Akira Shirai's Othello

Akira Shirai's Othello, a William Shakespeare's classical tragedy rearranged by this talented stage director/actor in a contemporary style, has successfully disturbed the mind of the modern audience.

It has a tricky dual structure where the actors perform the characters of the play under the direction of Mr. Shirai, and this element has made this work unique, modern, and more realistic, and today's audience can relate to them easily.

In Othello, Iago plays an important role in the plot. He reflects the archetypal villain, and has the biggest share of the dialogue. It is Iago who manipulates all other characters at will, controlling their emotions and trapping them in an intricate net of lies. Masaaki Akahori, an up-and-coming playwright/actor, plays this role well enough, but hopefully he should improve his articulation a little better so that the audience can more focus on this challenging, intense production.

Othello runs at Setagaya Public Theater, Tokyo until Sunday, June 23, followed by performances in Nagoya, Hyogo and Niigata, Japan.

See more
http://setagaya-pt.jp/theater_info/2013/06/post_313.html
http://setagaya-pt.jp/en/theater_info/2013/02/othero.html

Gérard Presgurvic's Musical "Romeo and Juliet"

Gérard Presgurvic's musical Romeo and Juliet is scheduled to run from September 3 through October 5 at Tokyu Theatre Orb in Shibuya, Tokyo.

The musical is directed by Shuichiro Koike, a talented playwright and theater director from the Takarazuka Revue Company, and performed by young popular actors including Yu Shirota as Romeo, Rina Frank as Juliet and Kazuki Alex Kato as Tybalt.

The musical was a big hit in 2011 and is coming back this fall with the new cast.

 
See more:
http://romeo-juliette.com/
http://theatre-orb.com/lineup/13_rj/

 

Tail Friends-2: Dogs and Cats Stories

As a recitation play, "Shippo no Nakamatachi"  (Tail Friends) performed last December was very well received, Tail Friends-2 has been produced and will run from April 23 through May 5 at Eco Theater in Ebisu, Tokyo.

A lot of young, popular actors including Kazuki Alex Kato and Ren Yagami will perform in the play which features the reality of pets where people buy a dog or a cat before thinking and end up dumping them.

See more:
http://dogtocat.exblog.jp/20135066/

Kazuki Alex Kato Will Perform in the Tragedy of Othello

Kazuki Alex Kato will perform in Othello, a tragedy by William Shakespeare, at Setagaya Public Theater, Tokyo from Sunday, June 9 through Sunday June 23.

The work revolves around four central characters: Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army; his wife, Desdemona; his lieutenant, Cassio; and his trusted ensign, Iago. Because of its varied and current themes of racism, love, jealousy, and betrayal, Othello is still often performed in professional and community theaters and has been the basis for numerous operatic, film, and literary adaptations.

This time, Othello is restructured by Akira Shirai, a talented stage director/actor, from the modern perspective and Toru Nakamura will play the leading role of Othello.

See more
http://setagaya-pt.jp/theater_info/2013/06/post_313.html
http://setagaya-pt.jp/en/theater_info/2013/02/othero.html 

Yuhsei Tajima Performs in the Opportunity of Efficiency

Yuhsei Tajima has been performing in The Opportunity of Efficiency at New National Theatre Tokyo (NNTT) from April 9 through April 28.

This play, newly written by a Welsh playwright, Alan Harris and directed by John E. McGrath, artistic director of the National Theatre Wales (NTW), just premiered at the NNTT in April.

The Opportunity of Efficiency runs April 9-28 at the New National Theatre Tokyo, a 2-min. walk from Hatsudai Station on the Keio New Line. 


See more:
http://ameblo.jp/tajima-yusei/page-1.html#main
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2013/04/11/stage/welsh-approach-to-national-theater-is-efficiently-different/#.UW-0vYK3qUc
http://nnttplay.info/with3/kouritsu/

Interview with Actor Goro Mutsumi

Brett Homenick of G-Fan Magazine recently interviewed Goro Mutsumi, a Japanese film and television actor with more than 25 films to his credit, including Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974), Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975) and The War in Space (1977). 

Mr. Mutsumi is perhaps best known for his voice-over acting of the starring role as Dr. Richard Kimble (played by David Janssen) in the American TV series The Fugitive (1963-1967).

He has also appeared in numerous television shows, especially "Jidaigeki " or  period dramas including O-Edo Sohsamo (Great Edo Dragnet: 1971-1982), Mito Kohmon (1980-2011) and Abarembo Shogun Series (1983-2000), in which he specializes in villains.

NHK TV Drama Series - Math Cop Zero

Keisuke Kato will costar in the NHK TV drama series Math Cop Zero airing Mondays at 9:10am-9:20am and 3:30pm-3:40pm (rerun).

This educational short drama geared toward 5th and 6th graders will be run on NHK E-Television from April 8th for a year. Don't miss it!

See more:
http://www.nhk.or.jp/sansuu/keiji/
http://ameblo.jp/kato-keisuke/entry-11507683370.html
http://ameblo.jp/kato-keisuke/entry-11500466323.html?frm_src=thumb_module

http://cgi2.nhk.or.jp/navi/detail/index.cgi?id=13h2020130408