Winds of Change/Ashita No Kaze Vol 2

Winds of Change/Ashita No Kaze Vol 2

Yellow Earth Theatre, StoneCrabs and One Two Works

Winds of Change/Ashita No Kaze Vol 2

Japanese Contemporary Plays and Playwrights Festival

This September an exciting month long festival brings to the UK a new series of contemporary Japanese plays by some of Japan’s most celebrated playwrights. The Festival will include script in hand readings in English, Meet the Writer events and a ‘Lost in Translation’ seminar.

 

Series 1 in partnership with Japan Foundation and Regent’s University London

Fri 7 Sep 7pm

Fallout

by Akihito Nakatsuru, translated by Jeremy Kuhles, directed by Franko Figueiredo

On March 11, 2011, a magnitude-9 earthquake shook northeastern Japan, unleashing a savage tsunami. It caused a cooling system failure at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, resulting in a massive nuclear fallout. Shunsuke Komoto, a broadcasting company employee turned freelance documentarist finds himself caught between the political and the personal with devastating consequences.

“Fallout” is a time bomb ticking thriller that spans over two generations.

 

Sat 8 Sep 3pm

Nakatsuru Talk- Writer & Translator Talk at Free Word Centre

 

Friday, 14 Sep, 7pm   at Marylebone Theatre 

+51 Aviación, San Borja

by Yudai Kamisato, translated by Aya Ogawa, directed by Kumiko Mendl

In an abandoned building in Tokyo a director lies down to die only to be approached by Sekisano, the man known as the father of Mexican theatre. A Japanese man exiled in Mexico before the war, Sekisano recounts his turbulent life before his exile in Moscow, Paris and New York. Overwhelmed by the sense of futility of theatre, they embark on a journey to the ancestoral home of the director in Okinawa and then Peru. Weaving history, memory and the author’s own cosmopolitan roots +51 Avaición creates a kaleidoscopic canvas of dream, contemplation and ultimately the search for one’s identity, purpose and place in the world.

 

Sat 15 Sep 3pm

Kamisato Talk – Writer & Translator Talk at Free Word Centre –

An opportunity to hear from award winning playwright and director Yudai Kamisato and Japanese American translator and theatre maker Aya Ogawa.

Book now

Series 2 in partnership with Japan House , Regent’s University London and SOAS

Fri 21 Sep 7pm at Marylebone Theatre 

On Air

by Ai Nagai, translated by Nozomi Abe, directed by Kwong Loke

“Events set in motion a power struggle at a major Japanese TV station. An important and highly sensitive piece of ‘investigative journalism’ has been halted just hours before it’s due to be broadcast, Chief editor, anchor, newscaster, director and the Executive Board are summoned to ‘test the air’ against a background of political intrusion as neutrality and opinion, fabrication and truth are brought into question with tragi-comic results.

 

Sat 22 Sep 2 – 4.30pm 

‘Lost in Translation’ seminar  at School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS) –

Celebrated playwright Ai Nagai will give a short illustrated talk on her work followed by a practical workshop with translator Dr Nozomi Abe. The event will finish with a panel discussion and Q&A on the particular challenges of translating plays for theatre.  

Panellists: Dr Nozomi Abe (translator), Susan Momoko Hingley (actor and translator) and Trine Garrett (co-founder Foreign Affairs).

This free event will take place at School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS), Room B202, Brunei Gallery, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG

 

Thurs 27 Sep 7 pm  at Marylebone Theatre 

Dilemma Dilemma

by Toshinobu Kojo, translated by Sayuri Suzuki, directed by Anthony Lau

A college student, a rice wholesaler’s wife, and the deputy chief inspector of the Nuclear Security Inspection Office are all being interviewed by government officials. How can one be virtuous when actions are ‘unavoidable’ and ‘justice’ so subjective?

Dilemma, Dilemma touches on fundamental issues of human behaviour, morals and ‘doing the right thing’ when faced with impossible challenges

 

Fri 28 Sep 6.30- 8pm 

‘Beyond Words’ Writer & Translator Talk at Japan House 

Celebrated playwright Toshinobu Kojo will give an illustrated talk on his work followed by a conversation with his translator Sayuri Suzuki about the nature of their long- term collaboration. Moderated by Dr Valerie Kaneko Lukas.

This free event will take place at Japan House, 101-111 Kensington High St, Kensington, London W8 5SA.