TAKASHI MATSUMOTO & NAOMI YOSHIKAWA
Takashi: Stage is better; you can see each
actor' expression up close. Naomi:
I think stage is better too, because it's live. Takashi and Naomi:
The last play we saw was The Shampoo Hat at Suzunari, in Shimokitazawa. Takashi: I prefer shogekijo, because it's
made by a small number of people, so it has more meaning. Naomi: I like shogekijo too, because I can feel the
togetherness between the actors and the audience.
KENJI SONOYAMA & YUMIKO SUGI / STUDENT & OFFICE WORKER
Kenji: I prefer movies to theater. I like
the directing in movies better. Yumiko:
I prefer movies, too. They are easier to go see. Kenji: I can't remember the last play I saw. Yumiko: The last play I saw was somewhere in Yokohama, but
I forgot what it was, too. Kenji:
I prefer shogekijo to kabuki because of the feeling of oneness between actors and the
audience. Yumiko: I prefer shogekijo too, because
you're closer to the stage. It's more personal.
JUNKO MIYAMORI & MICHIYO KISHIMA / OFFICE WORKERS
Michiyo: I prefer the stage because I like
that "accidents" happen. Junko:
I like movies because they are more accessible. Michiyo and Junko: The last play we saw was The
Shampoo Hat at Suzunari, in Shimokitazawa. Michiyo: Large theaters make me sleepy. Smaller theaters
show what the real world is like and make us remember stuff that we've forgotten. Junko: I like shogekijo, because you can see all the
nooks and crannies.
Center Stage Photos by Beezer
This week we headed to some of Tokyo's
shogekijo (little theaters) to find out if the venerable art of stage acting still cuts it
as a fun night out. We asked how live theater compares with the movies, the name of the
last play you saw and where, and whether you prefer contemporary shogekijo or modern
theater to the traditional, large-scale kabuki extravaganza?
AKI TATEYAMA / OL
I prefer movies because they are less real, so I can more easily get into them. The last
play I saw was Phantom of the Opera by Gekidan Shiki, in Akasaka. I like large
theaters; smaller ones have less stage effects.
JOE GUZMAN / ILLUSTRATOR
I think live theater is much better than movies, because it's really happening in front of
you. There's a better sense of being there. It's more personal. The last play I saw was Sweeney
Todd in Santa Barbara, California. I was part of the crew, I worked the spotlight. I
prefer modern theater. I may not be the most up-to-date guy, but I'm not at all
traditional.
TOKYO TALK: