Photo credit: Toshiyuki Hiramatsu
Photo credit: Toshiyuki Hiramatsu
Photo credit: Toshiyuki Hiramatsu
Program: Troilus and Cressida (by William Shakespeare)
Story: Set against the backdrop of the Trojan War, waged in order to clear the shame of a man whose wife has been abducted. Brave soldiers carry on fighting a magnificent battle in the name of a great cause, but the war’s origin lies in a woman’s unfaithfulness. In “Troilus and Cressida,” Troilus goes off to battle after uniting with Cressida in a love story reminiscent of “Romeo and Juliet.” Cressida is forced to join the Greek side because her father has defected there. However, this is where Cressida’s infidelity begins.
Main actors
Yoshiro Yamamoto, Junko Kurashina, Koki Ura, Michiko Okubo, and Yamanote Jijosha actors
Main staff members
Concept/direction: Masahiro Yasuda
Lighting/stage design: Yuji Sekiguchi
Music curation/sound: Kohei Saimi
Costume: Aya
Stage direction: Hiroshi Moto
Publicity art: Osamu Fukushima
Director’s assistant: Kumiko Ogasawara
Production: Hatsumi Fukutomi
UPTOWN Production Ltd.
Formed in 1984 by Masahiro Yasuda, Narushi Ikeda and others and chiefly comprising former students from Waseda University Drama study circle. From the start the troupe has emphasized the “group creation” method of proactively incorporating actors’ suggestions and ideas, and also repeatedly experiments with cutting-edge means of expression, such as the “hyper collage” technique in which different types of components feature simultaneously on stage.
December 1993: Incorporated as UPTOWN Production, Ltd. with Masahiro Yasuda as Representative Director.
1997: Begins working on an acting style called “Yojo-han,” in which contemporary Japanese people are represented through restricted movement.
April 2002: Acquires a dedicated rehearsal studio in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo.
January 2003: Holds a retrospective at the The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum of Waseda University.
2004: Celebrates its 20th anniversary. The commemorative performance “Dojoji” takes place not only in Japan but also on invitation in the city of Suwon, South Korea.
September 2005: Invited to perform “Titus Andronicus” in Switzerland and Germany.
October 2005: Invited to perform “Oedipus @ Tokyo” in Krakow and Warsaw, Poland.
May 2006: Invited to perform “Hikarigoke” in Daejeon, South Korea.
June 2009: Invited to perform “Titus Andronicus” in Romania at the Sibiu International Theater Festival, Bucharest, and Râmnicu Vâlcea.
May / June 2010: Performs ” Oedipus Rex” at the Sibiu International Theater Festival in Romania and the Pécs Theater Festival in Hungary.
September 2010: Makes a triumphant return to Tokyo with a double performance of “Titus Andronicus” and “Oedipus Rex.”
June 2011: Invited to perform “Keisei hangonko” in Romania at the Sibiu International Theater Festival, Turda, and Bucharest.
December 2011: Holds a double performance of ” Keisei hangonko ” and “Dojoji” in Tokyo.
Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Theatre West, Toshima City, Tokyo
