Despite the variety of attempts, few productions of Shakespeare succeed in bringing new insight to the playwright's works. In May 2004, though, when director Yoshihiro Kurita presented "Macbeth" in a traditional noh theatrical style at the Ryutopia Theater in Niigata, audiences and critics alike were thunderstruck by the harmony he created between his source material and the mysterious noh art form. Since that debut, 49-year-old Kurita has received acclaim for noh versions of "King Lear" and "The Winter's Tale," as well as for his contemporary productions.
Kurita is currently preparing for a noh-style production of "Othello" to be staged in Niigata and Tokyo this month, and plans to do "Hamlet" next. He recently talked to The Japan Times about his life in the theater, his approaches to directing and his recent international successes.
Tell me about the Craiova Shakespeare Festival held in Romania in April 2006.