Congratulations!
Faifai (a young performance group, Japan) won the ZKB patoronage prize 2010, at Zürcher Theater Spektakel 2010. Please refer to the following website for details.
http://bit.ly/cApGMf
2010/09/07
2010/07/28
faifai "SHIBAHAMA"
Faifai is a young comtemporary performance group, and is one of the most important companies in Japan today. They (faifai) already try to part from a narrow frame "Japan", and make the world into their active field.In 2009, faifai made the work named "MY NAME IS I LOVE YOU", and turned round Europe (Hungary/ Budapest, Netherlands/ Groningen, Slovenia/ Ljubljana, Germany/ Berlin). And in 2010, "A story of Y o'clock" went to Singapore (Singapore Arts Festival 2010), and "MY NAME IS I LOVE YOU" turned again round Europe (Germany/Theater der Welt 2010, and Itary/Santarcangelo 2010).
There are many members who have unique talents in faifai. They are making the works not by alone but by the group. Faifai have some playwrights and directors, and their organization changes by each work. Faifai's leader (Yon) wrote in the magazine (Bijutsu Techou) as follows. "Hereafter, we do, not alone but together."
In June 2010, faifai performed in Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space, that is "SHIBAHAMA". This work's motif is a classics traditional comic story telling of Japan (Rakugo). However, it was extremely avant-garde play. Every day, variegated guest was invited. And there ware programs in which the spectators can participate. In a word, this is like a party.
I do not necessarily affirm that they intend not a theatre play but a party. Because faifai has some abilities make wonderful theatrical productions. But anyway, they are free, they have freedom. Faifai try to be making the opened places without any fences. This attempt is unexampled as long as I know.
They don't exclude anyone. Everyone is permitted to always enter circle of faifai.
Age, sex, and Nationality don't become a problem. We can go faifai together with friends, lovers, parents, children, or of course, can go alone. Faifai said in "SHIBAHAMA" as follows. "We love all living things !!!!!!!" I think, love is their potential.
In this summer, 2010/8/13–15 at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space, faifai will be jointly planned with B-Floor (the unit of Thailand), that is called "Spicy, Sour, and Sweet". They have already repeated the workshop in preparation for this public program. When I visit the workshop, they collide by the differences of the culture. However, faifai and B-Floor exchanged opinions, and deepened more mutual understandings. I believe it consequentially rolls in a good direction.
There might be various barriers in this world. However, faifai will exceed any barriers, and take us the wide unknown world. I hope so.
快快『SHIBAHAMA』2010年6月＠東京芸術劇場／撮影：加藤和也／提供：快快 禁無断転載
“SHIBAHAMA" 2010.06 @Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space / photo: Kazuya Kato/ provided: faifai/ Please do not use any images without permission.
ワークショップ写真 2010年6月30日＠東京芸術劇場／撮影：加藤和也／提供：東京芸術劇場 禁無断転載
Last photo, 2010.06.30 @Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space / photo: Kazuya Kato/ provided: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space/ Please do not use any images without permission.
2010/07/01
Kakikukyaku “Wannabe”
Between two or more countries and regions, is not there any wall of language and culture? I thought about it round and round while returning from Atelier Syunpusha after watching “Wannabe” of Kakikukyaku. But I was very refreshing feelings, and felt the age move greatly.
Kakikukyaku is the theatrical company especially popular among the Japanese young people. At “Wannabe”, they communicate with each other while throwing in a gesture and using English not so well. Because they are all Asians, and are not races who daily uses English. Of course, it cannot be declared that English is a universal language. “Wannabe” has not affirmed English hegemony based on an innocent conception. However, English is useful as a communications tool.
This work is exhibited in the 17th BeSeTo Theater Festival. Norihito Nakayashiki (the director of Kakikukyaku) says that "Wannabe arose from my optimistic doubt". It means “any wall of language and culture doesn't exist between countries and regions”. He did not put any interpreters into the rehearsal hall. So, the actors make relations including discommunication by speaking directly. They are not only communications by a couple, and support it by plurals each other. They think it's very natural to use the not-native language in this place, and are enjoying it.
Of course, they might know some complex history of Asia. But they give priority to people who have concrete names in the presence. I think that it's a very sincere attitude. Maybe, they don't thought "I'm Japanese" or "You are Korian" or "She is Chinese". They are only "Koro" "Goni" "Yefan" "Shichimi" and any their names.
I want to recommend this stage to young people. However, various people will enjoy this stage regardless of their age or backbones. I became feelings that entered a circle of "the quiet party" on this stage. Because this party doesn't compel feelings of euphoria at all. On this play, a girl will says “I am not interested in this stupid party, and keep quiet, please!”. I means that this stage is a open & semi-public place. It's impossible for me to know the room arrangement of this house where they live. But I feel this house is very wide. Only a little, I want to live in. In this house, I will love everything.
I saw this play at the first day. Surely, this work will grow up more and more. "Wannabe" will be presented also in Tottori. And it's likely to appear in various places in the world. Actually this time, Kakikukyaku did not use their special unique techniques. They are not satisfied with their already-known techniques, and try to take off from a peculiar context of Japan. They are challenging toward the world.
At the end, I want to say only one. This work has treated the actor's words throwing off. Perhaps, it is because they try to prove the absence of any wall between any languages. Here, the word has been treated as only a communications tool similar to gesture. However, I want to say, some words on this stage shook my mind. Those words will be only someone's copies, might be grammatically wrong. But are originated from mouths of people who are alive in this age now. I think, it's wonderful.
http://wannabe2010.seesaa.net/
(Kakikukyaku “Wannabe” 2010/06/29–07/19 @Atelier Syunpusha (Tokyo), 07/24-25 @Tori no Gekijo (Tottori) /柿喰う客『Wannabe』2010年6月29日〜7月19日＠アトリエ春風舎、７月24日〜25日＠鳥取・鳥の劇場)
(These sentences are baced on Pulthermal Fujiko's blog in Japanese ver. 2010/06/30)
Kakikukyaku is the theatrical company especially popular among the Japanese young people. At “Wannabe”, they communicate with each other while throwing in a gesture and using English not so well. Because they are all Asians, and are not races who daily uses English. Of course, it cannot be declared that English is a universal language. “Wannabe” has not affirmed English hegemony based on an innocent conception. However, English is useful as a communications tool.
This work is exhibited in the 17th BeSeTo Theater Festival. Norihito Nakayashiki (the director of Kakikukyaku) says that "Wannabe arose from my optimistic doubt". It means “any wall of language and culture doesn't exist between countries and regions”. He did not put any interpreters into the rehearsal hall. So, the actors make relations including discommunication by speaking directly. They are not only communications by a couple, and support it by plurals each other. They think it's very natural to use the not-native language in this place, and are enjoying it.
Of course, they might know some complex history of Asia. But they give priority to people who have concrete names in the presence. I think that it's a very sincere attitude. Maybe, they don't thought "I'm Japanese" or "You are Korian" or "She is Chinese". They are only "Koro" "Goni" "Yefan" "Shichimi" and any their names.
I want to recommend this stage to young people. However, various people will enjoy this stage regardless of their age or backbones. I became feelings that entered a circle of "the quiet party" on this stage. Because this party doesn't compel feelings of euphoria at all. On this play, a girl will says “I am not interested in this stupid party, and keep quiet, please!”. I means that this stage is a open & semi-public place. It's impossible for me to know the room arrangement of this house where they live. But I feel this house is very wide. Only a little, I want to live in. In this house, I will love everything.
I saw this play at the first day. Surely, this work will grow up more and more. "Wannabe" will be presented also in Tottori. And it's likely to appear in various places in the world. Actually this time, Kakikukyaku did not use their special unique techniques. They are not satisfied with their already-known techniques, and try to take off from a peculiar context of Japan. They are challenging toward the world.
At the end, I want to say only one. This work has treated the actor's words throwing off. Perhaps, it is because they try to prove the absence of any wall between any languages. Here, the word has been treated as only a communications tool similar to gesture. However, I want to say, some words on this stage shook my mind. Those words will be only someone's copies, might be grammatically wrong. But are originated from mouths of people who are alive in this age now. I think, it's wonderful.
http://wannabe2010.seesaa.net/
(Kakikukyaku “Wannabe” 2010/06/29–07/19 @Atelier Syunpusha (Tokyo), 07/24-25 @Tori no Gekijo (Tottori) /柿喰う客『Wannabe』2010年6月29日〜7月19日＠アトリエ春風舎、７月24日〜25日＠鳥取・鳥の劇場)
(These sentences are baced on Pulthermal Fujiko's blog in Japanese ver. 2010/06/30)
2010/06/24
mum & gypsy “Shabonnokoro”
The theatre play “Shabonnokoro” made by the company “mum & gypsy” had ended last night. It flew like a bubble, and broke, disappeared. I want not to give any coating on this memory. Unbelievable for me, it doesn't exist even if goin' to any theatre hall, of course to Yokohama ST-spot. If possible, I want to stay in the memory for a long time.A lot of various impressions have arisen and flowed. Especially, Kyoko Tokunaga (theatre journalist), Toshihiro Furuya (painter, literary critic), Yukio Shiba (playwrighter, stage director) have written about this theatre play, and their impressions are very interesting for me. However, all seen things were different, little by little. I think they all might be connected with the things in the play of “Shabonnokoro”, which for example, girl's secret bace, a school seen from river beach, and a burning pet house, and sea where everything flows, and a station to which a boy starts on his journey, and so on...
I saw twice this play. And I wrote my feeling in the memo, trifling, in fragments. They had written in digital with my computer, but they have been scattered like the handwritten note. I think this is mysterious. The atmosphere felt in that stage is still seen in the interlinear space of the memo.
“mum & gypsy” and its director (Takahiro Fujita) often use "refrains" and "changes in the angle" and "peculiar high-speed narrations" in the play. Those techniques are very refined and sophisticated. Especially this time, I was surprised at the technique for putting the load on the actors not physically but mentally. Every actor was so wonderful. I was knocked down by their play. Wave of unknown feelings is suddenly filled, and broke, and my tears overflowed. I was not able to move from my chair for a while. Perhaps, I got a lot of unknown things from this theatre play. I came to want to sing, but I din't understand what I should sing. ... I think the most important key words of this stage might be "neoteny" and "skin sensibility". They might be the points that hit the heart for Japan today.
All inside and outside were connected on this stage, and both they overset. I think there was no qualitative differences between "the things in the stage" and "my feelings in my mind". Its boundary is vague, and the air of that stage is drifting now... so, those phenomena still continue.Incidently, “The Wizard of Oz” appeared in this story. Did Dorothy return to the real world? Or, stay in that world? Probably, there was a tornado. And the girl's heel appeared. But I don't remember that story's ending. So... did a lion exist? I do not remember.
The memory might stay in not my brain but my skin. Of course, such a hypothesis is so foolish. I quietly touch the back of my hand. A few memories without reliance are only called... however, it's lovely.http://ameblo.jp/mum-gypsy/
『しゃぼんのころ』2010年5月＠STスポット／撮影：飯田浩一／提供：マームとジプシー 禁無断転載
“Shabonnokoro”(="The Time as Babble") 2010.05 @YOKOHAMA ST-spot / photo:Kouich Iida/ provided: mum & gypsy/ Please do not use any images without permission.
(These sentences are baced on Pulthermal Fujiko's blog in Japanese ver. 2010/06/01, and had written on the next day of seeing the theatre play)
Intoduction
My name is Fujiko Pulthermal, a writer & an editor about Japanese culture. In advance, I will inform you, I cannot speak and write English well. Then, I decided to use the automatic translation system experimentally. So, this website might include a lot of mistakes in the translation. Therefore, I'm sorry, I cannot take the responsibility for sentences of this website as much as writing in Japanese. I would like you to read noting the above-mentioned point. This website is only a test version.
On this website, I introduce Japanese youth culture focusing on performances at small theaters. That is called “Sho-Gekijo”. It can be said that they are descendants of so-called "Little Theatre Movement", but now, they make me feel a new possibility. A lot of young artists who have an excellent talent appear here now. I want to insist, the culture of Japan is not only "Otaku" or "Manga" and so on. Various cultures are here now, and they are waiting to meet unknown people who lives in the world !
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