Two Ladies

– A Heisei era version : Two mysterious strangers will entangle you

© Y.Inokuma

Program Information

Genre / City Theatre / Shizuoka
Dates 29 April at 18:00, 30 April at 18:00
Venue at Open Air Theatre “UDO”, Shizuoka Performing Arts Park
Duration 100 minutes
Language In Japanese with English subtitles
Seat Non-reserved seating
Direction by MIYAGI Satoshi
Production SPAC-Shizuoka Performing Arts Center
© M.Hirao
© Y.Inokuma
© Y.Inokuma

Introduction

One of SPAC’s popular open-air programs, “Two Ladies” by KARA Juro, is back this year in MIYAGI Satoshi’s hot tribute to Japan’s underground theatre and small-scale theatre scenes of the 1960s.

Synopsis

In a hospital by a sandy beach on the Izu Peninsula, good-looking Dr. Koichi is seduced by a beautiful patient named Rokujo who gives him a key to her room. Then, when Koichi is watching a car race with his pregnant wife, Aoi, Rokujo suddenly appears in front of him after Aoi leaves her seat.

Director’s profile

© KATO Takashi

MIYAGI Satoshi
General Artistic Director of Shizuoka Performing Arts Center (SPAC)
Born in Tokyo in 1959, after studying aesthetics at Tokyo University under ODASHIMA Yushi, WATANABE Moriaki and HIDAKA Hachiro, he founded the KU NA’ UKA theater company in 1990 and soon began staging plays overseas as well as in Japan. As a result, MIYAGI’s work — in which he often fuses contemporary textual interpretations with physical techniques and patterns of Asian theatre — has long been acclaimed both at home and far abroad. Indeed, in 2004 he received the 3rd Asahi Performing Arts Award, and the next year the 2nd Asahi Beer Art Award.
Since taking up his position with SPAC in April 2007, MIYAGI has staged many of his own works — including “Medea”, the Hindu epic “Mahabharata”, and “Peer Gynt” — and has invited artists from abroad to present pieces casting a keen eye on the modern world as they see it. In line with his aim to make theatre “a window to the world,” he has also started a new SPAC-based project aimed at the youth of Shizuoka.
In 2014, MIYAGI was invited to the Festival d’Avignon, where he received excellent reviews for his open-air version of the Hindu epic “Mahabharata” staged in La Carrière de Boulbon. Following that landmark achievement, the festival extended the honor of inviting MIYAGI to present a Buddhist interpretation he created of the ancient Greek mythological tragedy “Antigone” as its super-prestigious opening program for 2017. On that occasion, which was the first time an Asian play had ever been selected to launch the festival, MIYAGI’s exalted “stage” was the open-air Cour d’honneur du Palais des papes (the Honor Court of the Palace of Popes). By the play’s end, those towering medieval stone walls were ringing out with long and splendid standing ovations welcoming the work’s director and creator along with SPAC’s actors and staff — while more than 60 European media all gave great reviews.
In 2018, he received the 68th Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize of Drama. Also he recieved “Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” from the Ministry of Culture of France in 2018.

Writer’s profile

KARA Juro
Born in Tokyo in 1940. Graduated from Meiji University with a degree in theatre. He founded Jokyo Gekijou (Situation Theatre) in 1963. With spirit and uniqueness, he experimented with outdoor theatre, which is how the small theatre movement began. In 1967, in Shinjuku Hanazono Shrine, the red tent was built for the first time and “Koshimaki Osen” was staged. Subsequent activities continued around the tent performances, as well as performances overseas. In 1970 KARA won the KISHIDA Drama Award with “Shojo Kamen” and in 1982 the AKUTAGAWA Award as well as other awards with “A Letter from Young Sagawa”. In 1988 he formed Karagumi. He has led the troupe and has continued at a pace where he is staging at least two new works a year. He has worked as an actor in theatre and film, and in addition appeared in dramas and commercials.

Cast / Staff

Directed by MIYAGI Satoshi
Written by KARA Juro
Cast: TAIKI Miki, OKUNO Akihito, KASUGAI Ippei, KIUCHI Kotoko, SUGIYAMA Ken, SUZUKI Mariko, TAKEISHI Morimasa, MAGAI Kenji, FUSE Asuka, MISHIMA Keita, WAKAMIYA Yoichi

<Staff>
Stage design: MURAMATSU Atsushi
Lighting design: HIGUCHI Masayuki
Sound design: KANEMITSU Hiroaki
Costume design: HATA Jennifer Yuki
Hair & Makeup design: KIJITA Kyoko

Stage manager: WATANABE Keisuke
Stage: YAMAZAKI Kaoru, MORIBE Rio
Lighting: KOBAYAKAWA Hiroya, MORITA Honoka
Sound: WADA Tadashi, TAKESHIMA Chisato, OHNO Kou
Wardrobe: SEI Chigusa, MAKINO Saho
Hair & Makeup: TAKAHASHI Norimitsu
Subtitle translation:Mika EGLINTON, Andrew EGLINTON
Assistant Direction: NAKANO Masaki
Subtitle operation: Ash
Production: UCHIDA Toshiko, SUZUKI Tatsumi

Technical director: MURAMATSU Atsushi
Lighting manager: HIGUCHI Masayuki
Sound manager: SAWADA Yukino

Production: SPAC–Shizuoka Performing Arts Center

Supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs Government of Japan

Talk

◎Pre-Performance Talk: Starting 25 minutes before each performance in front of the venue.

Notice

* Admission to auditorium is restricted to children of school age and over.
* Seats with no backrest
* Performances will be held even if it rains. As the use of umbrellas is not permitted during a performance, please ensure you have suitable rainwear. You are also advised to bring warm clothes for night performances at this time of year.

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