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Theater

Cyrano in Meiji era, a Suzuki signature works

Suzuki’s direction and scenography of Cyrano de Bergerac are famous and representative of his works. In this version, Cyrano, a member of Scot, is in love with the heroin, a Russian, who is mistakenly in love with a Chinese actor, all being set in 19th century Japan. Tadashi Suzuki has been presenting his works abroad, including at the Avignon festival, and the Suzuki method is famous for training actors, from the United States to China. Coming all the way down from Toga, Tokyoites will have a chance to feel the director’s touch in Kichijoji, Tokyo, from December 11 to December 20. As Tadashi Suzuki has made history in Japan theater, having directed the most famous public theaters, and created the first international theater festival, the play is a must for people interested in Japanese contemporary theater. To be noted, it will be performed in Japanese (mostly, as we might suspect that there will be some Chinese and Russian too – did not Suzuki join the concert of Miyuki Ishibashi too ?).
A director talk will take place after the plays, it is always great to listen and exchange with such a personality – last year, patient people even brought back home white pumpkins from Toga, let us hope 2026 harvest will be good.

For other plays and shows in 2026

For more information on the director and some late performances.

Categories
Butoh Contemporary dance

Awai / Faint / butoh

Dairakudakan which restarted full size the production of new choregraphers from Japan longest active Butoh company, will feature choregrapher and dancer Misako Taniguchi in her new (and first ?) long piece, あわい. As usual, we know very little about what we are going to see, we just have a very faint idea, which is the title translation, by the way. And colors will be pale, no doubt, another meaning of Awai. This is always a bit frustrating, not to know what we will see, but a chance to discover and be surprised. After the great Rite of spring, the intriguing Book of death, just embark on this new trip in Kochuten, the underground and packed company theater in Kichijoji area.

For more on butoh
For other performances in 2026

Categories
Contemporary dance

Morimur – Noism Dance Company is dying for a rebirth

“Morimur” – Latin for “We are dying”. Loss and prayer are concealed within J.S. Bach’s “Chaconne”, as well as a yearning for rebirth. This work, born of choreographer Jo Kanamori’s long engagement with the music piece, carries within it “solo for 2”, created in 2012, and now takes shape as a new work of dance. To gaze upon death is to gaze upon life, and Noism continues exploration of body and spirit.
After performing in home theater Ryutopia in Niigata, the company will be in Tokyo Geigeki on December 26 and 27.

For more performances from October to December

Categories
Theater

Noda’s Bee stings back

20 years after its creation, The Bee will be performed in November at Honda Theater (Tokyo). This provocative play, where the would-be victim becomes the agressor, has been very successful. Dark, ironic, repulsive, twisted… The atmosphere is quite different from the more consensual Fahrenheit -320. Noda is one of the few directors who book a theater for a month and sell out. If you want to try to see a play, written jointy with Colin Teevan, you shall book quickly (normal sales start on October 18). It will be in Japanese only, but the plot is pretty simple, and if you know your yakuza / cop movie vocabulary, it shall be all right.
From November 2 to December 6.

Categories
ballet Butoh Circus Contemporary dance Dance English English subtitles 舞踏 Japanese tradition Opera Theater

Tokyo Stages in 2026 fourth quarter

See here our selection for October to November 2026

Categories
Contemporary dance

Nowhere

MowiMowi, a young contemporary dance company, will perform in Setagaya Public Theatre on December 19-21. Supported by the Next Generation program of Theatre Tram, their energetic dance, anchored in Japan latest generation, will intrigue you. Based on the concept of “liminal space,” which has spread from internet culture, the work depicts the connection between people and ambiguous places that are “neither here nor there.” Moto Takahashi the founder and choregrapher of the company, will also dance at Yokohama Dance Collection (on December 6 and 7).