This article was originally published in the Japan Times newspaper on March 31 2015. In 1964, the late Polish theater scholar Jan Kott wrote “Shakespeare, Our Contemporary,” an influential book that questioned the processes of producing Shakespeare in the here and now and whether the Bard’s texts should serve as clues for an archeological dig…
"Twelfth Night" and "I, Malvolio" at ACM Theater, Art Tower Mito
This article was originally published in the Japan Times newspaper on Feb 4 2015. Over the past decade, Shintaro Mori has made a name for himself in Japan’s theater world as a director with a passion for plays in translation. So, true to form, next month at the ACM Theater in Art Tower Mito he…
"Landslide World" – Shiki Goroshi's stage adaptation of "Lord of the Flies"
This article was originally published in the Japan Times newspaper on January 7 2015. Central to William Golding’s dystopian novel “Lord of the Flies” is the notion of violence as a social construct. “Maybe there is a beast … maybe it’s only us,” says the protective Simon before a hostile assembly of other schoolboys marooned…
Kansai region in midst of arts renaissance
This article was originally published in the Japan Times newspaper on Jan 1 2015. In its 2013 policy report, the Agency for Cultural Affairs vowed to build “a nation based on culture and the arts” through the promotion of regional festivals, artist-in-residence programs and other events. So what can we expect the Kansai region’s contribution…
On the New National Theatre Tokyo's staging of Nick Payne's "Constellations"
This article was originally published in the Japan Times newspaper on Nov 26 2014. As the third play in its series titled Drama for Two — The Power of Dialogue, the New National Theatre, Tokyo, is set to stage acclaimed English playwright Nick Payne’s two-hander quantum love story “Constellations” for a three-week run from Dec….
On the Asian Shakespeare Association's first Conference and the new Owl Spot Shakespeare Festival (Tokyo)
This article was originally published in the Japan Times newspaper on Nov 19 2014. Whatever would William Shakespeare make of it all if he were to journey now through Asia, where the interpretations of his works differ so much across vast regions, ethnic groups, cultures and languages? Since the 1990s, in the field of Shakespeare…
Kyoto Experiment #5
This article was originally published in the Japan Times newspaper on Sept 24 2014. Kyoto Experiment, the city’s monthlong international performing-arts festival that debuted in 2010 and has been growing in popularity in the vanguard of contemporary performance every year since, is now set to embark on its fifth and most radical edition. The ongoing…
Nomura Mansai's "Suitcase Macbeth"
This article was originally published in the Japan Times newspaper on July 16 2014. Cultures collide on the small square stage of Mansai Nomura’s pared-down “Macbeth,” in which the actor/director draws on the restrained aesthetics of noh and the agility and wit of kyōgen traditional comic theater as he transplants his version of Shakespeare’s blood-soaked Scottish play to medieval…
On the launch of the Kinosaki International Arts Center
This article was originally published in the Japan Times newspaper on June 4 2014. JUN 4, 2014ARTICLE HISTORY PRINT SHARE The small hot-spring resort of Kinosaki beside the Sea of Japan in northern Hyogo Prefecture is as picturesque as it is peacefully genteel. However, with April’s opening of the Kinosaki International Arts Center (KIAC), this…
French theatre at the core of SPAC's 2014 festival
This article was originally published in the Japan Times newspaper on April 23 2014. It is often said that “variety is the spice of life,” but in the multifarious world of theater it is more a staple than a special condiment. That said, “variety” is the keyword chosen by Satoshi Miyagi, artistic director of the…
Andrew Eglinton 