A delightful and enjoyable musical by the theater company "Anju no Chi," which is both lighthearted and deeply moving.

(In 2020, "Drape the Strange Land" was performed at KAAT.)

The group "Anju no Chi," winners of the Kanagawa Short Play Award 2021 Grand Prize, will be performing a commemorative performance from February 23rd to 26th, 2023 (tentative) at the Kanagawa Prefectural Youth Center Studio HIKARI.
"Anju no Chi" is a theater company/artist group based in Kyoto that collaborates with various cultures to produce "mixed media" works.
This production, "Drape the Strange Land," has been performed in various forms, from a one-person show to a nine-person show, in Kanagawa, Kyoto, Shizuoka, and internationally in the UK and Germany.
The script and direction are by Masaya Okamoto. Yushiko Bayashi will be in charge of costumes, as with the original production, and the story will be reconstructed as a musical in collaboration with music by Taiyo Kasamatsu.
We welcomed three people who were heavily involved in the production and asked them about the highlights of the work.

- Please tell us your thoughts on winning the Grand Prize at the Kanagawa Short Play Awards 2021 for your performance of "The Retrograde of Bolero."

Okamoto : I was very happy to win the grand prize.
At the time, the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing, and some groups were unable to participate due to coronavirus infections. The plays performed also dealt with issues faced while living through the pandemic, and the entire theater world was in a gloomy mood. The awards ceremony was held with the condition that it would be held without an audience.
Receiving this award gave me the opportunity to share the anxieties that each of us had at the time, and to have many discussions about how we should continue our activities in the future, which I found to be very valuable.
Also, Mr. Kasamatsu, who provided the music for this competition, was participating as a judge, and he said, "There are many difficult things happening because of the pandemic, but let's keep creating more and more works!" Seeing the strong energy of the older generation, it made me realize that we younger people can't afford to be gloomy! It really motivated me to stay focused.
Being able to participate in a gathering of artists from all generations working together to create something was inspiring, and it was a very memorable awards ceremony.

(In 2020, "Drape the Strange Land" was performed at KAAT.)

- Regarding "Drape the Strange Land," which will be performed in February, could you tell us about the highlights?

Okamoto : This play is one that "Anju no Chi" has performed many times.
This is a story about a traveler who, feeling lonely during his journey through Europe, encounters immigrants in one country, and through their shared loneliness, they connect and communicate despite their different languages.
As we go through life, we have to consider how to live with people who have different values and different cultures. We encounter various differences in people in our daily lives, and I think this work touches on those issues. Looking at it from a broader perspective, I think it's a work that also encompasses social issues and international situations, so I hope you enjoy it while considering those aspects as well.
From its premiere until now, the show had a heavy and serious atmosphere, but this time, the script has been refined, and the collaboration of new costumes and music has made it a light and enjoyable production.
I feel like the work has grown to a level we couldn't have achieved on our own. That's the main highlight.
I think it will offer a fresh perspective that will also make it work as entertainment. We've remade it, and it feels like a brand new production. Since it's a musical, it has an atmosphere that even children can enjoy. Precisely because it deals with heavy subject matter, we want to create a work that is enjoyable to watch and listen to, while still containing underlying issues.

(In 2020, "Drape the Strange Land" was performed at KAAT.)

- Yushiko Bayashi, a rising fashion designer. You've been creating the costumes since the first performance. Could you tell us about the highlights of the costumes in this production?

yushokobayashi : I met Okamoto-kun when I was living in London for five years, and we started making artwork together. I remember collecting cheap materials from recycling shops in England.
After hearing about the story, I felt a connection with the immigrant characters' situation, and I created the costumes to express "what things look like from that perspective" in the work.
At the time, I was creating costumes based on the perspective and viewpoint that overlapped with that of the immigrants in my work, so that "weight" inevitably came through in my work. However, after returning to Japan, where I was born and raised, three years later, my perspective shifted.
This time, I'm completely remaking all the costumes that were used from the premiere to the previous performance. Now that I'm no longer in an immigrant position, and with the addition of music, the work is being reborn as something new. I'm thinking about how I can remake the costumes, researching new forms and currently working on them. I'm thinking about how to express the weight of the background contained within, while keeping it bright and light, through fashion.
I want to make it as entertaining as possible. I think the costumes will be even more nuanced and individualistic than those from the original production, so I hope you'll pay attention to the costumes as well.

(Costume production site by Yushikobayashi)

《yushokobayashi》
Instagram: Click here

- Mr. Taiyo Kasamatsu, a composer who is active on the world stage. Could you tell us about the key points of the music in this work?

Kasamatsu : Coincidentally, I also have experience staying in London, where the story is set, for about a month, so I found parts of the work relatable.
In addition, during my travels to various countries as a Cultural Exchange Ambassador for the Agency for Cultural Affairs, what left the biggest impression on me was my visit to four Central and South American countries. The members of the string quartet I met there were all from different countries, and some of them had experience as refugees. We talked a lot, and I realized that each of them had different experiences, thoughts, and values. For the past few years, I've been living with the challenge of how to digest what I learned there and incorporate it into my own work, and shortly after that, I was deeply impressed when I saw Okamoto's work as a judge.
The concept of "Wearing a Foreign Land" resonated deeply with the themes I'm currently grappling with.
I felt a strong desire to participate in this! As a musician, I wanted to create a work together! So, after seeing the work, I immediately contacted Okamoto-kun.
When the collaboration was decided and I saw the lyrics, I thought that although the content was heavy, it should be a song that could be laughed off, a song of anger but also a really fun song. I worked hard to figure out how to structure the lyrics, which were a mix of Japanese, English, and German, into music. It was like a challenge from Okamoto-kun. (laughs)
I approached this challenge with the mindset that no one else could do it. Putting different languages to the same melody. I might not have been able to do it when I was younger, but I think I was able to do it now because I had the know-how to do it after gaining experience. I'm really glad that I encountered this at this time.
For this project, I've invited the wonderful guitarist Taro Sukegawa, whom I trust completely, to perform live the songs I've composed. I hope you'll enjoy the bouncy, vibrant, and light sound that only he can create.

Taiyo Kasamatsu
Profile: Click here
Taro Sukegawa
Profile: Click here

- Ayano Nakamura, a member of the theater company "Anju no Chi," will be appearing in this production. Please tell us your thoughts on this work from an actor's perspective.

Nakamura : I've been involved with this work since its premiere as a one-man show. Even as diversity is recognized, differences in language, culture, customs, and feelings still weigh heavily on various relationships.
"How should we perceive the differences that exist? Should we conform? Should we rebel? Where should we place ourselves?" This work is a story that explores such questions.
Drawing on music, costumes, actors, and our experience performing in various locations, I want to create a work that will give people an opportunity to re-examine "who they are."

(Performed outdoors at Shizuoka Strange Seed 2022)

- You are based in Kyoto, but could you tell us about your enthusiasm for performing in Kanagawa?

Okamoto : Performing in a different location than our base is very meaningful to us. The audience's reactions are completely different depending on the region, which is very interesting and educational. This will be our first time doing a solo independent performance in Kanagawa, so we are really looking forward to meeting the Kanagawa audience!

And for Yasumi, the Kanagawa Short Play Awards remains a very fond memory.
On the day we received the award, we walked along the coast, and the moment we congratulated each other on winning the grand prize, a really strong sea breeze blew. It felt as if Kanagawa Prefecture was celebrating with us. (laughs) It's still a topic of conversation for all of us, and we all remember it fondly. We'd love to go back to that beach and experience that breeze again!
Because the story is about travel, and evokes images of crossing borders and the sea, I think this work is a perfect fit for Kanagawa Prefecture. I would love for many people to come and see it.

A place of peace and tranquility
Instagram: Click here
Official website: Click here