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July 16, 2024
 

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Lindsay Nelson
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Dec 3, 2014
For 'Once,' Broadway spurns glitz
Written and directed by John Carney, the award-winning 2006 musical film "Once" — a simple, bittersweet love story set in his hometown of Dublin and featuring wonderful music by co-stars Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova — was perfect on its own. Wouldn't a Broadway stage treatment ruin the...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Nov 19, 2014
New 'Dick Whittington' pantomime spells fun for all the family
Now a language-school teacher in Tokyo, Gareth Hinchley worked for Britain's chief forestry agency before coming to Japan in 2005. Originally from Manchester, he'd done a bit of writing as a child but hadn't pursued it seriously before he wrote "Dick Whittington," the upcoming production by Tokyo Theatre...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Oct 22, 2014
'Forget Me Not' leaves an abiding impression
Compagnie Philippe Genty's "Forget Me Not" ("Ne m'oublie pas") takes human beings and transforms them into puppets. And it takes puppets and makes them seem human. Occasionally, it combines puppets and humans until it's hard to tell where one begins and the other ends.
CULTURE / Stage
Oct 1, 2014
'Yama' brings ancient folk tales to life on stage
At one point in "Yama," two actors become foxes just by pulling their conical straw hats down over their faces to give them pointy snouts. It's an idea the play's director, Andrew Wakatsuki-Robinson, got from headgear he saw at the ancient Yama-dera Temple in northern Honshu's Yamagata Prefecture —...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Aug 13, 2014
Clowning gets serious in Slava's show
"Slava's Snowshow" feels like a dream — and occasionally a nightmare. Its surreal scenarios play out one after another on a stage set with seemingly oversized, fluffy blankets that give the audience a sense of being tucked inside a child's bed. There's no real narrative — but as in dreams,...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jul 30, 2014
Mitani brings new life to a love-suicide
If there's one thing I never expected to see in a bunraku play, it was a disco ball. Similarly, a scene in which the leading lady has her nails done by a bevy of kimono-clad attendants.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Jun 25, 2014
Outsider's 'Jacob' is a sensory feast
It's hard to choose the most powerful visual moment in the New National Theater's production of "19-Year-Old Jacob." My vote would be for the opening scene when, after the audience has been in total darkness for more than a minute, a single sharp triangle of white light suddenly shines down to reveal...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
May 28, 2014
Outdoor kabuki marks Skytree anniversary
To commemorate the second anniversary of the May 22, 2012 opening of Tokyo Skytree, the leading kabuki actors Nakamura Shichinosuke and Onoe Matsuya last Saturday performed the popular dance-based piece "Dango-Uri" ("The Dumpling Sellers") on an outdoor stage in the Sky Arena at the tower's base.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Apr 23, 2014
PUK's children's puppet shows suspend disbelief for all ages
Parents around the capital seeking entertainment options for young children over the next several weeks could do a lot worse than check out Puppet Theater PUK, where old and new stories will come to life in the hands of seasoned puppeteers.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Apr 9, 2014
'In the Heights' sizzles across distant cultures
I had a few reservations about the first Japanese production of "In the Heights," the Broadway sensation nominated for 13 Tony awards in 2008.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Mar 26, 2014
A chance to shine at an early age
It's 9:15 on a cold and rainy Saturday morning, and Wendell Harrison is running late. "The one day I send an email telling them not to be late, and I'm the one having problems," he laments.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Feb 26, 2014
Flying high, but not quite buzzing
I have vivid childhood memories of two circuses: Ringling Brothers and Shrine. The latter was a delightfully shabby affair held in an old auditorium where audiences sat on concrete bleachers that were occasionally adorned with tacky plastic chairs. There were lots of animals, and the holding areas outside...
CULTURE / Stage
Dec 11, 2013
'Swift!' brings theater for all sizes
Parents and lovers of visually creative theater: French company Skappa! has just the play for you.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Nov 20, 2013
'Jack the Ripper' strikes again
"I'm a huge Beumrae fan," the woman seated next to me gushed during the intermission, pointing to a glossy photo in my program. "His voice gives me chills."
Japan Times
CULTURE / Stage
Oct 30, 2013
'The Suit' squares a love triangle
In his seminal 1968 work "The Empty Space," Peter Brook wrote: "Certainly, we still wish to capture in our arts the invisible currents that rule our lives, but our vision is now locked to the dark end of the spectrum. Today the theatre of doubting, of unease, of trouble, of alarm, seems truer than the...
Bloodied Trump survives assassination attempt at political rally
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is surrounded and evacuated by Secret Service agents at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. Trump was rushed off stage at the rally after shots rang out.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
Amid same-sex marriage ban, LGBTQ couples opt for 'photo weddings'
A lesbian couple, consisting of a 35-year-old woman (left) and 40-year-old woman, cover their faces with bouquets as they pose for wedding photos in Yokohama on Nov. 1.
China and Russia conduct joint Pacific military patrol
The Russian corvette Gromkiy enters the Chinese port of Zhanjiang as part of a joint China-Russia naval exercise on Saturday.
How to beat Japan’s summer heat in ways better for the planet
Tenugui towels hang up to dry at a dyeing company in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, on May 8. The durable and versatile tenugui, which many people have in their homes, can be used in many ways to cool one’s body.
After Trump shooting, U.S. presidential race might take a violent turn
United States Secret Service Counter Snipers stand guard on a rooftop during a campaign rally for U.S. President Donald Trump in Avoca, Pennsylvania, in 2020.
No AC this summer? No problem (for me).
Think air conditioning is a requirement for a Tokyo summer? Think again.
She’s paying ¥1 million to help behind the scenes at the Paris Olympics
Mai Tarumi, who previously volunteered at the postponed Tokyo Olympics in 2021, has a travel budget of ¥1 million for her trip to volunteer at the Paris Games.
How to tweak your diet when temperatures spike
Most people think of hydration as a strictly liquid-based concept, but eating foods with high water content is an essential part of making it through a Japanese summer unscathed.

Podcast

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.
Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Longform

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'
By Tomoko Otake

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Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals
Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals

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