This end of November, Kudan Project of ?Yaji and Kita? is coming back to KL by popular demand!
The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur (JFKL) and Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (ASWARA) proudly present ?BIGEIKOH?, KUDAN Project?s 2nd theatre production to KL, which is based on same titled novel written by renowned Japanese writer TSUTSUI Yasutaka with story on a big film star in post-war era.
KUDAN Project is based in Nagoya, Japan, founded in 1998 by AMANO Tengai (playwright and director) and OGUMA Hideji (actor and producer). It consists of two actors (Mr. Oguma and Mr. Jitsunashi) and staff from various renowned theatre companies and freelance artists. By combining excellent techniques in different genres, they pursue wider possibility of theatrical expression. This time, KUDAN Project tours Bandung, Indonesia and Kuala Lumpur with support by Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan.
For non-Japanese speaking audiences, don?t worry. The actors are using ?Flash Card?, their own famous invention with translated lines in Bahasa Malaysia and English for better understanding.
Date: 27 (Thu), 28 (Fri) & 29 (Sat) November 2008
Time: Thu & Fri @ 8:30pm, Sat @ 3pm
Venue: Black Box Theatre at Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (ASWARA), 464, Jalan Tun Ismail, KL
Ticket:
RM30, RM15 (Students, Senior Citizens, Disabled & JFKL members)
Available at Axcess ticket outlets www.axcess.co.my / 03-7711 5000
Mon-Fri: 9am ? 6pm Sat: 9am ? 6pm
Axcess Ticket Outlets:-
KUALA LUMPUR
? Rock Corner ? Mid Valley Megamall
? The Actor?s Studio ? Bangsar Shopping Complex
? Tower Records ? Lot 10
? Parkson Sunway Pyramid
BUKIT JALIL
? Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil ? Bukit Jalil
PETALING JAYA
? AXCESS Office ? Section 14, Jalan Semangat
? 1 Utama Box Office ? Bandar Utama
PENANG
? Music Valley ? Midland Park
? Tower Records ? Gurney Plaza
JOHOR BAHRU
? Pelangi Leisure Mall, Johor Bharu
For more details, please The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur (JFKL). Tel: 03-2284 6228 e-mail: jpcc@jfkl.org.my
About theatre version of BIGEIKOH by Kudan Project
Tengai Amano, playwright and director of the theatrical version of BIGEIKOH, had been nurturing the idea of bringing it to stage for many years, and finally premiered the work in Japan in 2007. This production, which completely deconstructs film and theatre for comparison, and then uses the essential elements to create a collage by transforming and reassembling them, was showered with much praise upon its debut, and had a successful run in Tokyo and Nagoya.
BIGEIKOH is the third chapter of KUDAN Project?s two-man3-part production after OSHIMAI in 1996 and YAJI and KITA in 2002 (the latter toured Kuala Lumpur in 2006). It is full of original visual effects by Amano, who is also known internationally as a video artist. BIGEIKOH will be performed with the question, ?What is theatre?? in mind, as it explores theatre?s possibilities and impossibilities in order to create the newest form of ?theatre? in the world.
Synopsis
The story is set in post-war Japan as it rebuilds itself into a film-industry nation, as opposed to a society built around economic activity. BIGEIKOH is the title given to the person who stands at the apex of the film world. The reigning star among stars, BIGEIKOH?s every action is scrutinized by all citizens, and even government policies for economy, society and culture are implemented in line with film.
One day, BIGEIKOH causes a major accident while shooting a new film set in a coal mine. Because of this, BIGEIKOH and Taro Yajima, a scriptwriter and his childhood friend, are banished from the film world and seek refuge in the world of theatre. They make various attempts to return to film society. Yajima struggles with the unfamiliar job of writing scripts for the theatre. BIGEIKOH helps with the writing out of his desire to return to the glamorous world of film.
Then one day as he struggled to write, Yajima daydreams, ?what if Japan wasn?t a film nation but an economic nation?? The world he envisioned was like a bad nightmare, and it matched how ?real? Japan looked.
BIGEIKOH and Yajima love and live for film, and the only skill they possess is how to survive in its endless sequence of light and darkness. As the story progresses, their past and the true ?essence? of theatre is gradually revealed. Are we in a theatre or a film?.or perhaps in the real world or an illusion?? Before long the two of them melt away into the world with a ray of light?.
About the Script and Direction
Adapt the novel BIGEIKOH into a two-man stage performance; when people heard Tengai Amano say this, they could not believe their ears. From the moment it was published, the novel BIGEIKOH had been very popular but being so mellifluous while also containing sharp satire, adapting it for the stage or film was considered an impossibility.
This exceptional novel on the subject of film was successfully adapted for stage only because it had been Amano, an internationally respected video artist who also happened to create stage works making use of his masterly of multimedia.
Amano uses numerous visual imageries in this play as well. His technique and sensibilities are astounding and of a globally high standard. The stage version of BIGEIKOH, which is an organic fusion of ?film? and ?theater,? will undoubtedly astonish audiences.
Even when staged overseas, BIGEIKOH will be performed mostly in Japanese. And instead of displaying subtitles, the translated lines will appear on stage on more than a hundred placards carried by the actors themselves as well as stagehands. They are almost like word balloons in a comic strip. The placards themselves that appear one after another on stage become important props, and heighten the ?live? feel of the performance. By the end, the audience will feel as if the actors were actually performing in the local language. This is an original technique of Amano?s who is particular about his works being ?live.? This method used by KUDAN Project in its overseas performances has amazed and been raved about by countless theater audiences and professionals.
Through this work Amano zooms in on the essence of ?film? and ?theatre.? Film, is an art of light and darkness, and theatre simultaneously connotes both reality and fiction: Amano questions the existence of the world itself by reflecting on the fundamental themes of ?life vs. death,? ?reality vs. fantasy,? and ?existence vs. nothingness? in his works.
About AMANO Tengai 天野天街 (Playwright and director)
AMANO Tengai is a playwright, director and the leader of theatre company called ?Shonen-oja-kan (?????)?. He was born in Ichinomiya, Aichi prefecture in 1960, and graduated from the Department of History in Aichi Gakuin University. In 1982, he founded ?Shonen-oja-kan? in Nagoya. The group started performing all over Japan, including Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya since 1984.
As one of the busiest directors in the country, Amano has been active nationwide and invited as guest director by numerous theatre companies, beside writing and directing his own company for almost 30 years. Besides theatre, he has also directed dance productions, puppet shows, music concerts, fashion shows and other various kinds of performing arts so long.
Another his life-long interests are illustration, graphic design for posters, CD jackets and book covers and writing comic books. All of his those works are highly appreciated in various fields. He also designed the flyer and poster for ?BIGEIKOH?.
Amano?s creativity has extended to filmmaking as well. In 1994, his directorial debut short film called ?TWILIGHT? won the grand prize of the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen and the Melbourne International Film Festival (Short Film Programme). With this film, he drew much attention in the worldwide film society.
Awards
1994 Short film ?TWILIGHTS? wins grand prize at International Short Film Festival Oberhausen (Germany) and at Melbourne International Film Festival (Australia)
1996 Nagoya Junior Chamber Inc. The Admirable Rising Generation Cultural Award
1997 Nagoya City Art Award Premium Prize
1998 Individual Category, Japan Internet Drama Award
2005 9th Matsubara Eiji & Wakao Masaya Commemoration Play Prize
2006 Nagoya Theater Pen-Club Prize
2007 Aichi Prefectural Arts Encouragement Prize
