NAGOYA PLAYERS presents / 英語劇団ナゴヤプレーヤーズ公演

Two Japanese stories ・ 二つの日本の物語

The Red Oni Cried by Hirosuke Hamada ・ 「泣いた赤おに」　浜田廣介原作
English-language performance, Japanese subtitles provided ・ 日本語公演　英語字幕付

Director Tomomi Yoshida says:

Traditionally, the oni has been a symbol of a scary Japanese monster. Our hero, Aka (Red) Oni, is different. He is warm-hearted and wants to make friends with humans. However, people always run away just upon seeing him. His best friend, Ao (Blue) Oni, comes up with a good idea to make the poor Aka Oni happy….

Written by Hirosuke Hamada in 1933, The Red Oni Cried (Naita Aka Oni) has been read and loved by many people throughout Japan. We adapted this familiar story into an English play just for this production!!! We are sure you will love this very fun and touching play!

この物語の主人公の赤おには、心の優しいおに。村の人間と仲良くなりたいとずっと思ってきました。しかし、人間たちは赤おにの姿を見ただけで、おびえて逃げて行ってしまいます。落ち込む赤おにを見て、友達の青おには、ある考えを思いつくのですが・・・。

1933年に書かれて以来、多くの人に親しまれてきた、浜田廣介原作「泣いた赤おに」を、本公演のためだけに英語で脚本を書き下ろして上演します！笑いあり、涙ありの本作を、どうぞお楽しみに！

CAST

「土神と狐」　宮沢賢治原作 ・ Tsuchigami to Kitsune by Kenji Miyazawa
日本語公演　英語字幕付 ・ Japanese-language performance, English subtitles provided

Director Alan Thompson says:

私にとって本編「土神と狐」は、数ある宮沢賢治の作品のなかで最も心引かれるもののひとつです。伝統と近代化がせめぎあっていた時代に描かれたこの作品では、自然信仰のシンボルとしての土神は旧来の土着的価値観を、民話ではいつもずる賢い狐は日本の急速な西洋化を、そして樺の木は賢治のふるさとである東北地方の自然の美を象徴するのかもしれません。舶来の知識や科学をひけらかす狐を前にどう振る舞ってよいのかわからない土神は、狐に対して抑えきれない嫉妬心を覚えます。つまりこの物語は愛とそれにまつわる感情、いわば人間の業をもテーマにしています。ほら吹きだが少し後ろめたい狐は強大な力を持つ土神をひどく恐れていますが、土神はその粗野な性格ゆえに樺の木の前でスマートに立ち振る舞う狐が妬ましくてしょうがありません。刻々と変化する彼らの樺の木をめぐる心理状態と最後に訪れる劇的な結末を本編において十分御堪能いただけると信じております。少し後を引くかもしれませんが・・・。

Tsuchigami to Kitsune is my favourite Miyazawa Kenji story and probably one of the best stories I've encountered. The play shows a Japan that is at once traditional and modernizing: the tsuchigami (earthgod) from its animist roots, the fox an often-met shifty character in Japanese folktales, and the birch tree a frequent symbol of the beauty of northern Japan, Miyazawa's home. The fox is attracted to the new international world of science and learning, while the earthgod is still confounded by mushrooms and insecure about his place in this new world. But within the mythical form, it is a story about people, love, and their deeds. The fox swaggers, lies to his friends and feels awful, and fears the gods. The birch tree swoons for the fox and is diplomatic with the earthgod. The earthgod is friendly, humble, honest, tormented by intense jealousy and also, frankly, cruel. No character is simple. We can see in them the shallows and depths of ourselves.

CAST

JOIN THE PLAYERS: THE NAGOYA PLAYERS is an English-language, not-for-profit, community theatre group based in central Japan. New members are always welcome! Whether you want to act, direct, design scenery, sound, lighting, props, costumes, make up etc. etc. etc... come and join the fun! For more information, contact us at: contact@nagoyaplayers.info.