Noh Reimagined

Noh Reimagined Festival 2022: Spirits of Flowers

24th and 25th June 2022

Kings Place London

The 3rd edition of Noh Reimagined festival explored how the natural world is celebrated and interpreted in one of Japan’s oldest theatrical traditions, alongside what it means to our lives today. From the flower spirits and nature poetry of classical Noh to contemporary visual art and dance, UK artists and Japanese Noh performers came together to celebrate Noh’s 650-year lineage alongside present-day creativity, and the magic of the natural world.

The two-day programme of Noh Reimagined 2022 welcomed 1,500 audience members who enjoyed performances, workshops, and seminars. We presented classical Noh pieces including Han-Noh (the second half Noh pieces) of Fuji and Kurozuka as well as three ambitious world premieres and one UK premiere.

Featured article “Noh and the Natural World”

  • Photo credit: Mayumi Hirata

Photo Credit: Mayumi Hirata

Programme

Sano Noboru Introductory Talk

Fri 24 Jun – 6pm

Celebrated Hosho school shite actor SANO Noboru discussed his experience and thoughts about the artform and its powerful relationship with nature in conversation with Dr. TAGUCHI Kazumi of SOAS. Also audiences enjoyed mini-Noh utai chant workshop.

Event Details

Evening of Classical Noh – Fuji (Wisteria)

FRI 24 JUN 2022 7:30pm

The celebratory second act of Noh masterpiece Fuji (Wisteria), embodies the nature-celebration theme of this year’s festival. We join the story as night falls in a place famous for its beautiful views, when a travelling monk and the spirit of a fragrant Wisteria admire the beauty of the wisteria flowers with poetry, song and dance to honour the wonder of nature.

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Noh Movement Workshop

Sat 25 Jun – 11am

Sano Noboru and Kawase Takashi, two shite actors offered a hands-on workshop to learn the basic movement patterns of Noh, including use of physical space, expression, and breath control.

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Sumida River in Sign Language

Sat 25 Jun – 2pm

The world premiere of Sumida River in Sign Language, performed by two Deaf artists Chisato Minamimura and Brian Duffy, directed by Verity Lane. The production brings together the world of nature and human experience in a powerful drama of gesture, sign languages (JSL and BSL) movement and music inspired by the 15th century Noh Sumidagawa.

Event Details

Seminar: Understanding Noh

Sat 25 Jun – 3pm

This seminar by Professor Andrew Gerstle of SOAS, an eminent scholar who specialises in Japanese traditional theatre, gave tips on how to appreciate Noh, as well as answering any questions about its history, aesthetic concepts, stories, and performance traditions.

Event Details

Cerith Wyn Evans: Noh (A-Drift)

Sat 25 Jun – 5pm

In Japanese culture the moon is revered, the object of formal ‘moon-viewing parties’, Tsukimi, and a symbol of Enlightenment in Zen Buddhism. In Noh theatre, the moon serves to project subtle human sentiments, changing phases of time and space, and the inspiration for creative expression.

Event Details

Pre-Performance Talk: Thick & Tight

Sat 25 Jun – 6pm

Award winning dance-actors Eleanor Perry and Daniel Hay-Gordon of Thick & Tight talked about the creative process behind their new piece Two Moths in Real Time.

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Night Moves

June 25, 2022 7:30PM

The finale of the festival celebrated a triple bill of a classical Noh masterpiece, and two UK premieres with mesmerising line-ups

Event Details

CAST

Noh performers:

  • SANO Noboru – shite actor, Hosho school
  • KAWASE Takashi– shite actor, Hosho school
  • ISSO Yukihiro – nohkan flute, Isso school
  • TANABE Kyosuke – kotsuzumi (shoulder drum), Okura school
  • KAKIHARA Mitsuhiro – ōtsuzumi (hip drum), Takayasu school
  • UBAURA Risa – taiko (stick drum), Konparu school

British artists:

  • Cerith Wyn Evans (contemporary artist)
  • Thick & Tight (mime and dance artist, Daniel Hay-Gordon and Eleanor Perry)-
  • Piers Adams (recorder player)
  • Verity Lane (director and composer for Sumida River in Sign Language)
  • Chisato Minamimura (choreographer, dance artist and BSL art guide)
  • Brian Duffy (actor specialising in BSL theatre and film using speech & sign language)

Credits:

Noh Reimagined 2022: Spirits of Flowers was curated and produced by Akiko Yanagisawa (Mu:Arts) and International Noh Project Committee in collaboration with Kings Place.

Noh Reimagined 2022 was supported by The Agency for Cultural Affairs, through Japan Arts Council, Arts Council Tokyo （Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture, Arts Council England, Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation,  The Asahi Shimbun Foundation and  Association for Corporate Support of the Arts.

Programme