Changing the location from Yokohama to Roppongi, the stage "Teachings of Monsters" directed by Toshiaki Toyoda, the director of "Porno Star," "Blue Spring," and "Nine Souls," will be performed again.
In addition to the splendid cast of Yosuke Kubozuka, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, and Rina Ota, the show was performed at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse in November 2015 in the realistic format of video + music + theater = live cinema. Now, it has been expanded and will be held in Roppongi from September 21 (Wed.) to 25 (Sun.), 2012.
The story is as follows.
The blue sea of the Ogasawara Islands . A ship drifting on the sea. On board are two men. Tensaku (Yosuke Kubozuka) is being hunted by the government after revealing a national secret. Taikan (Kiyohiko Shibukawa) is a surfer who grew up on the island and is conflicted about living in paradise. Tensaku has escaped to the island after an incident in Tokyo. He asks his cousin Taikan to take him out on a boat. Taikan thought he was hiding out on an uninhabited island, but Tensaku had other intentions. But Tensaku had other plans. He wanted to bring back to life the "monster" that his grandfather had taught him. They boarded a boat and went out to sea. Last night, they met a woman. Cookie (Rina Ota), an island hopper who lives from island to island around the world. Cookie knew the secret of the monster's teachings. ......
Just before the show, we asked director Toshiaki Toyoda and actor Kiyohiko Shibukawa about the highlights of the show, differences from the previous show, and the appeal of theater.
(Left) Kiyohiko Shibukawa (Right) Toshiaki Toyoda
We heard that your experience in the Ogasawara Islands ("Ogasawara") and your encounters with surfers were the inspiration for this story.
Toyoda: The story is based on what I felt and what I inspired in the Ogasawara Islands. The Ogasawara Islands are more than 24 hours from Tokyo, and for me, they are a different planet. The flow of time and lifestyle are different from those of so-called "Tokyo," and the distance between my living area and nature is very close. This story, I believe, is the story of Tokyo as seen from the Ogasawara Islands.
I guess you could say that the location of the Ogasawara Islands makes Tokyo stand out from the rest of the country. Is there anything you are conscious of in the change of location, from Yokohama to Roppongi?
Toyoda: Last time we were at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, a pleasant and airy place. This time, it is in Roppongi, in the heart of the city, and I think that, due to the nature of the story, this is the right place to do it.
. I see, because it is in the middle of Tokyo. Have there been any other changes in your content or feelings?
Toyoda: In terms of content, there is one new scene, and the images and dialogue have changed a bit. Also, the location has changed to a larger scale, so the screen has nearly doubled in size and the audience has tripled in size. We have changed the way we present the show accordingly.
Shibukawa: In my case, I feel like I am trying to improve the accuracy of various aspects of my performance.
You have directed a number of films, and Mr. Shibukawa has appeared in a number of films. What is the difference between film and theater?
Toyoda: I believe that a film belongs to its director, while a play belongs to its actors. Once the stage begins, the actors' styles and ways of thinking come to the fore. If you are only directing, there is not much to do once the play starts, and it is boring, so I do video (laughs).
Shibukawa: To take it to the extreme, no one can stop an actor from making his or her final lines completely different from the script.
Toyoda: For example, in this play, there was a happening where I said, "You're going to skip the punchline there? (laughs). (Laughs.) There were times when we kept blurring and blurring in the long dialogue and finally had to come up with a punchline. But there were times when we skipped over the punchline and ended the play as it was (laughs).
. That's one of the best things about the stage, isn't it? . But when I read the story, I had the impression that it would be very social.
Shibukawa: We are always laughing. Mr. Toyoda is a Kansai man after all (laughs).
TOYOTA: (laughs) . Well, after all, it is lonely when the theater is quiet.
People say that the beauty of theater is its rawness, including the aforementioned happenings, but what do you think is the charm of theater?
Toyoda: When I was young, I used to watch the Ishinha and Dumb Type of theater, and I was not good at so-called traditional theater. I myself have been performing live for more than 10 years with Tatsuya (Nakamura) and others in a unit called TWIN TAIL, and I thought it would be fun to have actors there, which was also the start of this project. I thought it would be fun to have actors there, which was the start of this project. Live performances are fun. You can see the result on the day of the performance. A film is something that takes days to build up. With theater, even if you make mistakes, you can overcome them.
Finally, what do the "monsters" in the story symbolize?
Toyota: A great power. I believe it is the power of the earth, so to speak. People have been destroying the earth and building cities. I think it is clear that the bill for this is now being paid. The Ogasawara Islands are known as the "typhoon Ginza. It was in Ogasawara that I felt the overwhelming power of the earth. I think the Ogasawara Islands symbolize that.
This play, while containing a major theme, will shake the senses not only through the actors, but also through the music and images, and draw the audience into the story. The combination of live actors, live music, and live visuals will give the play a voltage different from that of other theatrical productions. Is it inevitable or coincidental that this play is being performed at this time of year when typhoons are hitting one after another? Come and experience the story that seems to continue outside the theater at the Zepp Blue Theatre Roppongi from September 21 (Wed) to 25 (Wed).
Photo_Ryo Mitamura (Toshiaki Toyoda & Kiyohiko Shibukawa)
Text_Shinri Kobayashi
Teachings of the Monster
Dates: September 21 (Wed) - September 25 (Sun)
Venue: Zepp Blue Theater Roppongi
Direction/Screenplay/Video: Toshiaki Toyoda
Cast: Yosuke Kubozuka, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Rina Ota
Music: TWIN TAIL
Tatsuya Nakamura(Dr) Yamaji Kazuhide(Gt) Keita Aoki(Sax&Fl) / GOMA (Didgeridoo)
