Overcoming the challenges of the pandemic and moving to a new stage! An interview with Kanta Nakamori of the Kamakura Noh Theatre.

In 2020, the entire world came to a standstill in the face of an unprecedented disaster. With almost all performances cancelled, how did those involved in performing arts overcome this crisis?
We spoke with Kanta Nakamori of the Kamakura Noh Stage, who, while immersed in the world of traditional performing arts, is actively engaging in crowdfunding and Zoom rehearsals, pioneering new frontiers.

I understand that those involved in traditional performing arts have also faced extremely difficult circumstances due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

As for us, our activities came to a complete halt after our performance on March 12th. After verifying the effectiveness of our infection prevention measures and developing prevention guidelines, we were finally able to resume performances on September 22nd, utilizing various grants, but this meant we were completely inactive for about half a year. Since we also suspended our students' training until the state of emergency was lifted in May, our income was almost zero. It was a truly difficult time.

Instead of simply enduring that period in silence, you apparently took on various new challenges.

Since I had plenty of time on my hands, I started by creating a YouTube channel. The content mainly consists of explanations about Noh theater, Noh masks, and costumes. I'm streaming with the hope that this will spark interest in Noh theater and motivate people to attend performances or start practicing after the pandemic subsides.
I've actually received inquiries from several people, so I've started offering lessons via Zoom. I even got a message from someone in London! Online lessons have their challenges due to time lags, but I'm currently giving lessons to people in London twice a month.

Some groups offer free online streaming of their performances, but I'm not doing that right now because it could end up putting me in a difficult position in the future.

Traditional performing arts and online platforms – it might seem like a somewhat unexpected combination.

That's not true at all (laughs). I participate in online drinking parties, and I get new information and meet new customers from those kinds of events. I originally started using Facebook because a friend recommended it, and it's been about 10 years now. To be honest, at first it was a hassle and I started it reluctantly (laughs), but now I have nearly 5,000 "friends."

This time, they also tried crowdfunding .

The crowdfunding campaign started when Yomiuri Shimbun approached us.
* Click here for information about the Kamakura Noh Stage CF !
A journalist I've known for a long time saw my plea for help on Facebook and offered a lot of support. I also received support from many people, including high school classmates and my Facebook "friends," and I was so happy I could cry.

Not just in traditional performing arts, but in general, there's a belief that "it's uncool to show weakness," so I wasn't without hesitation about taking on the crowdfunding project. But if you're truly in trouble, you should honestly say, "Please help me." If you don't appeal, your true situation won't be conveyed.

Another group that operates in Kamakura, Kamacon , also conducted a crowdfunding campaign.
The idea came up to create the "Machinoh Noh Stage Arts Festival" in August, based on the idea that "we could support it by using the Kamakura Noh Stage and paying a usage fee." Not only traditional performers, but also 12 other groups including jazz guitar, piano, violin, juggling, and kamishibai (picture-story show) performers participated, and the performances were streamed on YouTube. This led to an increase in the number of subscribers to our YouTube channel, and it was also rewarding to showcase the wide range of uses for the Kamakura Noh Stage.

In the past, Noh and Kyogen were seen as something only those who understood them could appreciate, but that approach will leave us behind in the changing times. You can't reap the rewards without sowing the seeds. To sow those seeds, outreach activities such as student appreciation events are essential, and I am truly grateful that Kanagawa Prefecture and Kamakura City are providing subsidies for these activities.

The Kamakura Noh Theatre gives the impression of being proactive in trying new things.

At the Kamakura Noh Theatre, we have long projected subtitles in both Japanese and English onto the side of the stage. Initially, there was a lot of negative feedback, but when we actually tried it, it was well-received by the audience. Perhaps the reason it worked well was that we focused on simple explanations that could be easily read while watching the performance, rather than providing a full translation of the chanting. We are also already considering changing the lighting to LED (although there are issues to consider, such as how the colors of the costumes may appear different), and in the future, we would like to incorporate projection mapping.

*From a performance in November 2018. Image courtesy of Kamakura Noh Stage

The COVID-19 pandemic was a major disaster, but it significantly increased our opportunities to be featured in the media, and our ability to respond to challenges also improved. We see this as an opportunity, and we would like to actively consider acquiring sponsors in the future. After all, the theater curtain has the sponsor's name on it, so, to take it to the extreme, it would be okay to put the sponsor's name next to the pine tree on the back panel, right? (laughs)

For Noh and Kyogen to continue into the future, I believe it's necessary to cherish tradition while also embracing new ideas. I want to exchange ideas with a wide range of people and create performances that will delight our audience.