Absolutely interesting! The governor passionately talks about the appeal of the Kamome Short Drama Festival

The Kanagawa Kamome Theater Festival (hereinafter referred to as "Kamosai"), which started in 2016, is a theater festival that presents short plays of 20 minutes or less. A wide variety of works selected from all over the country are brought together and can be viewed at the same venue during the same period.
We asked Yuji Kuroiwa, Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture, who is known for his love of culture and the arts, and Satoshi Maruo, Chairman of the Kamosai Executive Committee, about their thoughts on the next event.

—I heard that you watched the works of all the participating groups at the 3rd “Kamosai” held in January.

Kuroiwa Yes. It's very unlikely that the governor would watch the whole thing (lol). However, it is a rare opportunity to see the works of people you don't know on a daily basis brought together in one place. Moreover, each performance is 20 minutes long. The story is completed in 20 minutes, so you can't take your eyes off it for even a moment. Each one had its own personality, which was definitely interesting.

Maruo Theater tends to be seen as ``a bit difficult to enter,'' and the burden of going out of your way to see a production that lasts more than two hours is a burden on Yuuko. In that respect, ``Kamosai'', which is a collection of works that can be enjoyed in a short period of time, can be a gateway to theater. There are a variety of genres and styles, and I think you'll be able to view them with the mindset of ``I didn't understand this one, but this one was interesting.''
Currently, Japanese plays are mainly full-length plays, but historically, short plays have been popular. In the past, the Imperial Theater had a performance format called ``midori,'' in which various short plays were performed. It's "Midori" from "Yoridori Midori". It seems that it was popular with tourists coming to Tokyo. I believe that ``Kamosai'' has the potential to resonate throughout the country, with people saying, ``If you go to Kanagawa, you can see interesting short plays.'' To that end, I would like to continue to publish high-quality works.

—It also plays an important role in making Kanagawa attractive.

Kuroiwa In Kanagawa Prefecture, we are working on ``Magcal'' (magnet culture), which attracts people with the charm of culture and art and creates vitality in the region. And ``Kamosai'' has the fun of discovering talent. You might think that short works are easy to create, but in reality, a considerable amount of skill is required. The power of the person who writes the script, the power of the director, and the power of the person who performs. We love finding new talent from people from all over the country. Young people will also feel that if they go to Kanagawa, they will have a chance to demonstrate their talents. It would be great if we could create a cycle like that.

MaruoThe other day, I went to Okinawa to serve as a judge for a short play. This was started by the representative of the Okinawa team that participated in "Kamosai" with the idea of "bringing wonderful works from Okinawa to Kamosai." I felt a strong sense of hope for Kanagawa, saying, ``Kanagawa offers opportunities for new encounters, and I would love to perform there.''

—Are there any improvements in terms of management?

Maruo: Since theater is inherently diverse, there is a belief that theater productions should not be evaluated by giving them points. However, the friendly competition that arises from this, the encounters with customers, judges, theaters, and other works with whom we have no contact in our daily activities, and the impressions and opinions exchanged, lead to the improvement of both the creator and the viewer. . Rather than ``selecting'' works from above, we also value the perspective of ``we welcome a wide variety of works from various regions.''

KuroiwaThis time, a Korean team participated, but we have been conscious of internationalization from the beginning. Although there is a language barrier, it is possible to put on an interesting play by using some ingenuity, such as adding subtitles. To begin with, there is no rule that says a play must have dialogue. Magcal's goal is for Kanagawa to attract attention from overseas in terms of art.

—What are your plans for next year's Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics?

Many people from all over the world come to Japan to watch the Kuroiwa Sports Festival. Some people may also want to enjoy entertainment in their free time. We hope that such people will enjoy "Magcal".

—Do you think there will be any new initiatives for the fourth “Kamosai”?

MaruoThis year, we are planning to establish the Kanagawa Kamome Short Drama Award. This is the first time in Japan that a 20-minute short play has been awarded an award. If the award-winning works were to be performed in theaters such as Kamosai, writers would be more motivated, and the quality of the content would improve. In the future, I would like to have an environment where short plays can be seen at any time in a permanent theater, not just at the once-a-year festival.

Kuroiwa :In the future, I would like to think about expanding our scope even further. For example, citizen musicals are actively performed in various places. The creators are not professionals, but the power they feel when they say, ``Let's do it!'' is immeasurable. I myself founded a drama club in junior high school and was a member of the musical research group at Waseda University, so I have high expectations for the power and breadth of entertainment. We intend to continue promoting Magcal in the future, taking cues from cultural and artistic events like Kamosai.

2nd Best Picture Award “Shizu Uchino”
Written and directed by Hiroshi Oshima/Cast by Chili Actors

3rd Best Picture Award “Desk Theory”
Written by Morihiko Takeshige (Meganedo) / Directed by Ippo Matsumoto (Breaststroke Main Store) / Performed by Breaststroke Main Store