ACM Theatre / September - November 1998

September - November 1998
For reservations and information, please call (029)225-3555.

"We Love Japanese Films!"
Film Festival Sponsored by the Excellent Films Project
Sept. 12 (Sat) - 13 (Sun)
Advance purchase tickets ¥500
At door ¥450
Seating on a first-come, first-served basis. One ticket is good for the whole day, for up to three films. Tickets are available at the ATM ticket counter, as well as at the Marui, Mito Seibu, Mito Keisei, Bonbelta Isejin department stores, and Ibadai Seikyo (Ibaraki University Coop).

Sept. 12 (Sat)
Three Jidai-geki (Samurai Movies)

O-edo Gonin Otoko ("Five Men of Great Edo") (1951)
10:30 a.m. - 12:42 p.m. (2 hours 12 minutes)
Director: Daisuke Ito
Starring: Tsumasaburo Bando

Hatamoto Taikutsu Otoko ("The Boring Shogun Retainer") (1958)
1:45 - 3:33 p.m. (1 hour 48 minutes) Director: Teiji Matsuda
Starring: Utaemon Ichikawa

Furinkazan (Takeda Shingen Story) (1969)
3:55 - 6:41 p.m. (2 hours 46 minutes)
Director: Hiroshi Inagaki
Starring: Toshiro Mifune

Sept. 13 (Sun)
Three Works from the Showa Era (1926-1989)

Tokyo Gonin Otoko ("Five Men of Tokyo") (1945)
11:00 a.m. - 12:24 p.m. (1 hour 24 minutes)
Director: Torajiro Saito
Starring: Roppa Furukawa

Nippon Musekinin Jidai ("Japan's Age of Irresponsibility") (1962)
1:30 - 2:56 p.m. (1 hour 26 minutes)
Director: Kengo Furusawa
Starring: Hitoshi Ueki

Jinsei Gekijo - Hishakaku to Kiratsune ("Theater of Life -- Hishakaku and Kiratsune") (1968)
3:15 - 5:04 p.m. (1 hour 49 minutes)
Director: Tomu Uchida
Starring: Koji Tsuruta

"Series of Japanese Authors 4 -- Shogo Ohta
"Contemporary Theater Resonating with Many Voices"

Four plays by the playwright Shogo Ohta will be presented by the ACM Theatre over five weekends from Oct. 3 (Sat) to Nov. 8 (Sun).

ATM's Series of Japanese Authors was initiated in 1995, and the upcoming installment of the series in October and November will feature Shogo Ohta. Coming from the same generation as Juro Kara, Kunio Shimizu and Minoru Betsuyaku, Ohta led the dramatic troupe Tenkei Gekijo ("Transformational Theater") in the 1970s and 1980s. The group, performing mainly in small theaters, developed a unique style known as the "silent drama." Tenkei Gekijo also made many tours abroad.

In ATM's Series of Japanese Authors 4, four producers (including Ohta) and four dramatic troupes will present new adaptations of this playwright's contemporary dramatic works. During the same period, various related events will also be held, including symposia as well as exhibitions of Tenkei Gekijo posters and stage photographs.

General ¥3,000
Groups (10 or more) ¥2,700
7th to 12th graders ¥1,500
4-performance ¥10,800
All seats reserved. Tickets go on sale on Aug. 28 (Fri) for Tomo-no-kai members, and Sep. 1 (Tue) for everyone else. All non-general admission tickets (groups, etc.) can be purchased only at the ATM Ticket Counter.

Shinpan Komachi Fuden ("New Version -- Komachi Fuden Story")
Oct. 3 (Sat) 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 4 (Sun) 4:00 p.m.
Free seating.
Written by Shogo Ohta.
Conceptualized/directed by Oriza Hirata.
Performed by Gekidan Seinendan et al.

A monumental work that made use of the Noh stage for the first time in modern drama, and recipient of the Kishida Kokushi Drama Prize. Oriza Hirata's adaptation of the play boldly recreates a giant maze-like apartment building within the ACM Theatre.

Mizu no Eki -- 3 ("Water Station No. 3")
Oct. 10 (Sat) 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 11 (Sun) 4:00 p.m.
All seats reserved.
Written/conceptualized/directed by Shogo Ohta.
Performed by Engeki Jimusho UZURA.

Representative of Ohta's "silent drama" works, a genre that he helped found, and one of the most highly acclaimed modern dramatic works by overseas critics. Ohta himself has "remade" the production for this performance.

Yajirushi ("Arrow")
Oct. 17 (Sat) 7:00 p.m.
All seats reserved.
Written by Shogo Ota
Conceptualized/scripted by Hiroyuki Inoue and Yuki Moriya.
Directed by Yuki Moriya.
Performed by uField et al.

A work that must be seen to understand the dramatic world of Ohta's " shape-transformational drama" phase.
The presentation of Yajirishi this time constitutes part of a three-work trilogy that is rounded out by Mizu no Kyujitsu ("Water Holiday") and "Element."

Shi no Bara ("Rose of Death")
Oct. 31 (Sat) 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 1 (Sun) 4:00 p.m.
Nov. 7 (Sat) 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 8 (Sun) 4:00 p.m.
Free seating.
Written by Shogo Ohta.
Conceptualized/directed by Hirohisa Hasegawa.
Performed by Gekidan ACM (Ryo Shiotani, Shinro Sato, Shin Koyasu, Satoshi Natori).

Representative of Ohta's verbal works. Four members of Gekidan ACM act out the more than a dozen characters of the play. For this performance, ACM Theatre will be converted into a "mini-theater" containing only 100 seats.

23rd Art Appreciation Event for ATM Tomo-no-kai Members
Morio Kazama Performs Ryuji Mizutani's Monodrama Tabi no Sora ("Trip in the Sky")
Nov. 24 (Tue) 7:00 p.m.
General ¥4,000
Members ¥2,000
All seats reserved.
Tickets go on sale on Sept. 27 (Sun) for Tomo-no-kai
members, and Oct. 1 (Thu) for everyone else.

Conceptualized/directed by Ryuji Mizutani.

What would happen if a businessman suddenly lost all of his memory? The popular TV and movie actor, Morio Kazama, tells us how in his tour-de-force one-man performance.

Gekidan Isseki Nicho "A Serenade of ON and OFF"

Nov. 28 (Sat) 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 29 (Sun) 4:00 p.m.
General ¥3,000
Groups (10 or more) ¥2,700
7th to 12th graders ¥1,500
All seats reserved.
Tickets go on sale on Oct. 1 (Thu).

Written/directed by Toshinobu Kojo.

A repeat performance of this controversial work, which delves into the social problem of the freedom of burial, using computer BBSs (bulletin boards) as a focal point.

Gekidan ACM (Acting Company Mito) Yomu Kotoba "Play to the Gallery"

Admission free.
Special readings by members of the Gekidan ACM, held once monthly in various spots around the Art Tower Mito complex, including the Entrance Hall and the Contemporary Art Gallery.
August 22 (Sat) 7:00 p.m. "Mystery"
Sept. 15 (Tue) 1:00 p.m. "Eat"
Oct. 4 (Sun) 2:00 p.m. "Authors 3 - Osamu Dazai"

ATM Dance Company "Dance Experiment in the Entrance Hall"

Admission free.
The ATM Dance Company presents experimental performances in the Entrance Hall once monthly. Once in a while they make surprise appearances at the weekend pipe-organ Promenade Concerts. Keep your eyes peeled.

For further information about performances, please call or write:
ACM Theatre, Art Tower Mito
1-6-8 Goken-cho, Mito-shi, Ibaraki-ken, 310-0063 Japan
Phone: (029) 227-8123 Fax: (029) 227-8130
If calling from outside Japan, first dial "81" for the country code and drop the initial "0."

HOME	Concerts	Tickets
Information	Drama/Dance	Membership
	Exhibitions	Special Essay