Shows

A Work in Progress Presentation of A Fool’s Life
By Ahuri Theatre

Date & Time:
January 30 & 31, 2009
Presentation at 7:00 pm, Doors open at 6:30 pm

Location:
The Japan Foundation, Toronto
131 Bloor Street West, 2nd Floor

RSVP Required: Call 416-433-5290 or email: info@ahuritheatre.com

Presentation
A 60 minute ‘work in progress’ presentation of Ahuri Theatre’s original creation based on the short stories of Akutagawa Ryunosuke, one of the most celebrated modern Japanese writers, and best known as the author of Rashomon. Dark, bizarre and absurd, this work in progress presentation combines Japanese forms of Noh dance and Butoh, mime, three different languages, shadow puppetry and projections on a set made entirely of paper.

*A brief Q&A session to follow. Audience members will have the opportunity to comment on the performance and ask questions to the director and actors.
*$10 suggested donation. All proceeds go to Ahuri Theatre.

Created and Performed by: Claire Calnan, Mathieu Chouinard, Haruna Kondo, Viv Moore and Matthew Romantini

Concept and Direction by Dan Watson
Design and Projections by Sean Frey
Lighting Design by Lea Ambros

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This project is generously supported by the Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.

 

2008, Yabu No Naka : Disthruthed


Poster | Flyer | Press picture

Interview with Mathieu Chouinard aired on cbc radio's 'Here and Now', on July 13th 2007. Contributed by John Gaudi. (10Mb)


Rave reviews in 2007 !

Very interesting performance. Most of all, the movement of these well trained actors is fantastic. Even drops of sweat are made impressively beautiful through their artistically trained muscles. The theatre, audience, everything unites to create a completely different world never before experienced. Beyond the barriers of country and race, Ahuri Theatre creates movement that carries with it a necessary message to the world today and leaves a strong energy and impression on the audience.
- Michiyo Koyanagi, The Nikka Times -

“Brilliant…The performers commit physically and emotionally to their roles, and the minimal set and unusual space are used to maximum effect. Highly recommended.”
-Glenn Sumi, Now Magazine

“…a gifted physical theatre troupe…”
-Meghan Harrison, Eye Magazine

"Magnificient physical theatre"
- Sylvie Saint-Jacques, La Presse -

"Ahuri theatre's five wonderful actors amaze by their capacity for creating rich atmospheres"
- Fabienne Cabado, Le Voir -

"Impressive physical theatre makes Distruthted extremely effecive"
- www.indyish.com -

« As the flood of 4 different languages continued, something began to happen. Beyond the mysterious words, as if through the skin, the audience starts to understand what is being communicated. There are moments in which a new and different kind of language is born. The spirit of 70th century’s strong experimental theatre movement in Japan is succeeded with this show. I strongly want to see the show in Japan, next year, too.»
- Yusuke Tanaka, The Nikkei Voice, July/August 2007 -

Ahuri theatre was voted « Best Ensemble » at the Toronto Fringe Festival 2007.

Synopsis : A villainous rape and murder near the road to Yamashima. Seven characters, all either direct or indirect witnesses to the event, testify their version of what happened. The seven versions are not totally different, but often contradictory. Who is telling the truth? Between the version of the woodcutter, the Buddhist monk, the police officer, the old lady, the thief accused of murder, the violated woman and even the murdered man speaking through a medium, who do we believe?

Nevertheless, all are telling the truth.
Nevertheless all are lying.
Nevertheless…

An adaptation of Akutagawa Ryunosuke's "In a Grove"- one of Japan's most celebrated short stories and the inspiration for Akira Kurosawa's film Rashômon. The piece uses four different languages, and combines Japanese traditional dance, butoh and Mime, to weave together the conflicting testimonies of seven witnesses in the murder of a Samurai.

Yabu No Naka: Distruthted, inspired by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Adaptation by the company
Directed by Mathieu Chouinard
Performed by Edwige Bage, Mathieu Chouinard, Haruna Kondo, Dan Watson and Johan Westergren
Technical Director: Vicki Grenier
Costumes and Scenography: Maude Ledoux and Marie-Eve Parent

Japan Team 2008
light designer: Margot Olliveaux
costume designer: Konomi Takahashi
director of communications: Yu Takeno & Kazuko Kondo
stage manager: Tatsuhiko Ito
producer: Takao Kondo

Showings :
Presented at the University of Quebec in Montreal, and the Montreal and Toronto Fringe Theatre Festivals. June-July, 2007

After a highly successful tour of Toronto and Montreal, this piece makes its Japanese premiere in April 3 to 6, 2008 @ Setagaya Public Theatre's Theatre Tram

Yabu No Naka: Distruthed was created with the generous support of the Canada Arts Council. We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts which last year invested $22.2 million in theatre throughout Canada.

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AFJ

This project is supported
by the canadian embassy

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November 2006, Through Peer Gynt (see poster)

“The actors’ bodies are so engaged in the creation of these silent images and gestures, the audience can almost feel it in their own bodies… a lively and exciting new theatre company…”
- Shinobu Review, Tokyo

In 2006, for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the death of Henrik Ibsen, Ahuri Theatre, with the support of the Norweigan Embassy in Tokyo, mounted their adaptation of « Peer Gynt ». Through Peer Gynt was presented in the theatres of Tiara Koto and Space 107 in Tokyo. The production, integrating simultaneously Japanese, Swedish and English, was created using a minimum of scenic elements and costumes, instead using movement to recreate the universe of « Peer Gynt ». The piece was preceded by a short piece entitled « Under the Cherry Blossoms » (Ango Sakaguchi)

Actor Creators : Haruna Kondo (Director), Georges Mann, Seiko Nakazawa, Kazutoshi Tasaka, Johan Westergren
Dramaturge : Paola Rizza

 

November 2005, Ahuri Showcase (see poster)

During a 8 week stay in Japan, from October 1 to November 15 2005, Ahuri Theatre Participated in 36 theatrical events in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, playing to a total of 2200 spectators : performances in theatres, performances in exterior venues (street, Parks, outdoor university festivals), performances in two museums, a small scene for Delegates at the Swedish Embassy in Tokyo, story telling performances and 4 Workshops in physical theatre. The members of the collective also followed workshops in Tate-Do (Toho Entertainment school, Osaka and Tokyo) and Nihon Buyo (Konyo Matsukage, Tokyo).

Actor Creators : Anne Barbot, Edwige Bage, Mathieu Chouinard, Haruna Kondo, Dan Watson, Johan Westergren