The 3rd Kanagawa Kamome Short Play Festival has concluded! An interview with playwright Morihiko Takeshige, who wrote the play "Desktop Theory," which won three awards including the Kamome Award

- Congratulations on winning the triple crown! First of all, please tell us how you feel right now.

To be honest, I was surprised. I was in the audience for all three stages, and I could tell from the audience that they were enjoying the show, so I didn't know if we would win any awards, but I thought it must have been a good performance. However, I never expected to receive three awards.

-What made you decide to apply for the Kanagawa Kamome Short Play Festival in the first place?

In fact, just before the deadline for applications, I happened to see the advertisement for the competition on the Internet, and the requirements were "short works that had already been performed," so I looked at the script for the premiere of "Archive Theory," which I had on hand, and quickly thought I could submit an entry by shortening it.

- I heard that "Arch Theory" was originally a 30-minute piece, so was it difficult to cut it down to the 20-minute limit?

Of course, the work of cutting it down was very difficult, but on the other hand, I think that by making it 20 minutes, I was able to highlight the structure of this work, which seems to have time going round and round, and the theme became clearer and easier to understand. So, what was the point of cutting out the 10 minutes? (laughs)

- So shortening the length changed the way you saw the work.

That's right. "Desktop Theory" is exactly about a writer. I usually listen to interviews as a writer, and I listen to tapes of interviews over and over again, but I have experienced that the content changes every time I listen to them. In this work, a novelist is supposed to be talking, but the story gradually returns to the listener's everyday life, and the listener begins to wonder, "Maybe I'm going to be killed?" In the premiere version, the change was slow, but in this 20-minute version, the tempo was good. I think the scary feeling of the premiere version is gone, and the composition has a good feel with frequent changes.

- You usually direct, but this time the direction is handled by Breaststroke Main Store. What was it like to entrust the direction to someone else?

First of all, I thought it sounded interesting, so I applied. (※ This time, the play selection team was looking for plays to be performed.) However, when it was time to hand over the work, I had an image of the premiere in mind, so I wondered what it would be like, but I decided not to get involved since I was handing it over to them. So I didn't attend the dress rehearsal, and it was the first time I saw it in person.

- What was it like seeing it live for the first time?

I was surprised. "Breaststroke Main Store" was a young company, and at the premiere it was performed in a scary and slow manner, but I was surprised to see how entertaining it could become. It changed so much depending on the direction, and I was reminded once again how interesting theater is.

- Did you share your thoughts with everyone at Breaststroke Main Store?

Ah, I should have said that (laughs). I told him it was interesting. I remember that the director, Matsumoto Ippo-san, was sitting next to me during the performance, and we nodded slightly after the performance ended. Like, "That was great, that was great."

--Once again, please tell us your overall impressions of participating in the Kamome Short Play Festival.

It's a 20-minute production, so you have to think carefully about what you want to show. This time, I saw many theater companies for the first time, but it gave me an idea of how they usually create plays. In that sense, it's not a trade fair, but I think it's a theater festival that shows only the best parts, and I think it lets the audience meet new groups and lets the groups make new fans.

- Do you think your participation this time will have an impact on your future activities?

To be honest, I hadn't really thought about going outside of Tokyo. This time, I had the opportunity to interact with people from all over the country, and it made me even more eager to have more people see my work.

-Finally, please give a message to everyone reading this article.

The thing I thought most was that actors should apply! I had never thought about taking my work out into the world before, but participating this time was a really interesting experience. I think it's a rare opportunity to see plays by various groups from all over Japan and overseas in one day. I think Kanagawa Prefecture is great.

■Finally
Takeshige has captivated many audiences with her well-constructed works. Takeshige's next stage performance will be "Shinjuku's Purple Rose", which will be performed at Shinjuku Gankagaro Space Basement from March 2nd (Fri) to 5th (Mon), 2018. Takeshige is in charge of writing and directing the play. It is said to be a tricky piece that incorporates gimmicks unique to theater. If you are interested in Takeshige's work after seeing "Desktop Theory", please come and see it.

The 3rd Kanagawa Kamome Short Play Festival will be broadcast on the J:COM Channel and J:COM TV.
○J:COM service area in Kanagawa Prefecture (including Machida City and Inagi City in Tokyo)
J:COM Channel Digital TV Channel 11
Broadcast date and time: Saturday, March 10, 2018, 21:30-22:30
Sunday, March 18th, 22:00-23:00

○J:COM service areas nationwide
J:COM TV
Sapporo, Sendai, Kanto area 10ch, Kansai, Fukuoka, Kitakyushu area 12ch
Shimonoseki area 111ch, Kumamoto area 11ch
Broadcast date and time: Sunday, March 4, 2018, 18:00-19:00
Sunday, March 18th, 19:00-20:00