しあわせ

My friend Tomoko-san is performing in JUKAI, starting 28 September 2010, in South London at the Blue Elephant Theatre.

JUKAI was created by Theatre Témoin in Santa Cruz, CA in 2008 with actors, musicians and designers from Japan, California and London. Now the company has gathered together again to perform the London premiere in 3 weeks time.

At the base of Mount Fuji lies a stretch of forest known locally as “The Sea of Trees”. Thousands of people who have entered these woods have never been seen again. Some simply got lost. Others went in intending to disappear…

Physical theatre meets Japanese taiko drumming. JUKAI is a play of mask, dance, movement, samurai sword fighting and live music, telling a touching story of a French writer visiting Japan. Guaranteed to bring you an exciting cultural night out.

JUKAI will be performed in English. It runs from 28 September to 16 October on Tuesday to Saturday at 8 pm for 15 performances at
Blue Elephant Theatre / Nearest tube: Oval (map)

Tickets are £9.50 (£7.50 conc.; £6.50 Southwark residents and Previews)
There are free seats available for under-26s. Check with the box office, but early booking is required.

My friends Frank Chickens have become the obscure outsider candidate in a Rage Against The Machine style attempt to subvert the Fosters Edinburgh Comedy God Award public vote. It all started with a rant by Stewart Lee at the organisers where he mentioned the Chickens as possibly the most obscure act of the past 30 years. (They were nominated for a Perrier Fringe Award in 1984). Now it seems to have gained traction, via twitter and elsewhere, and the Chickens are currently number one in the online poll! Let’s keep them there. They are nice guys and would quite like to win an award.
In the spirit of Mr Splashypants –
Vote now – Vote often – Spread the word!

––update 01Sep10––
They won!
Yay for the skewed results of Internet voting!
I could hear the clenching of teeth in the Foster’s PR’s statements about the win.

Ninagawa returns to the Barbican Theatre London for 4 days in May (5th to the 8th) in what might be becoming an annual event I hope. I’ve seen the two previous productions, Coriolanus and the kabuki version of Twelfth Night. This time it’s not Shakespeare. It’s a play about the famous swordsman Musashi, the author of the Book of Five Rings.
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If you have ever read about Buddhism you are certain to have come across the writings of D.T. Suzuki.
I was recently contacted by a director of a film about Suzuki’s life. There are screenings in the UK in November. While the film isn’t in Japanese, I think it will be of interest to people interested in Japanese culture and Buddhism. I’ll let Michael Goldberg tell you himself after the jump.
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Frank Chickens will be at the Japan Matsuri in Spitafields Market on Saturday 19 September. They expect to be on stage around 1:20 until 1:50.

Practice your singalong with this video of We Are Ninja (Not Geisha) on YouTube.

A season of films by Oshima the director of the infamous Realm of the Senses (愛のコリーダ), and the notable Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence (with a famous soundtrack) is playing at the NFT London from today until the end of October. Details on BFI’s website.