Events

  • Finished

"Woodcutters"

Genre:
  • Theater / Dance

The decadence of society and theatre exposed at an artistic dinner party

This highly acclaimed production by Polish theatre giant Krystian Lupa, known for his remarkable set designs and sharply critical eye, makes its long-awaited debut in Japan. Based on the novel by Austrian writer Thomas Bernhard, the play takes place over a gathering of old friends from the theatre world. The “artistic dinner”, as the hosts like to call it, follows the funeral of an actress who committed suicide. As the bohemians drink and talk, the sham of their decadence gradually unravels, exposing their inner fears, damage, and grudges. Eventually, they turn on each other. Inspired by actual events, Bernhardʼs scandalous book led to a lawsuit after it was published. Swinging like the axe of a woodcutter, this razor-edged satire remains vivid and relevant today for our supposedly fair and democratic society. It is a radical journey deep into the world that lurks under the surface of cultural conventions. Touching on the problem of the illusory freedom of our lives, and constraint, the natural condition of humanity, the play also poses questions concerning artists and their role in society.

Running Time: 260 min. (with interval)
Language: Performed in Polish with Japanese surtitles

Dates

Friday, October 21, 16:00★
Saturday, October 22, 16:00☆
Sunday, October 23, 13:00★
*Box office and lobby open 1 hours before. Doors open 15 minutes before.

★Pre-show talk (Japanese only)
Open only to ticket holders for the performance on the same day

☆Special pre-show talk by the director
Open to all (no ticket required)

Cast & Creative Team

Adapted, Stage Design, Lighting and Directed by Krystian Lupa
Based on the novel by Thomas Bernhard, translated by Monika Muskała
Also incorporating improvisations by Krystian Lupa and the cast; quotations from the work of Jeannie Ebner and Friederike Mayröcker; and dialogue from “Sebastiansplatz” by Verena Lercher
Costumes: Piotr Skiba
Music Arrangement: Bogumił Misala
Improvisation on Henry Purcell’s “Cold Song” theme in “Sebastiansplatz” by Mieczysław Mejza
Video: Karol Rakowski, Łukasz Twarkowski
Performers: Piotr Skiba, Halina Rasiakówna, Wojciech Ziemiański, Marta Zięba, Jan Frycz (guest appearance from the National Theatre in Warsaw), Ewa Skibińska, Bożena Baranowskal, Andrzej Szeremeta, Adam Szczyszczaj, Michał Opaliński, Marcin Pempuś, Anna Ilczuk, Krzesisława Dubielówna
Assistant Directors: Oskar Sadowski; Sebasian Krysiak, Amadeusz Nosal (State Higher School of Theatre in Krakow)
Stage Manager: Ewa Wilk
Prompter: Magdalena Kabata
Technical Manager: Jadwiga Ziemińska
Stage Assemblers: Adam Buraczek, Grzegorz Kloc, Paweł Stanaszek, Łukasz Szyszk
Lighting: Paweł Olszewski, Dariusz Bartołd, Kazimierz Blacharski
Sound: Maciej Kabata, Marcin Niebojewski
Dresser: Joanna Zborowska
Hair & Makeup: Mateusz Stępniak, Marianna Bartnicka
Project Coordinator: Magdalena Płyszewska
Produced by Polski Theatre in Wrocław

Tokyo Production
Technical Manager: Eiji Torakawa
Assistant Technical Manager: Chizuru Kouno
Stage Manager: Keisuke Watanabe
Stage Assistants: Kazuhiko Nakahara, Hiromichi Aramaki
Set: Qi Li, Yang Liu, Xiaoping Li (Tianjin Grand Theatre, Propel Performing Arts & Media Co., Ltd.)
Props: Xin Hu (Tianjin Grand Theatre, Propel Performing Arts & Media Co., Ltd.)
Lighting Coordinator: Makiko Sasaki (Factor Co., Ltd.)
Sound Coordinator: Akira Aikawa (Sound Weeds Inc.)
Video Coordinator: Yutaka Endo (LUFTZUG)
Props Coordinator: Hikari Osanai
Costumes: Kyoko Fujitani (FAIFAI)
Surtitles: Shiori Ueno
Translation: Koichi Kuyama
Technical Interpretation: Zabko-Potopowicz Krzysztof, Hitomi Oyama
Publicity Design: Taichi Abe (GOKIGEN)
Front of House: Yukari Goto (TEAM#BISCO)
Photography: Jun Ishikawa
Video Documentation: Mikami Ryo, Takaki Sudo
Production Coordinator: Akiko Juman (Festival/Tokyo)
Production Assistant: Niina Sugai
Interns: Mizuki Ishikawa, Ching, Mei Tung, Yosuke Mori, Airi Yokoyama
Program Coordinator: Masahiko Yokobori
Special cooperation from Instytut Polski w Tokio, Propel Performing Arts & Media Co., Ltd.
Endorsed by Embassy of the Republic of Poland, Austrian Embassy Tokyo, Austrian Cultural Forum Tokyo
Co-presented by Culture.pl

Tickets

Advance: 5,500 yen
Same Day: 6,000 yen
All seats reserved

F/T Ticket Center

Contact

Festival/Tokyo Executive Committee Office
1-15-10 Kita-Otsuka, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0004 Japan
TEL:03-5961-5202
FAX:03-5961-5207
E-mail: contact@festival-tokyo.jp

Venues

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre (Playhouse)

Credit

Organized by
Festival/Tokyo Executive Committee,
Toshima City, Toshima Future Culture Foundation, NPO Arts Network Japan (NPO-ANJ),
Arts Council Tokyo & Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture)

Festival/Tokyo 2016 is organized as part of Tokyo Metropolitan Festival 2016.