About
TOKYO YAKO Theatre Company
Formed in 2017 by Yukihiro Kawana when he was selected for “the Shimokita Wave”, the project of supporting young artists, and got an opportunity to perform in the Shimokitazawa Theater Festival 2018. Then he wrote and directed “The Memory without Shoes” as the first play of Tokyo Yako.
In 2020, selected for “MITAKA “NEXT” Selection 21st” produced by Mitaka City Sports and Culture Foundation, and performed “BLACK OUT”.
In 2021, got other members and has become the Tokyo Yako Theatre Company.
In 2022, landed in “The Mecca of Theatre”, Honda Theater and performed “Evil Spirits and Eternity”.
Based on personal experiences and feelings, creates the stories with universal themes and approaches weaving the stage with delicate and detailed conversations and movements.
Member
Playwright/Director
Yukihiro Kawana
Born in Tokyo in 1988.
Studied Japanese history at Meiji University.
Directed “The Winter’s Tale” in the Meiji University Shakespeare Project while a student and studied playwrighting and directing under Kensuke Yokouchi who was a supervisor of the project.
In 2014, started working as a free assistant director. Especially participated in works of Daigo Matsui, a playwright/theatre director/film director. Also assisted plays of Lindsay Posner and Alexandra Rutter, workshops of Jonathan Munby and Richard Twyman.
In 2017, formed Tokyo Yako and has written and directed all plays of Tokyo Yako.
Actor
Minato Maruyama
Syunpei Kusano
Shiho Sasamoto
Staff
Keisuke Uramoto
Maki Yamasaki
Hikaru Nakamura
Eri Hirazaki
Masato Kawana
Ryoichi Fujii
Production History
“Evil Spirits and Eternity”
Acts: 1 act 27 scenes
Time: 140 min
Cast: 12
First staged: 2022 at Honda Theater (Tokyo)
Meeting with an actor Masahiro Higashide stimulated Kawana to write the story. One normal office worker cut loose one night and jumped down from a building with a girl he has met at a night club. When only he survived, the story starts moving. A ghost of a girl follows him since then and tells him “It’s not your fault”. After being released from a prison, he works as a construction worker and tries to live again in a society. It’s about a difficulty of making atonement and being forgiven.
“Waiting For A Miracle”
Acts: 6 acts
Time: 100 min
Cast: 4
First staged: 2021 at Komaba-Agora Theatre (Tokyo) Sendai 10-BOX (Miyagi)
A killing of a Japanese journalist by an Islamic State group, disasters like 311, anxiety in social life with COVID-19, the whole world has been in chaos and “safe and secure” has been shouted. Kawana felt something abnormal about that word and created the SF story. One woman lives in a virtual world has completely lost interests to anything. 2 men from past get lost in her room and the story begins. He approached our uncertain meaning of living.
“BLACK OUT”
Acts: 8 acts
Time: 140 min
Cast: 12
First staged: 2020 at Mitaka City Arts Center (Tokyo)
In the difficult situation for theatres with COVID-19, Kawana wrote a story drawing on an experience as an assistant director. The play centers on one assistant director who works for a play to be performed in April 2020 when COVID-19 has just spread in Japan. It's about various struggles of casts and staffs for a month.
“Chironomidae”
Acts: 6 acts
Time: 100 min
Cast: 9
First staged: 2019 at Theatre Rakuen (Tokyo)
Kawana got this idea when he cried at the wedding of his younger sister, even though they had disliked each other for a long time. The story goes on between sisters with hate. Just before the wedding day of one woman, her older sister who works as a prostitute suddenly comes to see her and starts living together. And older sister says that her lifetime is coming to end. It's about family blood relationship, which is unbreakable even with anger or irritation.
“Closed My Eyes at The End of The World”
Acts: 1 act 9 scenes
Time: 100 min
Cast: 9 or 10
First staged: 2018 at Theatre Rakuen (Tokyo)
It’s based on an experience of Kawana when he lived in an old tiny room without bathroom. The story begins when a poor young man of minimalist and young woman belongs to a cult fall in love. In this uncertain world, he approached the meaning of believing.
“The Memory without Shoes”
Acts: 5 acts
Time: 70 min
Cast: 8
First staged: 2018 at Theatre Rakuen (Tokyo)
It’s based on his shock of his friend’s suicide attempt. 6 people lining up for the suicide club, fight for their turn to suicide.
We hope to perform abroad. Also, we would be delighted to hear from you about performing our works. Please contact us.
E-mail:info@tokyoyako.com