Yukio Ninagawa
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese theatre director, particularly known for his Japanese language
productions of Shakespeare plays and Greek tragedies. He has directed Hamlet
differently six times.
Although most famous abroad for his touring productions of European classics, Ninagawa has also directed works based on contemporary writing from Japan, including the Modern Noh
plays of Yukio Mishima
(which toured to New York's Lincoln Center in early summer 2005) and several other plays by Japanese dramatists, including Shūji Terayama
and Kunio Shimizu. His production of Titus Andronicus
was performed in England in June 2006, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford and the Theatre Royal in Plymouth. In 2007 his company participated in the Barbican International Theatre Event (BITE) series at the Barbican Arts Centre in London, with their production of Coriolanus
.
At the same time, the year 1974 has become the turning point for Ninagawa, when the then Toho
theatre producer Tadao Nakane invited him to direct big theatres, and as a result he came to work on a Shakespeare play for the very first time - Romeo and Juliet
. Since then, he has become one of the most feted directors in the theatre world. He also often provides interesting topics such as launching the project in 1998 to direct all of Shakespeare's works, or in the year 2000 directing Greeks in which its performance lasted for a total of ten and a half hours.
Beginning in 1983 when he directed Medea
, Ninagawa continues to do overseas tours every year, which adds to his high reputation in Europe, United States and Canada. In recent years he has been invited to present a play each year in London, three years in a row – Midsummer Night's Dream in 1996, Shintokumaru (name of the male protagonist) in 1997, and Hamlet
in 1998. In addition he has collaborated with the Royal Shakespeare Company
from 1999 to 2000 and presented King Lear
at London and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Ninagawa has won many awards in Japan, and also he has been given an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh in 1992.
In his theatrical company "Ninagawa Studio (Ninagawa Company)", he continues to produce experimental productions with young group members. In 2006, he founded a new theatrical group for people over 55 years old called "Saitama Gold Theatre" which is based at Saitama Arts Theatre.
This section is a translation of Ninagawa's Japanese official website with additional notes.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese theatre director, particularly known for his Japanese language
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
productions of Shakespeare plays and Greek tragedies. He has directed Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
differently six times.
Although most famous abroad for his touring productions of European classics, Ninagawa has also directed works based on contemporary writing from Japan, including the Modern Noh
Noh
, or - derived from the Sino-Japanese word for "skill" or "talent" - is a major form of classical Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Many characters are masked, with men playing male and female roles. Traditionally, a Noh "performance day" lasts all day and...
plays of Yukio Mishima
Yukio Mishima
was the pen name of , a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor and film director, also remembered for his ritual suicide by seppuku after a failed coup d'état...
(which toured to New York's Lincoln Center in early summer 2005) and several other plays by Japanese dramatists, including Shūji Terayama
Shuji Terayama
was an avant-garde Japanese poet, dramatist, writer, film director, and photographer. According to many critics and supporters, he was one of the most productive and provocative creative artists to come out of Japan. He was born December 10, 1935, the only son of Hachiro and Hatsu Terayama in...
and Kunio Shimizu. His production of Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, and possibly George Peele, believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first tragedy, and is often seen as his attempt to emulate the violent and bloody revenge plays of his contemporaries, which were...
was performed in England in June 2006, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford and the Theatre Royal in Plymouth. In 2007 his company participated in the Barbican International Theatre Event (BITE) series at the Barbican Arts Centre in London, with their production of Coriolanus
Coriolanus (play)
Coriolanus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader, Gaius Marcius Coriolanus.-Characters:*Caius Martius, later surnamed Coriolanus...
.
Biography
In 1955 Ninagawa first joined theatre company "Seihai" (‘green actors’?). In 1967 he left the group and set up his own theatre company, "Gendaijin-Gekijo" (‘modern people's theatre’). He made his debut as a director in 1969 with Shinjo afururu keihakusa (‘genuine frivolity’?). After the disbandment of “Gendaijin-Gekijo” in 1971, in the following year he established a new theatre company called "Sakura-sha" ('cherry blossom company'), which once again resulted in disbandment three years later, 1974.At the same time, the year 1974 has become the turning point for Ninagawa, when the then Toho
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
theatre producer Tadao Nakane invited him to direct big theatres, and as a result he came to work on a Shakespeare play for the very first time - Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
. Since then, he has become one of the most feted directors in the theatre world. He also often provides interesting topics such as launching the project in 1998 to direct all of Shakespeare's works, or in the year 2000 directing Greeks in which its performance lasted for a total of ten and a half hours.
Beginning in 1983 when he directed Medea
Medea
Medea is a woman in Greek mythology. She was the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, niece of Circe, granddaughter of the sun god Helios, and later wife to the hero Jason, with whom she had two children, Mermeros and Pheres. In Euripides's play Medea, Jason leaves Medea when Creon, king of...
, Ninagawa continues to do overseas tours every year, which adds to his high reputation in Europe, United States and Canada. In recent years he has been invited to present a play each year in London, three years in a row – Midsummer Night's Dream in 1996, Shintokumaru (name of the male protagonist) in 1997, and Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
in 1998. In addition he has collaborated with the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
from 1999 to 2000 and presented King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
at London and Stratford-upon-Avon.
Ninagawa has won many awards in Japan, and also he has been given an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh in 1992.
In his theatrical company "Ninagawa Studio (Ninagawa Company)", he continues to produce experimental productions with young group members. In 2006, he founded a new theatrical group for people over 55 years old called "Saitama Gold Theatre" which is based at Saitama Arts Theatre.
This section is a translation of Ninagawa's Japanese official website with additional notes.
Stage direction history
(Premier dates only)- 1969 Nayameru kamigami wa, saredo shuppatsu shi tamawazu（悩める神々は、されど出発し給わず） - by Toshiro Ishido
- 1969 Shinjo afururu keihakusa（真情あふるる軽薄さ） - by Kunio Shimizu
- 1970 Ashita sokoni hana o sasouyo（明日そこに花を挿そうよ） - by Kunio Shimizu
- 1970 Omoide no Nihon ichiman-nen（想い出の日本一萬年） - by Kunio Shimizu
- 1971 Tōkaidō Yotsuya KaidanYotsuya KaidanYotsuya Kaidan , the story of Oiwa and Tamiya Iemon, is a tale of betrayal, murder and ghostly revenge. Arguably the most famous Japanese ghost story of all time, it has been adapted for film over 30 times, and continues to be an influence on Japanese horror today.Written in 1825 by Tsuruya Nanboku...
（東海道四谷怪談） - by Nanboku Tsuruya IV - 1971 Karasu yo, oretachi wa dangan o komeru（鴉よ、おれたちは弾丸をこめる） - by Kunio Shimizu
- 1972 Bokura ga hijo no taiga o kudaru toki（ぼくらが非情の大河をくだる時） - by Kunio Shimizu
- 1973 Moudouken（盲導犬） - by Juro Kara
- 1973 Nakanai noka? Nakanai noka 1973-nen no tameni?（泣かないのか？泣かないのか1973年のために？） - by Kunio Shimizu
- 1974 Romeo and JulietRomeo and JulietRomeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
(Romio to Julietto)（ロミオとジュリエット） - by William ShakespeareWilliam ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"... - 1975 Karaban, Taki no shiraito（唐版・瀧の白糸） - by Juro Kara based on Kyōka IzumiKyoka Izumiis the pen name of a Japanese author of novels, short stories, and kabuki plays who was active from the late Meiji to the early Shōwa periods. He is best known for a characteristic brand of Romanticism preferring tales of the supernatural heavily influenced by works of the earlier Edo period in...
- 1975 King LearKing LearKing Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
(Lia-oh)（リア王） - by William Shakespeare - 1976 Oedipus the KingOedipus the KingOedipus the King , also known by the Latin title Oedipus Rex, is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed c. 429 BCE. It was the second of Sophocles's three Theban plays to be produced, but it comes first in the internal chronology, followed by Oedipus at Colonus and then Antigone...
(Oidipusu-oh)（オイディプス王） - by SophoclesSophoclesSophocles is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than those of Aeschylus, and earlier than or contemporary with those of Euripides... - 1976 Kindai Nogakushu – Sotoba Komachi / Yoroboshi（近代能楽集/卒塔婆小町・弱法師）- by Yukio MishimaYukio Mishimawas the pen name of , a Japanese author, poet, playwright, actor and film director, also remembered for his ritual suicide by seppuku after a failed coup d'état...
- 1977 The Threepenny OperaThe Threepenny OperaThe Threepenny Opera is a musical by German dramatist Bertolt Brecht and composer Kurt Weill, in collaboration with translator Elisabeth Hauptmann and set designer Caspar Neher. It was adapted from an 18th-century English ballad opera, John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, and offers a Marxist critique...
(Sanmon opera)（三文オペラ） - by Bertolt BrechtBertolt BrechtBertolt Brecht was a German poet, playwright, and theatre director.An influential theatre practitioner of the 20th century, Brecht made equally significant contributions to dramaturgy and theatrical production, the latter particularly through the seismic impact of the tours undertaken by the... - 1978 MedeaMedea (play)Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides, based upon the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC. The plot centers on the barbarian protagonist as she finds her position in the Greek world threatened, and the revenge she takes against her husband Jason who has betrayed...
(Ohjo Media)（王女メディア） - by EuripidesEuripidesEuripides was one of the three great tragedians of classical Athens, the other two being Aeschylus and Sophocles. Some ancient scholars attributed ninety-five plays to him but according to the Suda it was ninety-two at most... - 1978 HamletHamletThe Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
(Hamuretto)（ハムレット） - by William Shakespeare - 1979 Suicide for Love (Chikamatsu shinjuu monogatari)（近松心中物語） - by Matsuyo Akimoto
- 1979 Notre Dame de ParisThe Hunchback of Notre DameThe Hunchback of Notre-Dame is a novel by Victor Hugo published in 1831. The French title refers to the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, on which the story is centered.-Background:...
(Notorudamu do Pari)（ノートルダム・ド・パリ） - by Victor HugoVictor HugoVictor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
- 1980 NINAGAWA MacbethMacbethThe Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
(NINAGAWA Makubesu)（NINAGAWAマクベス） - by William Shakespeare - 1980 Genroku minato uta（元禄港歌） - by Matsuyo Akimoto
- 1981 Shitayamannen-cho monogatari（下谷万年町物語） - by Juro Kara
- 1982 Ame no natsu, 30nin no Juliet ga kaette kita（雨の夏、三十人のジュリエットが還ってきた） - by Kunio Shimizu
- 1982 Nanboku koi monogatari – Hito wa itoshiya（南北恋物語－人はいとしや） - by Matsuyo Akimoto
- 1983 Kuroi tulip (Kuroi chulippu)（黒いチューリップ） - by Juro Kara
- 1984 Nigorie（にごり江） - adapted from the novels by Ichiyō Higuchi
- 1984 Tango at the end of winter (Tango, fuyu no owari ni)（タンゴ・冬の終わりに） - by Kunio Shimizu
- 1984 Genroku minato uta – Sennen no koi no mori（元禄港歌－千年の恋の森） - by Matsuyo Akimoto
- 1984 Three SistersThree Sisters (play)Three Sisters is a play by Russian author and playwright Anton Chekhov, perhaps partially inspired by the situation of the three Brontë sisters, but most probably by the three Zimmermann sisters in Perm...
(Keikoba to iu na no gekijyou de jyouen sareru Sannin shimai)（稽古場という名の劇場で上演される三人姉妹） - by Anton ChekhovAnton ChekhovAnton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics... - 1985 Kyofu jidai（恐怖時代） - by Junichiro TanizakiJunichiro Tanizakiwas a Japanese author, one of the major writers of modern Japanese literature, and perhaps the most popular Japanese novelist after Natsume Sōseki. Some of his works present a rather shocking world of sexuality and destructive erotic obsessions; others, less sensational, subtly portray the dynamics...
- 1985 95 kg to 97 kg no aida（95kgと97kgのあいだ） - by Kunio Shimizu
- 1985 Sakuhin tachi（作品たち）
- 1986 Oedipus the KingOedipus the KingOedipus the King , also known by the Latin title Oedipus Rex, is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed c. 429 BCE. It was the second of Sophocles's three Theban plays to be produced, but it comes first in the internal chronology, followed by Oedipus at Colonus and then Antigone...
(Oidipusu-oh)（オイディプス王）[2nd ver.] - 1986 Chi no konrei（NINAGAWA少年少女鼓笛隊による血の婚礼） - by Kunio Shimizu
- 1986 Hinmin kurabu（貧民倶楽部） - by Kyōka Izumi
- 1987 The TempestThe TempestThe Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place,...
(Tenpesuto)（テンペスト） - by William Shakespeare - 1987 Niji no bacteria（虹のバクテリア） - by Isamu Uno
- 1987 Nazeka seishun jidai（なぜか青春時代） - by Kunio Shimizu
- 1987 Gips (Gipusu)（ギプス） - by Isamu Uno
- 1988 Yokubou to iu na no shiden（欲望という名の市電） - based on a play by Tennessee WilliamsTennessee WilliamsThomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
- 1988 Hamlet（ハムレット）[2nd Ver.]
- 1988 Kanadehon ChushinguraChushingurais the name for fictionalized accounts of the historical revenge by the Forty-seven Ronin of the death of their master, Asano Naganori. Including the early , the story has been told in kabuki, bunraku, stage plays, films, novels, television shows and other media...
（仮名手本忠臣蔵）
- 1990 Peer GyntPeer GyntPeer Gynt is a five-act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, loosely based on the fairy tale Per Gynt. It is the most widely performed Norwegian play. According to Klaus Van Den Berg, the "cinematic script blends poetry with social satire and realistic scenes with surreal ones"...
(Peerugyunto)（ペールギュント） - by Henrik IbsenHenrik IbsenHenrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre... - 1990 PLAYZONE'90 MASK（PLAYZONE'90 MASK ） - by Johnny KitagawaJohnny Kitagawa, born , is the founder and president of Johnny & Associates, a production agency for numerous popular boy bands in Japan. Kitagawa assembled, produced and managed more than a dozen popular bands, including SMAP, Arashi, Kanjani8, Hey! Say! JUMP, V6, NEWS and KAT-TUN. Kitagawa's influence has...
- 1990 Sotoba Komachi（卒塔婆小町） - by Yukio Mishima
- 1991 Tango at the end of winter (Tango, fuyu no owari ni)（タンゴ・冬の終わりに） - by Kunio Shimizu, in an English adaptation by Peter BarnesPeter BarnesPeter Barnes was an English Olivier Award-winning playwright and screenwriter. His most famous work is the play The Ruling Class, which was made into a 1972 film for which Peter O'Toole received an Oscar nomination....
which starred Alan RickmanAlan RickmanAlan Sidney Patrick Rickman is an English actor and theatre director. He is a renowned stage actor in modern and classical productions and a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company...
and played at the King's Theatre, EdinburghKing's Theatre, EdinburghThe King's Theatre was opened in 1906 and stands on a prominent site on Leven Street in Edinburgh. It is one of Scotland's historic and most important theatres...
as part of the Edinburgh FestivalEdinburgh FestivalThe Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
before transferring to the Piccadilly TheatrePiccadilly TheatreThe Piccadilly Theatre is a West End theatre located at 16 Denman Street, behind Piccadilly Circus and adjacent to the Regent Palace Hotel, in the City of Westminster, England.-Early years:Built by Bertie Crewe and Edward A...
in London - 1991 1991, matsu（1991・待つ）
- 1991 King Lear (Lia-ou)（リア王）[2nd Ver.]
- 1991 Shichinin misaki（七人みさき） - by Matsuyo Akimoto
- 1991 1992, matsu（1992・待つ）
- 1992 The Flying DutchmanThe Flying DutchmanThe legend of the Flying Dutchman concerns a ghost ship that can never make port, doomed to sail the oceans forever. It probably originates from 17th-century nautical folklore. The oldest extant version dates to the late 18th century....
(Samayoeru Oranda-jin)（さまよえるオランダ人）[Opera] - by Richard WagnerRichard WagnerWilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas... - 1992 SHOW-geki MASK（SHOW劇 MASK） - by Johnny Kitagawa
- 1992 Three Sisters (Sannnin shimai)（三人姉妹）[2nd Ver.]
- 1992 Sennen no machi no Christmas（千年の街のクリスマス）
- 1993 1993, matsu（1993・待つ）
- 1993 Haru（春） - by Isamu Uno
- 1993 Kiki's Delivery ServiceKiki's Delivery Service (novel)is a children's fantasy novel written by Eiko Kadono and illustrated by Akiko Hayashi. It was first published by Fukuinkan Shoten on January 25, 1985. It is the basis of the Studio Ghibli anime film of the same title.The book won numerous awards in Japan...
(Majo no Takkyuubin）（魔女の宅急便）[Musical] - by Eiko Kakuno - 1993 Shoka no yo no yume（初夏の夜の夢）
- 1994 Peer Gynt [2nd Ver.]
- 1994 A Midsummer Night's DreamA Midsummer Night's DreamA Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
(Natsu no Yo no Yume)（夏の夜の夢） - by William Shakespeare - 1994 OthelloOthelloThe Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
(Osero)（オセロー） - by William Shakespeare - 1994 Waiting for GodotWaiting for GodotWaiting for Godot is an absurdist play by Samuel Beckett, in which two characters, Vladimir and Estragon, wait endlessly and in vain for someone named Godot to arrive. Godot's absence, as well as numerous other aspects of the play, have led to many different interpretations since the play's...
(Godo o machinagara)（ゴドーを待ちながら） - by Samuel BeckettSamuel BeckettSamuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most... - 1995 Hamlet（ハムレット）[3rd Ver.]
- 1995 Shintoku-maru（身毒丸） - by Shuji TerayamaShuji Terayamawas an avant-garde Japanese poet, dramatist, writer, film director, and photographer. According to many critics and supporters, he was one of the most productive and provocative creative artists to come out of Japan. He was born December 10, 1935, the only son of Hachiro and Hatsu Terayama in...
and Rio Kishida - 1996 Koboreru kajitsu（零れる果実） - by Toshiro Suzuki and Naoshi Kariba
- 1996 1996, matsu（1996・待つ）
- 1997 Kusameikyuu（草迷宮） - by Rio Kishida
- 1997 Showa Kayou daizenshuu（昭和歌謡大全集） - by Kunio Shimizu based on Ryu MurakamiRyu Murakamiis a Japanese novelist and filmmaker. He is colloquially referred to as the "Maradona of Japanese literature".-Biography:Born as Ryūnosuke Murakami in Sasebo, Nagasaki on February 19, 1952...
- 1997 Giniro Kujira no jikan ryokou（銀色クジラの時間旅行）
- 1997 Karumen to yobareta onna（カルメンと呼ばれた女） - by Kensuke Yokouchi
- 1997 Hitachibou Kaison（常陸坊海尊） - by Matsuyo Akimoto
- 1998 Romio and Juliet（ロミオとジュリエット）[2nd Ver.]
- 1998 1998, matsu（1998・待つ）
- 1998 Twelfth Night (Juuni-ya)（十二夜） - by William Shakespeare
- 1999 King Richard IIIRichard III (play)Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591. It depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. The play is grouped among the histories in the First Folio and is most often classified...
(Richaado Sansei)（リチャード三世） - by William Shakespeare - 1999 The SeagullThe SeagullThe Seagull is the first of what are generally considered to be the four major plays by the Russian dramatist Anton Chekhov. The Seagull was written in 1895 and first produced in 1896...
(Kamome)（かもめ） - by Anton Chekhov - 1999 King Lear (Lia-ou)（リア王）[3rd Ver.]
- 1999 Pandora no Kane（パンドラの鐘） - by Hideki NodaHideki Nodais a racing driver from Japan. He participated in 3 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting in the 1994 European Grand Prix, but did not score any championship points. He replaced Yannick Dalmas in the Larrousse car for the last 3 Grands Prix of the season, but failed to finish in any of the three races....
- 2000 Three Sisters (Sannin shimai)（三人姉妹）[3rd Ver.]
- 2000 The Greeks (Guriikusu)（グリークス） - by John BartonJohn Barton (director)John Bernard Adie Barton CBE is a theatrical director. He is the son of Sir Harold Montagu and Lady Joyce Barton. He married Anne Righter, a university lecturer, in 1968....
and Kenneth Cavender - 2000 Modern Noh Plays (Kindai Nogakushuu)（近代能楽集 卒塔婆小町／弱法師）[2nd Ver.]
- 2000 NINAGAWA Phoenix (NINAGAWA Hi no Tori)（NINAGAWA火の鳥） - based on comics by Osamu TezukaOsamu Tezukawas a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
- 2001 Shinjo afururu keihakusa 2001（真情あふるる軽薄さ2001）[2nd Ver.]
- 2001 MacbethMacbethThe Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
(Makubesu)（マクベス）[2nd Ver.] - 2001 The Threepenny OperaThe Threepenny OperaThe Threepenny Opera is a musical by German dramatist Bertolt Brecht and composer Kurt Weill, in collaboration with translator Elisabeth Hauptmann and set designer Caspar Neher. It was adapted from an 18th-century English ballad opera, John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, and offers a Marxist critique...
（三文オペラ）[2nd Ver.] - 2001 Hamlet（ハムレット）[4th Ver.]
- 2001 2001, matsu（2001・待つ）
- 2001 Yotsuya KaidanYotsuya KaidanYotsuya Kaidan , the story of Oiwa and Tamiya Iemon, is a tale of betrayal, murder and ghostly revenge. Arguably the most famous Japanese ghost story of all time, it has been adapted for film over 30 times, and continues to be an influence on Japanese horror today.Written in 1825 by Tsuruya Nanboku...
（四谷怪談）[2nd Ver.] - 2002 A Streetcar Named DesireA Streetcar Named Desire (play)A Streetcar Named Desire is a 1947 play written by American playwright Tennessee Williams for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948. The play opened on Broadway on December 3, 1947, and closed on December 17, 1949, in the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The Broadway production was...
(Yokubou to iu na no densha)（欲望という名の電車） - by Tennessee Williams - 2002 Oedipus the King (Oidipusu-oh)（オイディプス王）[3rd Ver.]
- 2003 The Cherry OrchardThe Cherry OrchardThe Cherry Orchard is Russian playwright Anton Chekhov's last play. It premiered at the Moscow Art Theatre 17 January 1904 in a production directed by Constantin Stanislavski. Chekhov intended this play as a comedy and it does contain some elements of farce; however, Stanislavski insisted on...
(Sakura no Sono)（桜の園） - by Anton Chekhov - 2003 PericlesPericles, Prince of TyrePericles, Prince of Tyre is a Jacobean play written at least in part by William Shakespeare and included in modern editions of his collected works despite questions over its authorship, as it was not included in the First Folio...
(Perikuriizu)（ペリクリーズ） - by William ShakespeareWilliam ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
, a production which played on the Olivier stage of the Royal National TheatreRoyal National TheatreThe Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company... - 2003 ElectraElectra (Sophocles)Electra or Elektra is a Greek tragedy by Sophocles. Its date is not known, but various stylistic similarities with the Philoctetes and the Oedipus at Colonus lead scholars to suppose that it was written towards the end of Sophocles' career.Set in the city of Argos a few years after the Trojan...
(Erekutora)（エレクトラ） - by Sophocles - 2003 Hamlet（ハムレット）[5th Ver.]
- 2004 Titus AndronicusTitus AndronicusTitus Andronicus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, and possibly George Peele, believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first tragedy, and is often seen as his attempt to emulate the violent and bloody revenge plays of his contemporaries, which were...
(Taitasu Andoronikasu)（タイタス・アンドロニカス） - by William Shakespeare - 2004 Shin Chikamatsu shinjuu monogatari （新・近松心中物語）[2nd Ver.]
- 2004 Shibuya kara toku hanarete（シブヤから遠く離れて） - by Ryo Iwamatsu
- 2004 As You Like ItAs You Like ItAs You Like It is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 or early 1600 and first published in the folio of 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has been suggested as a possibility...
(Okini mesumama)（お気に召すまま） - by William Shakespeare - 2004 Hamlet[6th Ver.]
- 2004 Romeo and Juliet（ロミオとジュリエット）[3rd Ver.]
- 2005 Maboroshi ni kokoro mo sozoro kuruoshi no warera Masakado（幻に心もそぞろ狂おしのわれら将門） - by Kunio Shimizu
- 2005 The Kitchen（キッチン） - by Arnold WeskerArnold WeskerSir Arnold Wesker is a prolific British dramatist known for his contributions to kitchen sink drama. He is the author of 42 plays, 4 volumes of short stories, 2 volumes of essays, a book on journalism, a children's book, extensive journalism, poetry and other assorted writings...
- 2005 MedeaMedea (play)Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides, based upon the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC. The plot centers on the barbarian protagonist as she finds her position in the Greek world threatened, and the revenge she takes against her husband Jason who has betrayed...
（メディア）[2nd Ver.] - 2005 NINAGAWA Twelfth Night (NINAGAWA Juuni-ya)（NINAGAWA十二夜）[Kabuki] - based on a play by William Shakespeare
- 2005 Tenpou Juuninen no Shakespeare（天保十二年のシェイクスピア） - by Hisashi Inoue
- 2006 The Comedy of ErrorsThe Comedy of ErrorsThe Comedy of Errors is one of William Shakespeare's earliest plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play. The Comedy of Errors is one of only two of Shakespeare's...
(Machigai no Kigeki)（間違いの喜劇） - by William Shakespeare - 2006 Byakuya no warukyuure（白夜の女騎士） - by Hideki Noda
- 2006 'Tis Pity She's a Whore'Tis Pity She's a Whore'Tis Pity She's a Whore is a tragedy written by John Ford. It was likely first performed between 1629 and 1633, by Queen Henrietta's Men at the Cockpit Theatre. The play was first published in 1633, in a quarto printed by Nicholas Okes for the bookseller Richard Collins...
(Aware kanojo wa shofu)（あわれ彼女は娼婦） - by John FordJohn Ford (dramatist)John Ford was an English Jacobean and Caroline playwright and poet born in Ilsington in Devon in 1586.-Life and work:... - 2006 OrestesOrestes (play)Orestes is an Ancient Greek play by Euripides that follows the events of Orestes after he had murdered his mother.-Background:...
(Oresutesu)（オレステス） - by Euripides - 2007 CoriolanusCoriolanus (play)Coriolanus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1605 and 1608. The play is based on the life of the legendary Roman leader, Gaius Marcius Coriolanus.-Characters:*Caius Martius, later surnamed Coriolanus...
(Korioreinasu)（コリオレイナス） - by William Shakespeare - 2007 The LarkL'Alouette (The Lark)L'Alouette is a 1952 play by Jean Anouilh about Joan of Arc. It was presented on Broadway in English in 1955, starring Julie Harris as Joan and Boris Karloff as Pierre Cauchon. It was produced by Kermit Bloomgarden.The English adaptation was by Lillian Hellman and the incidental music was by...
(Hibari)（ひばり） - by Jean AnouilhJean AnouilhJean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh was a French dramatist whose career spanned five decades. Though his work ranged from high drama to absurdist farce, Anouilh is best known for his 1943 play Antigone, an adaptation of Sophocles' Classical drama, that was seen as an attack on Marshal Pétain's... - 2007 Love's Labour's LostLove's Labour's LostLove's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s, and first published in 1598.-Title:...
(Koi no honeorizon)（恋の骨折り損） - by William Shakespeare - 2007 Yabuhara kengyo（藪原検校） - by Hisashi Inoue
- 2007 Senjyo no picnic（船上のピクニック） - by Ryo Iwamatsu
- 2007 EréndiraThe Incredible and Sad Tale of Innocent Eréndira and her Heartless GrandmotherThe Incredible and Sad Tale of Innocent Eréndira and her Souless Grandmother is a 1972 novella by Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez.-Plot summary:...
（エレンディラ） - adapted from the short novels by Gabriel Garcia MarquezGabriel García MárquezGabriel José de la Concordia García Márquez is a Colombian novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter and journalist, known affectionately as Gabo throughout Latin America. He is considered one of the most significant authors of the 20th century. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in... - 2007 Othello (Osero)（オセロー）[2nd Ver.]
- 2007 CaligulaCaligula (play)Caligula is a play written by Albert Camus, begun in 1938 and published for the first time in May 1944 by Éditions Gallimard. The play was later the subject of numerous revisions. It was part of what the author called the "Cycle of the Absurd", with the novel The Outsider and the essay The Myth...
(Karigyura)（カリギュラ） - by Albert CamusAlbert CamusAlbert Camus was a French author, journalist, and key philosopher of the 20th century. In 1949, Camus founded the Group for International Liaisons within the Revolutionary Union Movement, which was opposed to some tendencies of the Surrealist movement of André Breton.Camus was awarded the 1957... - 2008 King Lear (Lia-ou)（リア王）[4th Ver.]
- 2008 Farewell My Concubine (Saraba,waga Ai Haoubekki)（さらば、わが愛 覇王別姫） - adapted from the novel by Lilian LeeLilian LeeLilian Lee, also spelled Lillian Lee , is a Chinese-language novelist best known as the author of Farewell My Concubine, adapted as a movie by Chen Kaige. She is the author of about ninety books.Lee was born Lee Bak in Taishan, Guangzhou...
- 2008 Waga tamashii wa kagayaku mizu nari（わが魂は輝く水なり） - by Kunio Shimizu
- 2008 Dougen no Bouken（道元の冒険） - by Hisashi Inoue
- 2008 95 kg to 97 kg no aida（95kgと97kgのあいだ）[2nd Ver.] - by Kunio Shimizu
- 2008 Glass MaskGlass Maskis a shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Suzue Miuchi, serialised in Hana to Yume from January 1976, and collected in 46 tankōbon volumes as of June 24, 2011. The story has also been adapted into anime and a live action television series. As of 2006, the collected volumes had 50 million...
(Garasu no Kamen)（ガラスの仮面） - adapted from the comic by Suzue MiuchiSuzue Miuchiis a Japanese manga artist and author of long running shōjo manga Glass Mask. She was born in Nishinomiya, Japan and grew up in Osaka. She won the Kodansha Manga Award for Youkihi-den and the Japan Cartoonists Association Award .... - 2008 Much Ado About NothingMuch Ado About NothingMuch Ado About Nothing is a comedy written by William Shakespeare about two pairs of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero....
(Kara sawagi)（から騒ぎ） - by William Shakespeare - 2008 Omote ura gennai kaeru gassen（表裏源内蛙合戦） - by Hisashi Inoue
- 2009 The Winter's TaleThe Winter's TaleThe Winter's Tale is a play by William Shakespeare, originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, some modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some critics, among them W. W...
(Fuyu monogatari)（冬物語） - by William Shakespeare - 2009 Musashi（ムサシ） - by Hisashi Inoue
- 2009 Ame no natsu, 30nin no Juliet ga kaette kita（雨の夏、三十人のジュリエットが還ってきた）[2nd Ver.] - by Kunio Shimizu
- 2009 Ando ke no ichiya（アンドゥ家の一夜） - by Kerarino Sandrovich
- 2009 The Coast of UtopiaThe Coast of UtopiaThe Coast of Utopia is a 2002 trilogy of plays: Voyage, Shipwreck, and Salvage, written by Tom Stoppard with focus on the philosophical debates in pre-revolution Russia between 1833 and 1866...
（kosuto obu yutopia）（コースト・オブ・ユートピア） - by Tom StoppardTom StoppardSir Tom Stoppard OM, CBE, FRSL is a British playwright, knighted in 1997. He has written prolifically for TV, radio, film and stage, finding prominence with plays such as Arcadia, The Coast of Utopia, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, Professional Foul, The Real Thing, and Rosencrantz and... - 2009 Sanada fuunroku（真田風雲録） - by Yoshiyuki Fukuda
- 2009 Twelve Angry Men(Jyuni nin no ikareru otoko)（十二人の怒れる男） - by Reginald RoseReginald RoseReginald Rose was an American film and television writer most widely known for his work in the early years of television drama. Rose's work is marked by its treatment of controversial social and political issues...
- 2010 Henry VI Part 1Henry VI, part 1Henry VI, Part 1 or The First Part of Henry the Sixt is a history play by William Shakespeare, and possibly Thomas Nashe, believed to have been written in 1591, and set during the lifetime of King Henry VI of England...
, Part2Henry VI, part 2Henry VI, Part 2 or The Second Part of Henry the Sixt is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1591, and set during the lifetime of King Henry VI of England...
, Part3Henry VI, part 3Henry VI, Part 3 or The Third Part of Henry the Sixt is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1591, and set during the lifetime of King Henry VI of England...
(Henrii rokusei)（ヘンリー六世） - by William Shakespeare
Film direction history
- 1981 Masho no natsu (The Summer of Evil Spirits) - based on the story Yotsuya KaidanYotsuya KaidanYotsuya Kaidan , the story of Oiwa and Tamiya Iemon, is a tale of betrayal, murder and ghostly revenge. Arguably the most famous Japanese ghost story of all time, it has been adapted for film over 30 times, and continues to be an influence on Japanese horror today.Written in 1825 by Tsuruya Nanboku...
- 2003 The Blue Light - based on the novel by Yusuke KishiYusuke Kishiis a Japanese author. He graduated from Kyoto University with a degree in Economics. After working for a life insurance company for several years, Kishi started his writing career as a freelancer. He has twice won the Japan Horror Association Award, and boasts bestselling status in Japan with...
- 2004 Warau Iemon - based on the novel by Natsuhiko Kyogoku
- 2008 Hebi ni piasu - based on the novel Snakes and EarringsSnakes and Earringsis a novel written by the Japanese author Hitomi Kanehara in 2003, and it won the 2003 Akutagawa Prize for literature. It was translated into English by David Karashima. In 2007, a film-version directed by Yukio Ninagawa was released.-Synopsis:...
by Hitomi KaneharaHitomi Kaneharais an award-winning Japanese novelist.-Biography:A high school drop-out since the age of 15, Kanehara pursued her passion for writing with the support of her father, Mizuhito Kanehara, a literary professor and translator of children's literature. She was born and currently lives in Tokyo.She wrote...