Japanese Theatre at artsdepot in North London

Date: 2014 April 14 16:53

Posted by Joe

Cultured readers in North London will be interested in hearing about the latest performances at the artsdepot in North Finchley. On Sunday 18th May 2014 at 11am and 2pm, there will be performances of Tales from Old Japan. The family performance has been created for children aged 5+ and their families. It focuses on 3 traditional Japanese tales.

While on Tuesday 10th & Wednesday 11th June 2014 the artsdepot will host the UK premiere of Super Premium Soft Double Vanilla Rich, a darkly humorous look at Japanese consumerism.

Full Story

Press release as follows:

Press Release

Japanese Theatre at artsdepot:

Tales From Old Japan
Sunday 18 May 2014

Super Premium Soft Double Vanilla Rich

Tuesday 10 & Wednesday 11 June 2014

artsdepot is proud to present two Japanese shows this summer: traditional stories for a family audience in Tales From Old Japan, and the UK premiere of a new work by Japan’s most exciting director Toshiki Okada - Super Premium Soft Double Vanilla Rich.


Tales From Old Japan

Created for children aged 5+ and their families, Tales from Old Japan brings three traditional Japanese tales to life through inventive storytelling, puppetry and music. Hear the enchanting, mysterious and hair-raising stories of Magnificent Mount Iwate who blew hot and cold, the humble woodcutter and his beautiful but strange bride and the snorting, burping Ogre of Rashomon Gate.

Tales from Old Japan is presented by artsdepot’s associate artists A Thousand Cranes, a company which creates visual, vibrant, physical theatre inspired by stories from Japan and Europe.

Super Premium Soft Double Vanilla Rich

This UK premiere by Japanese director Toshiki Okada comes to artsdepot as part of The London International Festival of Theatre (LIFT).

Set in a supermarket, Super Premium Soft Double Vanilla Rich takes a darkly humorous look at Japanese consumerism, through colloquial ‘slacker’ language, dreamlike movement and a striking soundscape of J-pop and JS Bach.

Working with his company chelfitsch, Toshiki Okada is a celebrated chronicler of Japan’s Lost Generation, the young people coming of age as their economy spiralled into decline, capturing their unease, self-centeredness and cynicism. Performed in Japanese with English surtitles. Okada’s previous work has been described as having "a unique theatrical vision" by The British Theatre Guide.

A post-show talk will follow the performance on Wednesday 11 June.

Listings Information

Title: Tales from Old Japan
Company: A Thousand Cranes
Date & Time: Sunday 18 May, 11am & 2pm
Age Guidance: 5+
Tickets: £7


Title: Super Premium Soft Double Vanilla Rich
Company: chelfitsch Theater Company
Date & Time: Tuesday 10 & Wednesday 11 June, 7.30pm
Age Guidance: 14+
Tickets: £15


Box Office: 020 8369 5454
Website: www.artsdepot.co.uk
Venue: artsdepot, 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley, London N12 0GA
Travel:
Tube: Finchley Central, West Finchley, Woodside Park (Northern Line)

Tales from Old Japan
A Thousand Cranes theatre company was founded in 2006 by performer Kumiko Mendl and director Vicky Ireland MBE. Combining Vicky’s lifelong passion for children’s theatre and interest in Japan and Kumiko’s childhood memories of living in Japan the company brings the fascinating stories and culture of Japan to young audiences. With the support of artsdepot they have created three shows and were made artistic associates of the venue in October 2009. www.athousandcranes.org.uk

Super Premium Soft Double Vanilla Rich

Written and Directed by Toshiki Okada

Cast: Makoto Yazawa, Tomomitsu Adachi, Azusa Kamimura, Hideaki Washio, Shuhei Fuchino, Shingo Ota, Mariko Kawasaki

Toshiki Okada was born in Yokohama in 1973 and formed chelfitsch Theatre Company (named after a deliberate mispronunciation of the English word "selfish,") in 1997. Since then he has written and directed all of the company's productions, practicing a distinctive methodology for creating plays, and has come to be known for his use of hyper-colloquial Japanese speech and unique choreography.

www.chelfitsch.net/en

LIFT Festival was established in 1981 with a mission to throw open a window to the world, bringing global stories to London and transforming the city into a stage to celebrate the experiences of the many individuals, cultures and communities that call London their home. www.liftfestival.com

Super Premium Soft Double Vanilla Rich is presented by LIFT and artsdepot. Commissioned by Theater der Welt. A House on Fire co-production with the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union. Supported by the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, The Japan Foundation and The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation.

artsdepot is a leading cultural hub in North London and has been celebrating the arts since 2004. The award-winning venue has its roots firmly in the community, nurturing young talent, and engaging with people through participation and outreach projects, whilst presenting artists from across the globe. With its vibrant programme of performances and exhibitions, artsdepot surprises and thrills audiences of all ages.

A thriving venue, artsdepot welcomes over 100,000 visitors every year, people who come to watch, learn or be inspired. With its stunning architecture, welcoming public spaces and diverse programme artsdepot creates space for the imagination.
www.artsdepot.co.uk