the cues would be visible to the other performers, or whether it would

1:00 p.m. & 5:00 p.m. TOGE theater performance
19th: 1:00 p.m. TOGE theater performance

be more logical to give cues based on another performer.
In “The Fly,” Liu chases away a fly, and various patterns were tried for
how the sound would reverberate at that time.

1. TOGE Atrium Performances

The “Dream Scene” is one in which the performers hide behind somefurniture, and while the furniture moves alone, Lee sits in a chair and thenDecember 9, the first day of the atrium performances. Despite the fact

slowly slides down from and gets back up on a table. On the first day, mu-

that it was a 30-minute performance on a weekday evening, an audiencesic was played from the beginning, but it was changed to a silent start. Byof about 30 attended. As in the theater performance, a long rubber band

doing so, the sense of mystery slowly increases. However, the loss of soundis stretched out to establish a space. The difference is that the platform

necessitated new cueing, so the arrangements for this were also decided.

used is wrapped in plastic and a huge plastic bag is prepared under it.
When the show opened, KAJIHARA Akiko, LEE Ren Xin, SAKIYAMA Rina,
LIU Juichu, and FUJITA Momoko appeared on stage. The five move inside
the taut rubber band. Amid the sounds of livestock and chirping birds, anapple is brought in, and as one person tries to pick it up, the other members interrupt her for a while. Eventually, Fujita succeeds in picking it up,
and the apple is passed to the other members one by one……
The fixed rubber band is released by ONODERA Shuji, and the women
move to handle it like a communal boat, a movement also used in thetheater performances. Eventually, the huge plastic bag is blown up from

Onodera giving his notes, and performers
on stage (photo by the author)

under the platform, and the women divide into those who walk on the
bag that moves like a wave, those who go inside the bag, and those who
dance outside it. Before long, Liu films Sakiyama dancing, which is shown
on a monitor in real time. Liu and Sakiyama enter the plastic bag that has
expanded to cover the entire acting area. The audience sees their silhouettes reflected on the bag and the video on the monitor. Inside the bag,lights are used to create a fantastic atmosphere.
But with an impact sound, the fantastic time is over; the performers

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After Onoderaʼs notes, stage manager IWAYA Chinatsu communicated

4. Interview with Iwaya Chinatsu, Stage Manager

to the performers about a scene in which the performers hang up pieces*Interviewed after the afternoon performance on the 18th.

4thof paper and they get blown away: “I want the final positions of the paper
to be here.” This is because the positions of the paper determine how― You have been involved in several of Derashineraʼs performances inmuch they will be blown away.

the past, havenʼt you?

Thus, even after the opening day, adjustments and changes continued
until the last minute.

Iwaya: I have been involved in roles such as assistant stage manager, andthis is my second [of Derashineraʼs] production[s] as a stage manager,

3. TOGE Theater Performances

following Knife. Last time, the COVID-19 situation was serious, and everyone was nervous. On top of that, in addition to the overseas members,

December 18, the second day of the TOGE theater performance (2ndthere was Mr. DAKEI, who is deaf, so there was a great mix of languages.

performance). As mentioned in the second report, while this work is based

But this time, both Lee and Liu can speak English. Of course, it is diffi-

on George ORWELLʼs novel Animal Farm, its unique take is that it por-cult to judge how much was conveyed properly, but both of them seemedtrays people who are unaware of their place in the world.

able to grasp Onoderaʼs English, as well as much of his Japanese, andAs the show opens, five women face us among surveillance cameras

continued the creation. I feel that the whole thing has been very natural. I

and speakers visible on stage. Their presence is somewhat provocative,

myself studied abroad in the U.S. for a year when I was in high school, so

and each of them exudes a certain strength. However, the women are

I enjoy international productions like this.

unaware that they are under surveillance. They are also monitoring eachother, and if something is wrong, they warn each other with a “Shhhh!”― You are also a stage manager for theater productions. What is unique

When they move in formation, the others pull back those who are out of

about Onoderaʼs stage production?

line. This is a scene that pops up in contemporary society as well.
Eventually, Lee collapses, and as the other four stare at her, she be-

Iwaya: In theater, there is a script, from which artists pick up visual hints

comes a lump of flesh. One is surprised, one shoos away a fly that ap-

and give them shape. But in dance, especially for Onoderaʼs productions,pears, and another laments. Soon, however, the people forget the tragedy

even if there is an original story, there is no detailed script, and the piec-

and return to their daily lives as if nothing had happened.

es of the story are created according to Onoderaʼs image. It takes time

Liu appears, wearing red high heels and carrying papers, walking un-

to create that art, but rehearsals go on in the meantime. This makes it

steadily. She somehow manages to walk upright, but the wobble in her

difficult for the artists, as temporary props might become actual pieces instep remains. Fujita and Sakiyama fight over a piece of paper. They carry

the production as they are. As the parts of a dance are created precisely

it with their bodies, crumple it up, and spread it out. Further, an apple,

while moving the equipment in a theatrical manner, it is difficult as thewhich was also used in the atrium performance, appears, and again peo-stage manager to consider what to do about consistency with the actual

ple scramble over it. In a scene in which everyone stretches out a large

artwork while using temporary props: what can we build on, what should

rubber band and gets inside it, the scene unfolds with people disturbing

we keep, and what should we change?

each other in the community and restraining each other with warning
coughs and other means.

― What is your main job during the show, and where do you do it?

These days are changed by the powerful agitation and death of a heroplayed by Kajihara. The life of the group shifts to a communal life in

Iwaya: I am backstage, either stage left or stage right. When the lights go

which everyone cooperates with each other. There is a peaceful scene indown, I work with the performers to do scene changes such as moving

which Lee waters the greenery growing on a box apparatus with a water-

equipment around, and when the “tower” is set up, I am at the end of theing can. One day, when all five are sitting together, a bird comes. Its chirp-rope, raising and lowering it. In a normal dance performance, the stage

ing makes the five of them feel happy to hear what is going on outside.

managerʼs job is to decide the flow on the spot, and the rest of the time,

Gaining courage, they fight the outside world and gain a victory. From thishe or she only has to support everyone and cheer them on. In the case ofpoint on, it was a repetition of gaining momentum and being cast down.

Derashinera, we always do things together, it seems.

The scene in which Lee, whose body was tied to a chair with plastic wrap,
succeeded in escaping from the plastic wrap seemed to symbolize the― As stage manager, how would you rate the overall flow on opening

sense of anxiety and accomplishment of living together communally whilenight yesterday?

fighting the outside world.
Eventually, the five begin to build a tower with ropes and chairs. Howev-

Iwaya: We have to get a perfect score on opening night, but everyone gets

er, the tower is far from solid and shows the precariousness of their com-tired to one degree or another, and the more we use equipment, the more

munal life. At the end, the tower collapses, and the five women go outside.

it breaks down, so the challenge is how to keep that perfect score and

The dance they perform together seems somewhat like a prayer. The wom-put on the show for the audience without accidents or injuries. To thisen did not look down, but rather had turned their eyes to the distant sky.

end, I place emphasis on keeping various matters in a routine so that

Perhaps due to the original setting of animals, as well as the innate aura

irregularities do not occur. Onodera always has a wealth of ideas, so timeof the performers, the five cast members always seem pure and earnest,

management is also an important part of my job, as I have to figure out

even when they quarrel with each other. Owing to the way they try their

how to fit them in within the time frame.

best to resist and rise up while being at the mercy of an invisible enemy,
the last scene, too, seems to be more of a rebirth and affirmation than

5. Impressions

the original story, in which the animals are defeated and the community
collapses miserably.

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staff and cast work.
At the atrium performances, I heard comments such as the following: “At
this distance, you can even see the difference in the texture of the costumes” (Twitter); “Even though it lasted only 30 minutes, it was pleasant
to see the image expand from point to line, from surface to space” (Twitter);“The movements were interesting, and even though the space was near

the entrance, which tends to distract the audienceʼs concentration, it felt
absorbing” (interview by the author).
As it is an abstracted world inspired by Animal Farm, in which animals
revolt against the farmer, some audience members, especially at thetheater performance, felt a strong sense of fear and tragedy from thesequences that reminded them of a controlled society and war, whereas
others felt more humor and strength. One commenter said, “The five ofthem in an enclosed space are like us in the COVID-19 pandemic” (Twitter).
Perhaps the diversity of impressions could be said to symbolize the di-©Suzuki Jouji

versity of the work itself.

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Company Derashinera with LEE Ren Xin (Malaysia) and
LIU Juichu (Taiwan)

TOGE Fourth Report: Reflection
Author: TAKAHASHI Ayako

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2. Interview with Performer Fujita Momoko― As a performer, what did you gain from this project?
Fujita: This is close to the first time that a Derashinera production is prac-

tically all females. Strictly speaking, the same was true of “Red Shoes”(September 2014), in which I performed with KATAGIRI Hairi and Sophie

In December, Derashinera finished two shows at the Kanagawa Arts

BRECH from the UK, but this time the composition was unprecedented

Theatre (KAAT), “TOGE Atrium” and the “TOGE” theater performances.

in that it was only Asian women. What I felt while spending time withThis time, I report on an interview with the artist HARADA Ai, conducted

LEE Ren Xin and LIU Juichu was strength. They were so fearless in going

immediately after a main show performance, and sum up interviews with

about all sorts of stuff that I realized that I may be hesitant about some

performer FUJITA Momoko, and the director, ONODERA Shuji, at the end

things. It may be simply a matter of my own qualities, not their race, but

of January, about a month after the shows ended.

while rehearsing with them I was made aware of ways of thinking and

1. Interview with Artist Harada Ai

In particular, even though I had never met Lee before, I felt it was won-strength that I usually donʼt notice when working with Japanese people.
derful how easily she became one of the troupes. I was also impressed― You also worked on the art for Derashineraʼs last production, “Knife.”by their timing. When Onodera asked them to do something or other as a

Onodera had the idea of imitating the previous work, but what did you

pantomime̶ something like sitting down and looking back̶ they did it

actually follow, or did you create new artwork?

in their own timing right from the beginning. With Japanese people, I feelthat they usually only get enough time after they can do so. Lee creates

Harada: As for the larger items, boxes are used in common. Last time,

her own works and performs solo, so I guess she is used to this, and thata box was used as a table with legs on it or as a wall, but this time, it iscould make a difference.

used directly on the floor to create a step, making it look different eventhough the same thing is used. The slanted table was used again, but― As a performer, what did you discover in terms of expression?

this time, it is used as the main feature, whereas last time it was used
something like a sub-stage, a separate space from the other tables, orFujita: People who are interested in mime and silent theater are hardmore specifically, a place for the charactersʼ enemies, without moving it

to find in Japan. The genre itself is not well established. Itʼs dance, itʼsmuch. Also, last time, we greened the back of a table based on the idea

theater, and itʼs something that is neither, so it may be alien to peopleof “what if, when the table is turned over on the black floor, out spreads ain their 20s who are still young, for example, who want to express them-natural area such as green grass and water like a box garden?” This time,

selves. However, when I have people I have met by chance at workshops

when we experimented with it for the atrium performance, we carried it

and so on perform silent theater, they are very interested in it, so I thinkon its side, and this act itself was incorporated into the movement of the

it is a world with a lot of potential. The best part of it is that, rather

performance in the theater. The major new element is the speaker, whichthan learning techniques and rules, you can hypothesize what might be

is a symbol of control over the characters. Also new this time is the rope,

conveyed by a certain action, and create a new method each time, sowhich is woven with the image of erecting a tower.

to speak. That is why, by interacting with people from other cultures,
you can become aware of the principles of your own culture and come― As an artist, what do you think of Onoderaʼs style, moving art andup with ways that might get ideas across to people from other cultures.

other objects in various ways?

For example, when you are trying to persuade someone, instead of justtouching them on the shoulder, you search for a completely different way

Harada: We worked together for the first time on “Knife,” and I feel thatto persuade them, such as by standing a little further away. The two [for-there is more work than usual in moving things around in the rehearsaleign] women this time had the ability to gather our meaning, so even if

studio. I would throw out an idea to Onoderaʼs image, and then we would

we suggested a gesture, it was not completely unintelligible to them, andmassage it into shape. From that, Onodera would get a new image, andthey would also make suggestions. And it was not so much that I didnʼt

I would be asked what we need to make and process to realize it. It wasunderstand their suggestions due to cultural differences, but rather that

also necessary to proceed with production while experimenting with thealthough I wouldnʼt have come up with them myself, I understood themvisual aspect during rehearsals so that the desired movements could bewhen I thought about it.

realized in a realistic manner. The stage manager, IWAYA Chinatsu, for example, asked me to make it possible to insert a rod. So, I gradually trans-― By meeting people with different lifestyles and different circuitry, youformed the apparatus, incorporating various events that took place in thehave more options and a wider range of things you can do.

rehearsal studio. Also, both the ropes I prepared and those that were in
the theater were used, and the chairs were also from the theater.

Fujita: Thatʼs right. However, we didnʼt have much time this time, so it wasmore like we [Derashinera] created the framework and flow ahead and― What effect did the live show have on you?

then together we managed to get it to the deadline, rather than a creationthat came about through real discussion. If there is another opportunity

Harada: This production in particular is not a world that can be createdlike this, I would like to take creation a step further.

only with art, so I made things with a focus on how Onodera could use it,or rather, leaving room for him to use it. In that sense, I think it turned out
to be a very good piece.

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3. Interview with Director Onodera Shuji

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women standing there, I wanted to show that they are not going to giveup and create a sense that they are not defeated yet.

From Complex to Simple
Assumptions and the Unexpected― How do you feel now that the performances are done?
― How well did you meet your expectations this time around, and how
Onodera: I am relieved. Under the COVID-19 pandemic, with all the pres-much did you change?

sures of whether or not we could do it, the state of everyoneʼs health, andthe limited time for rehearsals, I am thankful that we were able to put on

Onodera: I made a rough roadmap with Fujita in advance, but even if thethe shows to the end without any serious injuries. The performances wererehearsals proceeded as planned at first, we would continue to searchvery fruitful and gave me inspiration for the future.

whether that map was really right. Then something completely different
would turn out to be fascinating, and we would want to explore it a little― What were some of the most striking responses and impressions of

more, but due to time constraints we had to move on to the next step of

the shows?

settling on a final shape. This was a process repeated again and again.
So, it could be said that our assumptions were not adequate, but on the

Onodera: Surprisingly, we received many reactions that the shows wereother hand, it could also be said that we were able to do some good unex-“different from usual.” Many people said this in a good way. This may

pected things. In any case, I keenly felt the need to improve the strength

have had something to do with the fact that my work is often relativelyof the original idea in order to enjoy how much derivation is possible.

male-driven, but this time it was almost exclusively female, and also be-

For example, some people commented on the scene where the tower iscause my approach to abstract expression has changed from the past.

made of rope, saying that the rope twisting around the chair seemed likeconfining authority, and others thought that the use of rope evoked sado-― Indeed, it seems to me that more had been left up to the audiencemasochism̶ that is, sexual perversion. I think the interesting thing about

than in the past regarding interpreting what is being done on stage.

mime is that there are so many different ways of looking at something,
and there are so many different impressions, and it is up to the creator to

Onodera: Thatʼs right. At the same time, we certainly swung the complex-

understand and explore these different ways of looking.

ity of what we were doing in a slightly simpler direction this time. This isbecause, rather than do a complicated story, we were a group that could― At first, there was talk of online rehearsals, but in the end, you de-take simple things and explore how each of us would express them. Usu-

cided to wait until the cast could get together.

ally, I tend to try to strengthen the story by adding detailed explanations
or complicating it by adding different elements. That is why the pictures

Onodera: I did deliver props I planned to use for this piece to Lee in quar-change more than the story, or I make other things happen behind theantine, and wrote her an email asking her, “Can you explore this kindmain events that are taking place, but this time I wanted to throw that outof thing Iʼd like to try?” So, I gave out something like homework, but weonce and see how much the audience could imagine from a single pic-

didnʼt do overall rehearsals online. This time, we had set aside a monthture. I think what is needed for that is an expressive body. I have a feelingfor rehearsals, but those coming from overseas spent half of that timethat if this is pursued, in the end it will be very effective for physical ex-

in quarantine. If the people in Japan are in a large rehearsal studio andpression, which cannot be explained in detail with words, and that newtell those in a hotel room, “This is what we are doing,” there is still de-expression may come out of it. It is a little bit difficult to do, so I felt liketachment. As we were thinking about the various options, we decided

explaining things and doing things all jumbled up, and I would ask myself

to try something new for Derashinera̶ that is, to create a text (script)

every day, “Is this understandable?”in advance. Fujita always makes a rough draft text, but usually it is not
yet ready when everyone gathers at the rehearsal studio. We will have

― Yet, because of the members this time, you were able to use abstrac-

a number of themes, and we start by meeting and rehearsing to createtion without fear of not being understood?

short pieces. The completed short pieces are then arranged, and just before the shows, a text is completed. This time, however, we made the text

Onodera: There is that, too. What I also liked about Lee and Liu is thatin advance and shared it with the performers. It was like script reading

their movements based on folk dancing come out so easily. I feel thatin theater. In theater, there are script readings, and people also spend asuch bodies are the source of culture, and I thought I need to learn more

great deal of time with the play to learn the lines. In our case, this means

about it. The fact that the performers this time were only women also

getting the movements into our bodies, and I feel that it was effective

brought out their individual differences, and I was able to feel satisfied

to provide a text for the performers to read when they were separated

myself as a creator, or perhaps that was the reason I was able to be sofrom that by the quarantine. Because, usually, the performers, including

bold.

myself, are so absorbed in rehearsals that even if I give them a text, they

― In my third report, I mentioned that the ending had a slightly differ-every day at her hotel, and she was able to talk about the story with Der-ent atmosphere from the work that was the motif. Was that also connect-

ashinera member SAKIYAMA Rina, so Fujitaʼs aim was on target.

often donʼt read it (laughs). This time, however, Liu said she read the text

ed to your desire from the beginning to present the strength of women?
― I think a script writer is very important in ballet and dance, but Fujita
Onodera: I think that the motif of Animal Farm is to show how the world

wonʼt be credited?

works after all, but this time I wanted to extend it and show a bit of “whatto do next.” This may be my own wish as a man, but when there were five

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guide for the rehearsals, but if she is going to make texts properly likesay so hyperbolically, as I was able to catch a glimpse of how interna-this, we might as well put her name out there. In fact, when we tried us-

tional exchange not only became an experience for the artists, but also

ing a script, it was very effective, so I would like to continue trying thisaffected their creative methods and ways of thinking in concrete ways. I

regardless of COVID-19. Separating the script from direction will probably

am looking forward to their future development.

change my awareness and the ease of doing things, so I would like tothink positively about this.
― This is a little related to that, but you did not mention in advancethat Animal Farm was the motif of your work this time.
Onodera: I was hesitant to do that. After all, we werenʼt making a faith-

ful reproduction of Animal Farm, but rather a spin-off from a different
angle, and my main focus was on something different from the scathingcriticism of political power that Animal Farm has. Because of this, I was
afraid that mentioning Animal Farm would lead to reactions such as, “Itʼs
not like Animal Farm,” or “Itʼs my fault for not having read Animal Farm,
so I didnʼt understand it.”― However, it was included in the brochure on the day of the event.
Onodera: I wanted to convey the fact that this book is the motif for theshow in the sense that we all read it and started out from there. If we had
been able to publish a sizable text, such as a post on our website, I would
have included this information in advance, but there may be many people
who come to the show with only the title of the book. My recent works at
Derashinera, whether “Knife” based on MAUPASSANTʼs Boule de Suif orthe current work, overlap a lot with the current times, which is why theytend to be preachy, depending on the approach taken. I feel like I am in
the process of learning to balance within myself between the parts of thetheme that I can take a pragmatic approach to and those that I can getto the core of. There are many original works in theater, but if I can showthat so many things can be done with physical expression that does notuse words, I think there will be a next step for me to take. So, I want tothink carefully about this.
― It seems that you have made discoveries that will lead you ahead inmany ways, including Asia, women-only creations, and how to relate to
the underlying works and texts.
Onodera: It is difficult to take a step like this on our own, so I would liketo express my sincere gratitude to the Kanagawa Arts Theatre (KAAT),
which first approached me about international exchange in 2017 andgave me the opportunity to co-produce with Vietnamese creators, andto the Japan Foundation for this project. Even in these hard times, theywent out of their way to invite performers from overseas and allowed me
to continue opportunities for exchange and development. I have a feelingthat by building on these opportunities, instead of making them a onetime event, we will be able to create something new. Lee and Liu have told
me that they would like to come back again, and I would love to continue
working with them.

4. Impressions
Since this project was an international co-production during the
COVID-19 pandemic, I initially imagined that the creation would be doneusing online tools. However, it seems that Derashinera got by with moreprimitive and essential means and, as a result, reaped a great deal ofrewards unbound by the times. As an observer, I felt enlightened, if I may

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PROJECTSky Bridge
S.C.ALLIANCE Inc., with Shen Kyomei RIBEIRO,
Gabriel LEVY, and Ari COLARES (Brazil)
Fusing the cultures of Japan and Brazil, the “Sky Bridge Project” is a new full-dome movie production
for where primitive life breathes and the voices of people, animals, and spirits reverberation among

OTAKE Mayumi

beautiful landscape and flowing, surging water. The myths and tales that have been passed down thegenerations form symphonic poems, that integrate the sounds and murmurs, prayers and songs ofliving creatures rooted in the cultures of Japan and Brazil despite a distance of 17,600 km. Symphonicpoems chance on each other as they pass through the high-dimensional space-time where the spirit
world merges with the ground-air-space.
Sound designer OTAKE Mayumi, visual arts director HASHIMOTO Daisuke, and musicians KOBAYASHI Yohei, Shen Kyomei RIBEIRO, Gabriel LEVY, and Ari COLARES have collaborated to create
an unprecedented new “sky.” Sky Bridge was released in December 2021.
HASHIMOTO Daisuke

Outline of Performances

Date and time: 10:30 a.m., Thursday, December 23, 2021
Duration: 45 min.
Venue: Saitama City Space Theater

Credits
Sound Designer / Executive Producer: OTAKE Mayumi

KOBAYASHI Yohei

Director / Art Director: HASHIMOTO Daisuke
Music & Saxophone: KOBAYASHI Yohei
Flute & Shakuhachi: Shen Kyomei RIBEIRO
Accordion: Gabriel LEVY
Percussion: Ari COLARES
Organized by The Japan Foundation, S.C.ALLIANCE Inc., Saitama City Space Theater
Production Cooperation: LIL, FAIR WIND music, Sinos na Floresta, GOTO INC.
Patronage: Embassy of Brazil

Shen Kyomei RIBEIRO

Gabriel LEVY

Ari COLARESFY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

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・Gabriel LEVY (Sinos na Floresta): Brazilian team music production and

S.C.ALLIANCE Inc., with Shen Kyomei RIBEIRO,
Gabriel LEVY, and Ari COLARES (Brazil)

accordion performance
・Fabiana COZZA: Brazilian team vocalist

Sky Bridge
First Report: Launch of Project

・SUZUMORI Shizuka: Brazilian team artist manager

Author: MINAMIDE Kazuyo

・LIL Co. Ltd.: Video technology

Support Group・Sinos na Floresta: Music production
・FAIR WIND music: Music production

Project Overview

・GOTO INC.: Dome theater technology support

The outline for the video and music was created in particular by
The purpose of this project is the production and screening of Sky

Hashimoto and Kobayashi, respectively. Orchestration and additional

Bridge, a collaborative planetarium movie created by Japanese and Brazil-

arrangements were added along the way through repeated discussion be-

ian artists, with planning provided by S.C.ALLIANCE Inc. As every society

tween all of the members.

in the world suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic, this project was developed around the theme of a starry sky based on a desire for people to look

Stage One: Planning the Overall Composition

up at the sky and hope. In line with the starry sky theme, Brazil, a country
whose national flag features a star-filled sky, was chosen as the counter-

The first web meeting was held on March 26. After the Japanese andpart nation for this collaborative international project. Of course, S.C.Alli-

Brazilian participants met each other, there was a review of the generalanceʼs existing network served as the foundation for project selection.

project outline and schedule. Thereafter, Hashimoto Daisuke presented

The collaborative creation process was planned around four basicstages. In stage one, artists from Brazil and Japan discussed the workʼs

two drafts (A and B) for the projectʼs theme (overall image). The length ofthe piece was expected to be 10 minutes.

themes and composition several times via online conferencing, developing an overall image for the project. In stage two, the two countriesʼ artists
added adjustments to the overall composition with a focus on bare-bones
image storyboards and music created by the Japanese artists. Online
communication tools were fully leveraged in stages one and two. In stage
three, the projectʼs principal stage, artists from Brazil were supposed to
be invited to Japan between July and September to lodge together andconduct recording sessions at Yamanakako. Finally, in the fourth stage,
images and music recorded in stage three were combined with the aim ofSome images from Hashimotoʼs draft A

Some images from Hashimotoʼs draft B

completing the work within 2021. In fact, however, during the period from
July to September, the COVID-19 situation failed to improve, and the Bra-The concept for draft A was the origins of humankind. The draft was in-zilian artists were not able to come to Japan. As a result, it was decided

spired by Sekai wo sasaeru ippon no ki (“One Tree Supporting the World”;

that the collaborative work of stage three would also be conducted on-

original work: Lendas e mitos dos índios brasileiros by Walde-Mar de Andrade

line. The creation process has been recorded at all times, and the projecte Silva), a picture book that conveys the myths and legends of the indige-plan includes releasing a making-of move online.

nous people of Brazil (Indios). The indigenous people of Brazil believe thatIn this first report, I will report on the process involved from stage one

animals, people, and spirits coexist. This is similar to the ancient beliefs

to stage two (from project launch at the end of March up to September). As I

of Japan, and this draft reinterprets indigenous Brazilian beliefs through a

took on the role of observer starting in September, this report is based onJapanese lens of imagery and sound. The draftʼs overall image is magnifi-

minutes and records of online meetings (held on March 26, March 29, andcent. The draft frequently uses abstract imagery. As the story develops, it

April 21) provided by S.C.Alliance to The Japan Foundation, as well as in-also uses imagery that connects with our modern society.

formation obtained through online interviews conducted on September 24.

The concept for draft B was the “spirit(s) of the stars.” In the story fordraft B, spirits born and raised in Japan and spirits born and raised in

Project Members

Brazil meet in a starry sky. They resonate with each other and combine
their strength to create something unique. The spirits in the story are an-

Before entering into a detailed report, the following reviews the roles ofthe participating members (underline indicates meeting attendee).
・OTAKE Mayumi (S.C.Alliance): Sound designer and executive producer
・HASHIMOTO Daisuke (LIL): Movie director and art director

thropomorphic.
After considering these two drafts, draft A was chosen during the second web meeting on March 29.
During the discussion process, it was decided that, while both drafts

・IZUTSU Ryota (LIL): CG and movie production

were interesting and draft B was very unique, because of movement re-・KOBAYASHI Yohei (FAIR WIND music): Music production and saxophonestrictions, draft A seemed likely to be easier to create via remote collabo-

performance

ration. In addition, some members felt that the images Hashimoto shared

・YASUDA Yuji (FAIR WIND music): Music production

were a “dive into the unknown” and “were emotionally moving but did

・SATO Jun (FAIR WIND music): Office staff

not make people think (not intellectual).” Combining “not thinking” with・OSHIO Misato (S.C.Alliance): Production schedule

concrete (indigenous) Brazilian motifs risked evoking stereotypical imag-

・TAKE Airi (S.C.Alliance): Operations management

es in the mind of the audience. It was hoped that this problem could be・Shen Kyomei RIBEIRO (Sinos na Floresta): Brazilian team Producer, fluteand shakuhachi performance

FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts

avoided by using more abstract images and the concept of “the origins ofhumankind,” which was also connected to Japan.

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Stage Two: Creating (and Arranging) the Content

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First, Ribeiro (Brazilian team producer and musician) reviewed the content. Because there was already a movie with the title SPIRITUA, they
could not use that title. In addition, he felt that overall, the content wasmore Brazilian than Japanese. One specific issue was that the jaguar in
the content was a different species from the Brazilian Jaguar, and thatin Brazil, jaguars have a more friendly image. Similarly, in Brazil, people
have a more friendly image of water gods. The final scene used symbols
of modern Brazil and Japan (the Christ the Redeemer statue and Tokyo Skytree). However, based on the overall flow of the work, it was suggested

that natural symbols (such as Iguazu Falls and Nachi Falls) might be better.
Some of the storyboards created by Hashimoto

In response, Hashimoto said that he wanted to use symbols that the audience would know were from Brazil and Japan at a glance. It was decid-

Hashimoto Daisuke created draft content based on the overall com-ed to reconsider possible natural symbols.

position chosen in stage one. He then shared this during the third web

Otake discussed the workʼs starry sky theme̶ how much to use it inmeeting on April 21. His draft content was a story. “A world of travelingthe work, and how to make the audience aware of it. She wanted to makespirits from Japan and Brazil (Spiritua)” appears throughout the story. The

use of the starry sky theme more because of the planetarium space thestory follows the Japanese four-part structure called “kishotenketsu” (in-work would be shown in. There was an idea to contrast the northern andtroduction/ki, development/sho, twist/ten, and conclusion/ketsu). (The sum-southern hemispheres by using the Southern Cross, which can be seen

maries provided for each part other than those of “kishotenketsu” are based

from Brazil, and the Big Dipper, which can be seen from Japan. By chang-on notes I took from meeting minutes.)

ing the point of view, it would also be possible to see both the Southern

Introduction/ki: Japan and Brazil

Cross and the Big Dipper at the same time, such as near the equator.

・A world map appears on the dome, then disappears, leaving only Brazil

Otake wondered if it would be possible to use this contrast.

and Japan. Traditional music from Brazil and that from Japan play and

The video to be shown in the planetarium (dome theater) was also dis-intermix (the plan is to have a fun and fantasy-inspired introduction).

cussed. 3D imagery using a lot of CG would look beautiful. However, it

Development/sho: Two spirits

would be expensive. Also, CG is already common, and it would actually be・Two spirits appear. As they dance, they intermingle.

difficult to create something novel and new with it. Instead of realistic im-

・The imagery becomes more abstract and “mysterious patterns” appear.

agery, the members agreed that it might be easier to create newness andDevelopment/sho: In a space-time of ancient memories and myths

abstractness by combining 3D and 2D. There was also a proposal from・A plant emerges. Light shines from the plant and Mawutzinin1 appears.

Ribeiro to use only music for the introduction and no imagery or video.

The plant grows, and spirits appear on the ground.
・Bubbles turn into a jungle and the jungle turns into a jaguar. Mawutzi-

ninʼs hands cup the jaguar.

Further, the members discussed how easily understandable the work
should be, and whether to consider the educational nature of Japaneseplanetariums (who should this work be made for?). Eventually, the members

・Water spills from Mawutzininʼs hands and becomes Iguazu Falls.

agreed that they wouldnʼt worry about the audience or distribution and・The water level rises and the entire dome becomes an ocean. There areinstead try to create the work they wanted to make. That being said, be-fish in the ocean. Indigenous Brazilians appear and begin fishing.
・A fish is hit by the indigenous Braziliansʼ arrows. It sinks and becomes amermaid. This represents a fusion of Brazilian and Japanese legends.

cause the work would be highly abstract, they would need to provide an
overview of its content in advance. One proposal was to have a music-only introduction with a narrated overview of the work in multiple languages

・The mermaid splits the waterʼs surface in two.

(Japanese, Portuguese, and English). A brochure would also be made to・From this split, a starry sky appears.

provide textual information.

・In the starry sky, two spirits emerge.
・The starry sky gathers around the two spirits.

View of the Project in Progress (September 24)

Twist/ten: A cultural exchange party
・The starry sky becomes two capes for the spirits.

Unfortunately, there are no records of the time period from May to Au-

・The spirits change shape. They split up and increase in number.

gust, so this report cannot include information on the discussions and fi-

・Colorful spirits cover the entire dome.

nalization of the storyboards after editing, the creation of the visual con-・The spirits begin to condense.

tent, and the creation of the rough music drafts and their arrangement.

・The spirits jump and the capes stretch into cylinders. They become en-

However, I was able to observe a mid-production meeting on September

tangled and turn into a globe.

24. This was the first time I met the projectʼs members. During the meet-

Conclusion/ketsu: Japan and Brazil floating in the same oceaning, the members mainly discussed the meaning of the work, and remote

・The globe bursts and the sun emerges.

collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic.

・(Modern-day) Japan and Brazil, sharing the same sun and ocean, appear

on either side of the dome.
・The Japanese and Brazilian production staff credits are shown on eitherside, and the work ends.

First, regarding the meaning of the work, it would be based on a message of a “deep resonance” between Japan and Brazil, two countries “onopposite sides of the world.” In order to represent this, they would use
the “the origin of humankind” and “the sky.” By making the work very abstract, they could provide viewers with the space to feel what they would

All of the project members evaluated Hashimotoʼs draft content highly.
In order to develop the project further based on this draft, they discussed
several key points.

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freely. The project members also wanted to avoid pushing specific values
onto viewers.
Looking at the societies of Japan and Brazil would make it easy to imag-

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ine their strong diplomatic relations in modern history, as well as their
histories and racial commonalities. However, this work would purposefully not look at their societies. Instead, it would focus on the spiritual world.
In part, this decision was made because the Brazilian artists felt that
there was potential to combine the two countriesʼ cultures, particularly
through music. This was a concept that no one else had really looked at
before.
Engaging in remote collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic was
not difficult. In fact, it felt like it was creating new possibilities. Before
COVID-19, the projectʼs members were going to try to collaborate face toface during very short periods of time. Under COVID-19, however, connecting online became the new normal, and this actually made it possible
to collaborate more closely than before. As they communicated with eachother, the artists from the two countries worked hard to make the qualityof the project consistent. In addition, if the members had worked together face to face, only some members would have been able to travel. Connecting online made it possible for more members to be directly involvedin the production. With regard to the music, working online made it possible to connect together the spaces the musicians normally used. Becauseof this, they did not have to carry their instruments anywhere and wereable to use the best spaces in each country. According to Brazilian artist
Ribeiro, in Brazil, there is little educational support for the arts. Becauseof this, it is important for local artists to participate in artistic opportunities like this online. Accordingly, the Brazilian artists were very eager tocollaborate online.
The movement restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic havegreatly changed the style of international collaboration /cooperation.
Under the “new normal” of connecting online, people can connect toeach other anytime, anywhere. At the same time, however, it has madeit important to be aware of how much we are able to imagine sensations
that can only be experienced in the offline world and the everyday we donot share online. This project will depict the spiritual world. I hope it will
be a work that will make it possible for audiences to understand that weare all fundamentally connected, and that this will give people courage
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Japanese original text by Prof. Minamide,
English translation from the original text by the Japan Foundation

1 The “first person” according to the myths of the Brazilian Kamayurá tribe. Introducedin the picture book Lendas e mitos dos índios brasileiros. According to the Kamayuráʼsmyths, Mawutzininʼs daughter and a jaguar give birth to twins who become the sun andthe moon.

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production. This includes people in charge of character CG creation and

S.C.ALLIANCE Inc., with Shen Kyomei RIBEIRO,
Gabriel LEVY, and Ari COLARES (Brazil)

animation, people to create character models, people to create character

Sky Bridge
Second Report: Video Creation

In addition, there were very important staff members who coordinatedAuthor: MINAMIDE Kazuyo
Goals of the Second Report

movements, and a director to provide CG production technology support.
the overall schedule and plan together with Izutsu. During this process,I interviewed Kubota Ayana, in charge of character CG production, andHashimoto Shinsaku, in charge of animation.

The Experiences of the Artists in Charge of Scene and Character
Production

Sky Bridge is a planetarium theater work. A collaboration between Japanese and Brazilian artists, it was planned by S.C.ALLIANCE Inc. In my first

1. Kubota Ayana

report, I provided an overview of the entire project. I also reported on the

Kubota was in charge of CG production for characters appearing in thedevelopment process up to the end of September 2021 based on inter-video. She was particularly involved in doing detailed work for Scene 1 (theviews with participants. Content creation was mainly based on outlines forbirth of the world), Scene 2 (the birth of the Japanese spirit), and Scene 3 (thethe video, primarily created by HASHIMOTO Daisuke; and for the music,

birth of the Brazilian spirit). She moved the characters according to theprimarily created by KOBAYASHI Yohei. OTAKE Mayumi from S.C.Alliancearrangements in the previsualizations, and created the animals and theand Shen Kyomei RIBEIRO from the Brazilian team served as Executive

galactic particle effects and simulations. She also coordinated the overall

Producers. The overall creation process has been a collaborative effort

color pallet and materials. Her work was extensive. The scenes Kubota

instead of specific people only working on specific parts of the project.

was directly involved in consisted of around 8,000 frames. While working,In this second report, I will report mainly on the video production process. On November 16, I conducted an online interview with the following
members of the projectʼs video production team.

she coordinated with Director Hashimoto.
She said that she had heavily struggled with the workʼs long single
take. In order to render the entire section of the project of which she was・Hashimoto Daisuke: Movie director and art director

in charge (about 10,000 frames), each session of rendering took a huge・IZUTSU Ryota: CG and movie production

amount of time (more than three days). This made it impossible to quickly

・KUBOTA Ayana: CG and image production

make small changes and have Director Hashimoto check them. Kubota

・HASHIMOTO Shinsaku: Animation production

says she learned how to solve this problem with the help of Izutsu Ryota.

・Camila GONDO: Brazilian team artist (closing scene key frame production)(Otake Mayumi: Sound designer and executive producer)

Kubota has four years of experience as a 3D artist and had worked
with Director Hashimoto before. However, this was her first planetarium
project, and she had many new experiences working on the project. As

Video Production Processdescribed earlier, she had difficulties with the projectʼs long single take.
However, through teamwork and Director Hashimotoʼs detailed and help-

As I reported in my first report, in the first stage of production,
Hashimoto Daisuke proposed two concept drafts. Of these, the project

ful direction, she learned a lot. She says despite the difficulties, she felt
very fulfilled.

members chose to use his concept of “a world in which Japanese andBrazilian spirits travel (and meet)” as the overall image for the work. I also

2. Hashimoto Shinsaku

reported on the process of Director Hashimoto creating a story and draft

Next, I talked with Hashimoto Shinsaku, who was in charge of animation

storyboards1 based on this. After these events, the production process

production. Hashimoto has 15 years of experience. He is also trusted as

moved forward as follows.

an animator by Director Hashimoto Daisuke and Producer Izutsu Ryota.

1. Video storyboards were made based on Hashimotoʼs storyboards. The

life into the characters.” For this project, he was involved in animating

video storyboards comprised the same number of still images as reg-

the Japanese and Brazilian spirits, the workʼs main characters. Director

Hashimoto Shinsaku is renowned for his animation skills, which “breatheular storyboards. These still images were arranged in a timeline andHashimoto Daisuke directed the spiritsʼ design and movements. Because

determined the overall length of the work. These were shared with thethe project would be shown at planetariums, the movements needed tomusic team (Kobayashi Yohei and others). Based on the video story-

be 3D. However, Hashimoto Shinsaku says that Director Hashimoto Dai-boards, the music team began creating music for the work.
2. Compositions/blueprints (previsualizations) showing the placement ofsukeʼs directing was clear, which made his work easier. For Hashimoto
Shinsaku, as well, what was difficult was the projectʼs long single take.

characters in the space for each scene were created. These were thenpreviewed at a planetarium. This also made it possible to check for any

Taking on the Challenge of Full-Dome Movie Production

differences in position or speed compared with how they looked on acomputer.

This project would be Director Hashimoto Daisukeʼs debut full-domeThis work continued up to the end of July. Based on the previsualiza-

movie production. He says that during the production process, he real-

tions, CG artists on the video team began creating the scenes andized that it was very different from making a regular flat-screen video. For

characters under the direction of Director Hashimoto.

him, it was very enjoyable to create a work that would fill up the entire
dome screen. However, things such as the camera work and how to guide

The video team consists of 13 members in total. In addition to Direc-

the audienceʼs focus were fundamentally different from those of a regulartor Hashimoto Daisuke and Producer Izutsu Ryota, who is in charge offlat-screen video. Moreover, what was very different and even more diffi-

production work chain of command, many artists were involved in CG

cult for Hashimoto was that the work was all a single take with no cuts.

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This long single take was also part of the reason why rendering took along time, a problem that all of the artists complained about.

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Gondo is a third-generation Japanese descendent; her grandparents
were Japanese migrants. From the age of 1, she lived in Japan for five

From the planning stage, Director Hashimoto wanted to take on a newyears, and went to a Japanese preschool. The first language she acquired

challenge with this full-dome movie project unlike anything anyone had

was Japanese, and even now, she can mostly understand spoken Jap-

done before. Accordingly, without any precedents, he had to build up

anese. She has a strong identity as someone of Japanese descent. She

an image for the project even while working on developing it. Director

told me that when she returned to Brazil from Japan, it was hard for her

Hashimotoʼs role was very important in sharing this with the other mem-to adapt. When she studied abroad in Portugal, she identified more as abers as the project took shape.

Japanese (Japanese descendent) than as a Brazilian. In order to express
her double background and identity, Gondo chose to learn art, and her

Taking on the Challenge of Online Workroots are reflected in her art. For this reason, participating in this collaborative Japanese–Brazilian project is very meaningful for Gondo.

Because of travel restrictions due to COVID-19, all of the work to datehas been conducted online. Between the merits and demerits of online
work, overall there have been more of the former than the latter. The biggest merit has been the ability for members to immediately connect toeach other and check on each otherʼs progress (online) on-site, right where
they are. Before COVID-19, the plan had been for them to meet in person
to check things and to work while looking at a monitor together. However,
because of COVID-19, the members could not meet face to face and had touse online meeting systems such as Zoom. Because of this, the members
actually checked on each otherʼs work more frequently than they would
have if meeting in person. This resulted in the members collaborating moreclosely than they otherwise would have. When a problem occurred, Kubota
Ayana, in charge of CG production, was able to immediately contact Director Hashimoto. Sharing the same screen view, they were able to check andtalk about the problem in detail. Izutsu Ryota said that doing things online
significantly improved production efficiency and productivity.
That being said, right now, work is continuing to be done online. WhenThe closing scene focuses on the Christ the Redeemer statue as a symbol of Brazil and Mt. Fuji as a symbol of Japan. This was partly Director

the members are again able to meet in-person, they may realize that there

Hashimotoʼs idea, but Gondo also agreed with it and thought about theirare some things that werenʼt feasible online. Director Hashimoto told me,

positions. In the scene, origami cranes are shown next to Mt. Fuji. Origa-“There are many merits to working online, but the amount of information

mi cranes are also used as a symbol of Japan in Brazil, and in Japan toyou get by actually meeting face to face is completely different.” This

express the spirit of Japan. In response to the cranes, Brazilian birds (par-information includes nonverbal communication such as each memberʼsrots) are shown on the Brazilian side. Mt. Fuji, the cranes, the Christ themood, attitude, and atmosphere. With regard to things like this, it is true

Redeemer statue, and the parrots are surrounded by flowers. The flowersthat doing things online can be lacking.

on the Japanese side are chrysanthemums and cherry blossoms. Tropical flowers are shown on the Brazilian side. The Japanese side uses red

The Fusion of Japan and Brazil in the Production of the Closing
Scene

colors, while the Brazilian side uses green colors. The contrasts create abalance.
Brazil and Japan are located on opposite sides of the Earth, and Gondo

The videoʼs closing scene consists of symbols of Japan and Brazil. Japa-

wanted her design to depict the two countries reverberating with eachnese-Brazilian artist Camila Gondo worked on this scene. I asked Director

other. In addition, the sun in the center of the design shines on both

Hashimoto about how Gondo was put in charge of this scene. He told me

countries. Brazil is home to the largest population of Japanese people

that the purpose of this project was to be a collaboration between Japa-(Japanese descendants) outside of Japan. There are also many Japa-

nese and Brazilian artists. This was being achieved in the music production. However, the video was mainly being created by Japanese artists.
All of the Brazilian elements had come from Japanese artists looking at
picture books, etc., and with the input of Music Producer Shen Kyomei
Ribeiro. Director Hashimoto wanted to add Brazilian sensibilities to thevideo, too. He asked for help from SASAO Gaku from the Japan Foundationʼs Brazilian office. Sasao introduced Hashimoto to several candidate
artists. One of the artists was Gondo. Her work was extremely interesting
to Director Hashimoto, and he decided to ask her to do the key frames forthe closing scene. Hashimoto says he felt a love of Japanese culture in
Gondoʼs works, and Japanese influences in her style and use of color. He
decided that she would be perfect for creating the fusion of Japan andBrazil in the closing scene.
I interviewed Gondo and asked her about her use of Japanese symbolism in her works.

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nese-Brazilians living in Japan. Gondoʼs design hints at the fact that Japanese-Brazilians are a bridge between the two societies.
Gondo ʼ s designs are different from the rest of the video. Director
Hashimoto told me that by using them for the closing scene, it adds diversity to the work. Hashimotoʼs goal was to create something new andnovel, and he felt Gondoʼs work was a good match for the highlight of thevideo.

View of the Video Production Process
As of November 16, the video was 60% to 70% finished. The completed
work is scheduled to be released by December 23. Before then, the plan
is to complete the video, coordinate it with the music, and add sound effects.
The hardest part of making the video is the technical aspects, particularly how to handle the gigabytes of data. I have learned about theevolution of digital technologies, and the demands and challenges ofthe parallel evolution of digital technology environments. COVID-19 hasbrought about restrictions on our mobility. We now conduct almost all of
our communications and collaborative work online, but we are still figuring out how to continue doing the things we did before COVID-19. We arestill looking for a “new normal.” The core of this project is international
exchange as well as cooperation and collaboration in and outside Japan.
Sky Bridge is taking on the challenge of finding out how much of this canbe achieved online. Director Hashimoto feels that working online has increased productivity and resulted in closer cooperation, but that thereʼsalso something “lacking.” This sentiment highlights the difficulties of thischallenge.
Japanese original text by Prof. Minamide,
English translation from the original text by the Japan Foundation

1 The basic story told in Hashimotoʼs storyboards (as reported in my first report) was asfollows:
Introduction/ki: Japan and Brazil appear.
Development/sho: Two spirits (Japan and Brazil) are born. Japan and Brazil combine in
the world of myths and legends.
Twist/ten: The spirits have a cultural exchange party.
Conclusion/ketsu: The sun and Japan and Brazil, floating in the ocean.

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instruments into his performances.

S.C.ALLIANCE Inc., with Shen Kyomei RIBEIRO,
Gabriel LEVY, and Ari COLARES (Brazil)

Gabriel Levy: Levy comes from a family of musicians famous in São Paulo.

Sky Bridge
Third Report: Music Creationand from a young age, he was taught the piano with a focus on classical

Author: MINAMIDE Kazuyo

Composer Alexandre LEVY was his granduncle. His mother is a pianist,music. As he learned more and more about music, his interests expanded
to include indigenous Brazilian cultures, and he has explored a variety
of musical fusions. Regarding Japanese music, he was influenced by KITAHARA Tamie, who traveled to Brazil and spread Japanese music, and isGoals of the Third Report
Production work by Japanese and Brazilian artists on Sky Bridge, a full-learning the shamisen. He has traveled to Japan three times.

Music Production Process

dome movie production project by S.C.ALLIANCE Inc., is close to being
completed. According to the project proposal at the time of applica-

As I explained in my second report, the video production team headedtion, artists from Brazil would be invited to Japan to lodge together and

by Director HASHIMOTO Daisuke created video storyboards with which

conduct recording sessions. However, COVID-19 restricted their travels.

the music team created an overall image for the music in accordance withAccordingly, the artists have been fully utilizing online systems. Theirthe video timing. In accordance with the original concept, KOBAYASHI

tireless efforts are resulting in high-quality work. In addition, the merits

Yohei and Ribeiro further developed the projectʼs image and worked toof online collaboration are leading the artists to new possibilities.

create a concrete story.

In my second report, I focused on the video teamʼs production process.
In this third report, I will report on the production activities of the music

The length of the work will be around 10 minutes, and its composition
will be as follows.

production team. I interviewed the Japanese and Brazilian artists online
on December 6. I also observed online a recording studio session con-Introduction/ki: Japan and Brazil appear.

ducted in Tokyo on October 31. The Brazilian artists also participated

Development/sho: Two spirits (Japan and Brazil) are born. Japan and Brazil

online during the recording, and I was able to see how their collaborative

combine in the world of myths and legends.

production was proceeding.

Twist/ten: The spirits have a cultural exchange party.
Conclusion/ketsu: Japan and Brazil appear illuminated by the sun andfloating in the ocean.
Of the above, only for the starting introduction/ki section (around 1–1.5
minutes) are the Brazilian and Japanese teams each in charge of specific,

different parts. The rest of the work is all created collaboratively. Ribeiro
was the leader for the Brazilian part, and Kobayashi was the leader for
the Japanese part. They both attended recordings of each otherʼs musical performances online and exchanged opinions as production moved
forward. In addition, both teams worked together to adjust any discrepDecember 6 interview participantsancies between the two countriesʼ musical parts when they were joined

・OTAKE Mayumi: Sound designer and executive producer

together for the video.

・KOBAYASHI Yohei: Japanese team music production and saxophone

performance・Shen Kyomei RIBEIRO: Brazilian team music producer, flute and Shaku-

hachi performance
・Ari COLARES: Brazilian team music production and percussion perfor-

mance・Gabriel LEVY: Brazilian team music production and accordion perfor-

mance
・SUZUMORI Shizuka: Brazilian team artist manager(SASAO Gaku: The Japan Foundation, São Paulo)

Originally, Kobayashi created the overall flow for the collaborative parts
from the development/sho section onward. However, it was felt that theresult was overly produced. As a result, after discussion and trial music
production, it was decided to start over and re-do everything collaboratively. According to Kobayashi, they repeatedly created, discussed, andrevised their work.
The mixing of the recorded sound (audio) was conducted in Japan. However, Brazilian team artist Ribeiro also took part in the process online, andthe mixing was conducted in discussion with him.
The video and music were created in parallel at the same time. Whenthe music was completed, the project members worked to combine it with

Here I would like to give a brief introduction of some of the artists on thethe video. During this process, both the video and the music were revised

Brazilian music production team.

and adjusted to match each other. Another task during this process wasadding sound effects as necessary. For this project, it was decided to use

Ari Colares: In addition to being a performing musician, Colares teaches

fewer sound effects than normal, and to use them only where they would

music at various schools in Brazil. He has taught at universities and otherbe most effective.

institutions, and has also held music workshops for poor children as partof a government assistance program. He is participating in Sky Bridge

Music Recording

because he knows Brazilian team music producer Shen Kyomei Ribeiro.
He has never been to Japan but has a good image of the country. He has

The music was recorded in Japan over two days and in Brazil over two

also previously incorporated taiko drums and other Japanese percussion

days. For the performances, Kobayashi prepared sheet music to serve as

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a basis for performances. However, the music had to be performed while

sheet music to be used as a base and an image of what instruments werewatching the video. As the artists played, they would check if it matched

to be used. However, Colares brought out a huge variety of percussion

the video and adjust their performance. It was almost like improvising the

instruments that were used as deemed necessary for each part.

music on the spot. The Japanese recording sessions were conducted in a

In Brazil, the music was recorded using three kinds of drums (Japanese,studio in Tokyo. In Brazil, they were conducted in Colaresʼ home/studio.

Brazilian, and Thunder Drum), a shaker, piano, accordion, flute, Japanese

Both teams attended the otherʼs recording sessions online. Although

shakuhachi flute, saxophone, and a car spring, among others. The Thun-they couldnʼt perform at the same time, they participated by picturing the

der Drum, in particular, was not part of the original plan, but I was told

overall mix. I attended the recording in Japan online and also conductedthat it plays a very important role in creating the workʼs atmosphere. Theinterviews about each countryʼs recording sessions, including what I ob-

Brazilian team also created their music while listening to playbacks andserved online in Japan.

discussing them. There were four Brazilian musicians in the studio andKobayashi also participated online.

1. The Japanese Teamʼs Recording Sessions

Both Kobayashi, the music producer for the Japanese team, and Ri-

The Japanese recording sessions were conducted in a studio in Tokyo

beiro, the music producer for the Brazilian team, emphasized more thanon October 31 and November 3. The instruments used were a string quar-

anything that they got great satisfaction and enjoyment from being abletet (two violins, a viola, and a cello), a trombone, a trumpet, and a shinobue

to engage in collaborative work that was improvisational. They told me

bamboo flute. There was also a vocalist. During recordings, the musiciansthat the work was an extremely creative time filled with experimental ap-

performed while watching video shown on a screen in the recording room

proaches. The Japanese taiko and shakuhachi were also used for the Bra-

(Photo 1). Staff in the control room also listened to the musicians perform

zilian recordings, but their usage and performances were unique. I was

while checking the video on a screen (Photo 2). Both rooms were also

told that in a completely natural way, these Japanese instruments ended

connected to Zoom (a separate audio feed ensured that there would be noup being used to represent Brazil. Kobayashi told me that it opened up

sound lag), and Ribeiro from the Brazilian team observed online. When a

new possibilities for musical activities for him.

performance was finished, it was replayed in the control room to check

At the beginning of the work, in the scene where the Japanese andit. The members discussed various points to adjust and recorded anotherBrazilian spirits meet, there is session music comprising Ribeiro on theperformance. This process was repeated over and over again (Photo 3) inshakuhachi and Kobayashi on the saxophone. They told me this fusion

order to create the music for each scene.

emphasizes the fun of cultural exchange and also expresses the fun they
had recording the session.Normally in collaborative projects, the artists,
who have each established themselves in the world, often end up clashing over the things they want to do. According to Kobayashi, however,there was none of that in this project. The musicians found each otherʼsmusic and performances to be novel and fresh, and they were able toflexibly cooperate without being restricted by fixed ideas. He told me that
this was the best part about working on this project for him. Both Ko-

Photo 1: Performing in the recording studio.

bayashi and Ribeiro told me that this was only possible because they respected each other and that they both came to really like each other. You
could say that the most meaningful part of the production process was
the artistsʼ ability to embody and experience the purpose of international
exchange (collaboration).

Taking on the Challenge of Online Work
Photo 2: Monitoring everything in the control room.

In the projectʼs original plan, the recording work while lodging together
in Japan was to be one of the main activities. However, because of the
COVID-19 pandemic, it was canceled. This was very disappointing to themusicians of both countries. It also forced them to take on a huge challenge: how to engage in international exchange under these conditions.
Conversely, however, the pandemic resulted in online meeting systems

Photo 3: Kobayashi repeatedly performed the music, checked how things matched, and adjusted
the music, over and over again.

quickly becoming common and used in all kinds of fields. Cultural activities were no exception.
As I have already stated, in this project, particularly the music produc-

2. The Brazilian Teamʼs Recording Sessions
I was unable to observe the Brazilian teamʼs recording sessions, so thefollowing report is based on their interviews.

tion moved forward with constant online contact between Japan andBrazil. The biggest merit of doing the recording work online was that themusicians from both countries were able to try out all of the instruments

The recordings were conducted over two days in São Paulo, Brazil, inthat they owned. Because of this, Kobayashi emphasized that they were

Ari Colaresʼ home/studio. Colares is a percussion musician and has many

able to engage in approaches they had never tried before, and this re-different kinds of percussion instruments in his home. Accordingly, thesulted in a depth to the music that he never would have imagined. Right

Brazilian team recordings made maximum use of this environment. This

from the start, the members of this project intended to create a new kind

would not have been possible under the original plan, which was to bringof full-dome movie unlike anything seen before. The unique music theonly a small selection of instruments to Japan for recordings. There wasprojectʼs musicians created was a perfect match for this intent and also

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helped the members feel that they were achieving this goal. There are still
restrictions that limit face-to-face creation activities, and it is impossible
not to wonder what other discoveries the musicians might have made if
they had met in person. However, it is clear that they discovered the possibilities presented by going in a different direction.

The Unique and Shared Challenges of a Full-Dome Movie
The projectʼs representative and Executive Producer Otake Mayumi has
twenty years of experience working as a professional sound designer forentertainment spaces. She has also been involved in planetarium works
from early on in her professional career. For Kobayashi Yohei, one of the
projectʼs Music Producers and musicians, this is the third planetarium
project he has been involved in. Both told me that the sound aspect ofplanetarium projects is characterized by the difficulty of configuring theaudio, including dealing with echoes, in a domed space. The problem isin accurately recreating music, created under the best conditions in astudio, in a domed space.
I asked about how the work will be shared after its completion. The
completed work is scheduled to be shown soon in Japan (at Saitama City
Space Theater) on December 23. The problem is then showing it in Bra-zil. There are no planetariums in São Paulo that can show digital videos
like this project. The ones that can in larger Brazilian cities such as Riode Janeiro are small in scale. As the video production team had told me
regarding the video production process, the video hardware environment(video conversion, transmission, and projection) lags behind production

software technology.
Ribeiro told me that the music alone was good enough to hold a suite
concert, and he wanted to invite Kobayashi to Brazil to stage such a concert. He said that the music they created had become “our work.”

View of the Music Production Process
Before COVID-19, many performing musicians likely felt that sharing aspace and directly experiencing the music while performing it was one of
the best things about music. For this project, one of the main activities
was to be the recording work done together in person while also lodging together. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, this was notpossible. In spite of this, the musicians connected to each other online,
listened to each otherʼs performances, and imagined performing together
as they created the projectʼs music. Technology was used to combine
their individually recorded performances and turn them into a concert. I
am very much looking forward to seeing how the music of this new kindof ensemble has been synchronized with the video and how it will beshown in a full dome. At the same time, a work like this, created by combining individual pieces, cannot be played on peopleʼs home computersand smartphones. This project can only be shown in a planetarium space
where large numbers of people gather together. This fact has made me
keenly aware that “gathering together” cannot be completely eliminatedfrom cultural activities.
Japanese original text by Prof. Minamide,
English translation from the original text by the Japan Foundation

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Twist/ten: The two spirits meet.

S.C.ALLIANCE Inc., with Shen Kyomei RIBEIRO,
Gabriel LEVY, and Ari COLARES (Brazil)

Sky Bridge
Fourth Report: Performance and Reflection
Author: MINAMIDE Kazuyo

The cultural exchange party

Goals of the Fourth and Final Report
On December 23, 2021, the completed Sky Bridge full-dome movie
production by S.C.ALLIANCE Inc.

Conclusion/ketsu: Japan and Brazil floating in the same ocean

was shown at Saitama City Space
Theater, bringing the project to aclose. Fortunately, at this time the
COVID-19 pandemic was not in asevere state. With restrictions on thenumber of attendees, the work wasable to be shown to the public audience.

From the making-of video

In this final report, I will report on
the showing of the completed work. I
will also look back on the project asa whole based on an interview withOTAKE Mayumi and OSHIO Misato conducted on January 12, 2022. Lastly, I would like to end this report with a short discussion of my opinions
as a process observer of this international collaborative project. Due tothe atmosphere of the work using screenshots taken from a recording

the pandemic, excluding attending the showing of the completed work,of the workʼs showing made by S.C.Alliance. Of course, it is impossible

my work as an observer had to be done entirely online. The creators

to fully convey a full-dome movie using flat images. It is also impossible

themselves also did the majority of the work while utilizing the Internet. I

to recreate a moving video using still images. Accordingly, please under-

would also like to provide an overview of the possibilities and limitations

stand that these images only show the general flow of the work.

of international collaboration (cooperation) conducted remotely.

The work consists only of music and video. No words, including any
kind of narration, are used in the actual work. Only at the end of the mak-The Showing of the Completed Sky Bridge
The completed work consists of the 12-minute long actual video as well
as a 2-minute-long making-of video. I have already discussed the overallcomposition of the work in my first report. However, I would like to convey
Introduction/ki: Japan and Brazil appear

ing-of video is the following message stated in Portuguese and Japanese:

People from all over the world are connected by the “Sky Bridge”.
We celebrate the diversity of cultures and ways of life, and we hopethat together we can create a better future for our planet by uniting
with one another.

People who watch this work may freely enjoy the combination of music
and video, and interpret their own message from the images and title. My
own personal interpretation was that Japan and Brazil, which are locatedon opposite sides of the Earth, form a variety of contrasts in many different areas and, particularly in this video, their symmetry was striking.
For example, even the use of color created contrast, with Japan primarily
Development/sho: Japanese and Brazilian spirits are born + the world of myths

depicted with red tones and Brazil primarily depicted with green tones.
(These colors are also connected to the colors used on each countryʼs national flag.) The workʼs music also highlighted the contrasting compositionof the video images. Changes in the musicʼs tone expressed the storyʼs
structural changes: the “introduction/ki” in which both countries appear; the “development/sho” in which we move from Japan to Brazil; andthe banquet during the “twist/ten” when music from the two countries
combines and fuses. For 12 uninterrupted minutes, the work plays in the
awe-inspiring space of a planetarium, its imagery drawing viewers in.
When the work is finished, it feels like it only lasted a moment. This sen-

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sation is also mixed with a feeling of tension̶ so great one wasnʼt even

Brazilian team Music Producer Ribeiro had studied in Japan and was alsoable to blink̶ evaporating.

good at Japanese. Even so, when the project started and they first began

When the work was finished showing, members of the production

working with each other, there was some tension on the Japanese side.

team held a talk about the projectʼs creation. These included Executive

Particularly with regard to working together online, there was anxiety

Producer Otake Mayumi, Movie Director HASHIMOTO Daisuke, and Mu-

about peopleʼs thoughts and expectations beyond what the screen could

sic Producer and musician KOBAYASHI Yohei. In addition, members ofconvey. However, after one or two months of repeated and frequent plan-

the Brazilian team participated online via screen: Music Producer Shenning meetings, the project members had established a communication

Kyomei RIBEIRO, and musicians Ari COLARES and Gabriel LEVY. First,

rhythm, and things went smoothly after that. As the project members

Otake provided an overview of the project. Then the production process

worried about how each otherʼs countries were doing under the pandem-

and how the members collaborated online were explained. After that, theic, their desire to do the best work possible given the limitations may

Japanese and Brazilian production staff discussed what they enjoyedhave also been a positive.

and found fulfilling. I have already discussed the production process in

One of the things that made this project difficult was the nature ofthis series of reports, so I apologize for repeating myself, but what themaking a full-dome movie. It is normal for the plan for a video to change

members from both countries emphasized was that they discovered new

as it is being made. When making a documentary, faithfully following thepossibilities by collaborating remotely. Originally, it was planned thatcourse of events will result in the scope of the video expanding. Even

Brazilian members would come to Japan to engage in collaborative work.

dramatic films become better works when the creation process continues

This ended up being impossible. However, working online had become

throughout the script writing, filming, and editing stages. When making anormalized, and using the Internet actually doubled the amount of time

video, it is almost impossible for the project budget to stay the same asthat the members collaborated. The musicians from both countries wereoriginally planned. Especially for this project, changes occurred frequent-able to listen in real time to each otherʼs performances, improvise, andly during the production process because, from the start of the planningcombine their performances to create the workʼs music. The process ofstage, the focus was on experimenting and trying to create a new kindadjusting and synchronizing the workʼs video and music was also con-of planetarium work that had never been seen before, without regard forducted collaboratively between the Japanese and Brazilian teams. The

the commercial value. The projectʼs budgetary framework also had to bemembers said that the experience was very fresh and novel. They saidchanged because of things such as the need to add more people to workthat although they never actually met in person, the Japanese and Brazil-

on CG production as the video teamʼs work became more and more com-ian collaborators were also able to build friendships by working together

plicated. Because of COVID-19, the Brazilian creators were forced to give

online.

up on coming to Japan. This freed up some of the budget to cover otherthings, but some parts of the work were only able to be completed (throughconsiderable effort) thanks to the membersʼ love for the project. Such sit-uations required the Japan Foundation to be flexible toward changing theplanned budget. In addition, there was no requirement for an audience
for the performance showing in December. However, just before this time,
the Japan Foundation requested that a general audience be allowed towatch the work. The projectʼs members told me that they understood why
the Japan Foundation wanted to see the best results possible as the situation changed again and again under COVID-19. However, the projectʼs
end goal, as it were, of whether it would be shown to a general audience
was a very important matter, and switching to allowing a general audience
During the informal talk with staff from the Japan Foundation after theat the last minute made things difficult for the project team. S.C.Allianceshowing, the possibility of showing the work in Brazil was discussed.

later informed The Japan Foundation of this issue, and it was recognized

There are no planetarium projectors in Brazil that can show a video likethat there had been a difference in interpretation.

this work, and the planetariums existing in Brazil are small in scale. Be-

Despite these difficulties, the members said that overall, they felt sig-cause of this, sharing the work as VR content instead of showing it at anificance in having been given the chance to take on the challenge of aplanetarium is being considered.

new kind of creative activity. They also said that, in part thanks to a great
team, international collaboration was very enjoyable. They were forced to

Looking Back on the Production

do everything online due to COVID-19, but this also helped them to find
new possibilities. As a chance to focus on their own artistic sensibilities

In an interview around three weeks after the project presentation show-

and try something new without worrying about costs, Otake thought that

ing, I asked Otake and Oshio about how they felt about working on thethis project (organized by the Japan Foundation) was a particularly mean-

project and the projectʼs challenges.

ingful opportunity for young creators.

First, we talked about international exchange and international collabo-

When I asked about how this work will be used in the future, I was told

ration. Otake compared working on this project with her other productionthat they wanted to submit it to a planetarium movie festival and findexperiences, but the very first thing she said was that this project result-

other opportunities to show it overseas. They were also thinking about

ed in the raising of a good team. In any collaboration between people

finding chances to show it at international expositions such as Expofrom different countries, there will be differences in communication. Not

2025, scheduled to be held in Osaka. This project was a collaborative

only language barriers, but also differences in the way people negotiate

Japanese–Brazilian work. The members believe that it practically express-

and assert themselves. Such projects start with the participants watchinges the people of Japan and Brazil as well as cultural exchange, and that it

to see how the other group responds, and with confusion. In this project,should be proactively shown in spaces for international exchange.

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PROJECTA

Sky Bridge

REPORTA

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Overall View as an Observer
Lastly, I would like to discuss my views on three points with regard to
this project from my position as a process observer: full-dome movies,
international collaborative works, and remote work.
First, a full dome movie is an unusual kind of project for the JapanFoundation. As I have said repeatedly in my reports, particularly in Japan,
planetariums are limited to educational purposes, and they usually adjoin
museums and similar facilities run by the local municipal government.
I felt that there was a lot of meaning in this work and its goal of being
an artistic full-dome movie that would freely move the emotions of bothaudiences and the creators. I have heard that overseas, filmmakers areentering the planetarium movie world. Japan has many planetariums, andI think that new possibilities for artistic activities in their domed spaces
should be demonstrated.
Next, regarding international collaborations, it is true that with thisproject, leadership tended to come from the Japan side. In part, this is
likely because the only supporting organization was the Japan Foundation (no assistance was received from overseas foundations, etc.). However,I also think that this may have been due to a general lack of symmetry
in mutual understanding between the societies of Japan and Brazil. In
this project, the knowledge and experience that Brazilian members suchas Music Producer Ribeiro had regarding Japan were greater than thoseof the Japanese members regarding Brazil. Because of this, I believe it
was easier for the Brazilian members to adapt to Japanese culture. For
the Japanese creators, the Brazilian members were the first Brazilian
people they had worked with, and this project became an opportunity forthem to learn about Brazil. Not just in this project but in all international
exchange, there is always asymmetry in the relationships between countries. With regard to Brazil and Japan, Japanese-Brazilians have had an
important position, and they have contributed greatly to conveying theculture of Japan to Brazil over the generations. A Japanese-Brazilian artist(Camila GONDO) participated in this project as well. Her depictions of thesights of Brazil and Japan are part of her identity. Today, a not insignificant number of Japanese-Brazilians are living in Japan. By conveying theculture of Brazil to Japan, they have increased Brazilʼs presence in Japanand promoted international exchange and understanding. There is a needto create environments for this, and I think that this work could provide
an opportunity for people in Japan to feel how close Japan and Brazil are.
I have already discussed remote work in my reports previously. For thisproject, everything had to be done online, but this restriction was turned
into a positive, namely engagement in a collaborative process in a waythat would not have happened before the pandemic. If this project had
happened before the pandemic, its international exchange and collaborative work would have had to have been squeezed into a short period oftime when the Brazilian members came to Japan. Because the Brazilian
members were not able to come to Japan, however, all of the members
were able to work together closely, repeatedly, and over a long period oftime. It is impossible to compare and say which way would have been
better, but it is true that the projectʼs members developed a new styleof collaborative creation. Even after COVID-19 subsides, it is likely that
Internet-based remote work will not disappear. I am confident that whenthat time comes, it will result in the creation of a method that effectively
combines both face-to-face and remote work in a balanced way.
Japanese original text by Prof. Minamide,
English translation from the original text by the Japan Foundation

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The Japan Foundation
FY2021 International Creations in Performing Arts
Process Observer Reports
Edited by SAKURAI Hiroshi
Reviewed by ONO Fuyuki
Design & Printing Design: SHIBANO Kenta
Printing & Binding: LIVE Art Books Inc.
Published and translated by The Japan Foundation (JF)YOTSUYA CRUCE, 1-6-4 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0004
https://www.jpf.go.jp/e/©The Japan Foundation

Published March 31, 2022

The Japan Foundation International Creations in Performing Arts Website
https://www.jpf.go.jp/j/project/culture/perform/creation/index.html