Led by octogenarian Living National Treasure Mansaku Nomura, Mansaku-no-Kai (Kyogen Company) conducted performances of kyogen with English subtitles along with workshops in America’s major cities. Mansaku Nomura has been continuously involved in exchange and performance in the U.S. since the 1960s, but with improvements in translation equipment and technology, displayed subtitle contents are now significantly easier to understand, so it is also becoming possible to perform complicated programs in terms of content.
【Kyogen program performed on this tour】
Suminuri (Black Crocodile Tears), Tsuki-mi Zato (The Moon-Viewing Blind-man), Kubi-hiki (Neck Pulling), Fukuro Yamabushi (The Owl), Bo-Shibari (Tied to a stick)
Mansaku-no Kai (Kyogen Company)
Mansaku Nomura founded the Mansaku no Kai Kyogen Company in 1971 with the aim of proliferating kyogen both within Japan and abroad. Since then, the company has planned and performed various kyogen and noh performances, and currently puts on about 15 performances per year.
Mansaku Nomura first performed on the stage at the age of 3, and in the 80 years on stage since then has become a national treasure. Watching him perform allows one to understand that light, minute shifts in facial expression convey deep emotion, one of the cornerstones of kyogen. He has a long, strong relationship with the United States, and has taught at both the University of Hawaii and Washington University.
Kaoru Shimizu
Producer
Mansaku no Kai Kyogen Company
2-2-7, Sekiguchi Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-0014
Tel： +81-(0)3-5981-9777
Fax： +81-(0)3-5981-9789
E-mail： smz@mansaku.co.jp
Marines Memorial Theatre（San Francisco, USA）
Tateuchi Hall | Community School of Music and Arts at Finn Center（Mountain View, USA）
The John F. Kennedy Center for the performing Arts（Washington, D.C., USA）
【Workshop】
SF International Arts Festival, THEATRE OF YUGEN（San Francisco, USA）
John F. Kennedy Center（Washington, D.C., USA）
