Synopses & Reviews
This is a collection of fourteen essays on particular topics from over one hundred years of Shakespeare performance in Japan. In addition, there are four interviews with leading directors and one with a leading perfomer. Unlike the few existing books on Japanese Shakespeare, this book concentrates on modern and postmodern theater, from c. 1970, and contains contributions from both Japanese and Western scholars and theater practitioners.
Review
Review of the hardback: 'This excellent book ... makes you want to board the next flight to Tokyo and take up the challenge.' Times Literary Supplement
Synopsis
A collection of essays and interviews on Shakespeare performance in Japan.
Table of Contents
List of illustrations; List of contributions; Preface Takahashi Yasunari; Acknowledgements; Introduction Minami Ryuta, Ian Carruthers and John Gillies; Part I. Early Modern and Traditional Theatre Productions: 1. What do we mean by 'Japanese' Shakespeare? Anzai Tetsuo; 2. Japan as 'half-civilized': and early Japanese adaptation of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and Japan's construction of its national image in the late nineteenth century Yoshihara Yukari; 3. Shakespeare in Kabuki James R. Brandon; 4. Osanai Kaoru's version of Romeo and Juliet, 1904 Matsumoto Shinko; 5. Some Noh adaptations of Shakespeare in English and Japanese Ueda Munakata Kuniyoshi; 6. The Braggart Samurai: a Kyogen adaptation of Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor Michael Shapiro; Part II. Modern Productions (Post World War II): 7. Weaving the spider's web: interpretation of character in Kurosawa Akira's Throne of Blood (Kumonosu-jo) Paula von Loewenfeldt; 8. Innovation and continuity: two decades of Deguchi Norio's Shakespeare Theatre Company Suematsu Michiko; 9. Tragedy with laughter: Suzuki Tadashi's The Tale of Lear Takahashi Yasunari; 10. The Chronicle of Macbeth: Suzuki method acting in Australia, 1992 Ian Curruthers; 11. The rose and the bamboo: Noda Hideki's Sandaime Richâdo Suzuki Masae; 12. Shakespeare reinvented on the contemporary Japanese stage Minami Ryuta; 13. Juliet's girlfriends: the Takarazuka Revue Company and the Shôjo culture Ohtani Tomoko; 14. Directing 'Japanese Shakespeare' locally and universally: an interview with Gerald Murphy Ted Motohashi; Part III. Interviews with Directors and Actors: 15. Interview with Deguchi Norio; 16. Interview with Suzuki Tadashi; 17. Interview with Ninagawa Yukio; 18. Interview with Noda Hideki; 19. Interview with Hira Mikijirô; Afterword: Shakespeare removed: some reflections on the localization of Shakespeare in Japan John Gillies; Index.