The Play of "Strategic Loneliness" Japanese-Thai version

The Play of

“Strategic Loneliness”

Japanese-Thai version

Written and Directed

by Mikuni Yanaihara

Friday 6^th– Sunday 8^th November 2015

@ Thong Lor Art Space

The Japan Foundation, Bangkok, in partnership with Thonglor Art Space proudly presented the Japanese-Thai version of “Strategic Loneliness”, a play written and directed by Mukuni Yanaihara, the 56^th Kishida Kunio Drama Award winning playwright.

The work of “Strategic Loneliness” was based on “Julius Caesar” by Shakespeare. Sparked by the admiration of each character about the changing shape of loneliness, Yanaihara deciphered the ‘Legend of people who chose self-loneliness’ and then wrote to make the story contemporary.

First staged in 2013 in Japan, this play was the new conversation of play which Yanaihara wrote from her own critical viewpoints so as to throw questions to the Japanese society after the earthquake. For this occasion, two Thai actresses and one Japanese actress were joined on the stage to play the Japanese-Thai version.

Appointed as the Japan Cultural Envoy 2015 of the Agency of Cultural Affairs, of the Government of Japan, Yanaihara progressed her activities in Southeast Asia and stayed in Thailand for one month. She and the Thai actresses took a challenge to create a piece of work in order to send universal messages to the Thai audiences with the special background of Japan after the earthquake.

Audiences enjoyed the stage presence of overwhelming information and momentum of Yanaihara. Yanaihara and the actresses had also given post-show discussion sessions after the each performance.

Directed and Written by:

Mikuni Yanaihara

Majoring in dance, Yanaihara received various awards, including NHK award and other special awards. In 1997, she established “Nibroll”, a dance company. She has been invited to do numerous public performances both in Japan and overseas. In 2005, she started her solo activity with the Mikuni Yanaihara Project by directing the play and also performing on the stage. Her work was selected as the final candidate of the 52^nd Kishida Kunio Drama Award. She won a prize at the Festival of Culture and Arts in 2000, Rencontres Chorégraphiques Internationales de Seine-Saint-Denis Prize in 2001, and Japan Dance Forum Prize in 2008. In 2012, she won the 56^th Kishida Kunio Drama Award and Yokohama Culture and Arts prize.

Starring:

Nozomi Kawata (Stardust Promotion), Pavinee Samakkabutr, Ornanong Thaisriwong

Plot:

Daily life, which we thought would last forever, is suddenly destroyed, and the world may end at any moment. People try to live with their imperfect bodies and minds, while dealing with the crisis and what they lack. Their longing to live transforms into loneliness. The strategic loneliness of three people who will be left behind in a not so distant future begins.

Performance information

◆ Time: Friday 6^th – Sunday 8^th November, 8.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.

◆ Venue: Thong Lor Art Space, on the 3^rd Floor

Organizers:

Organized by The Japan Foundation

In partnership with Thong Lor Art Space

Supported by Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, Precog, Stardust Promotion, on Visual, Nibroll and Kindai University.