| Urashima Taro Surfaces in London |
From Simple Fisherman to Tragic HeroThe protagonist is Urashima Taro, a young fisherman who saves a turtle. His small act of kindness is the trigger to a magical adventure that will change his life forever, taking him to the depths of the ocean. The enduring tale will be performed at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington, London, twice on Sunday 30th October as part of the SUSPENSE London Puppetry Festival.
Puppetry has long been part of Japanese theatre, in the tradition of Bunraku, where carved dolls, 3-4 feet tall, are manipulated by on-stage puppeteers entirely dressed in black. Despite the presence of the puppeteers on stage, the dolls possess such grace and emotion that is an easy task to forget about the puppeteers altogether. Kami-shibai is another traditional Japanese entertainment, where street artists used illustrations were used to tell stories to the gathered audience. This solo production refers to both these Japanese traditions as it tells the story of Urashima Taro in all its suspense, magic and sorrow. Urashima Taro is presented by Rouge 28 Theatre, and was written and performed by Aya Nakamura. An experienced performer and puppeteer, trained in France and the UK, Aya uses a rich mix of media to tell this ancient tale. Video projection combines with shadow play as actor merges with lifesize puppet to bring life and depth to a tale that has been retold many times over its long history.
Performance Information
Date: Sunday 30th October
This is a part of the London Puppetry Festival “Suspense”.
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