<strong>AKUTAGAWA</strong
Akutagawa is our brand-new exploration in paper theatre, marking a departure from our use of life-sized puppets. This piece fuses British and Japanese traditions—Toy Theatre and Kamishibai—to reimagine what Manga might look like live on stage. We call this hybrid form Live Manga.
We have created a 20-minute work-in-progress that we have presented at The Bush Theatre as part of The Twisted Root Festival, as well as at Leytonstone and Downham libraries.
Akutagawa is based on several short stories by the Japanese modernist writer Akutagawa Ryunosuke. The narrative is primarily visual, with minimal spoken text. We are collaborating with a Japanese Manga artist Inko Takita to develop the character designs and scenic landscapes.
The story follows Kandata, a flawed man who is reincarnated - from criminal to monk - across different eras of Japanese history, including the Edo period (1600–1868), the psychedelic 1970s, and the medieval past. Throughout these lives, Kandata repeatedly makes selfish choices, yet through his suffering, he comes to understand that his fate is within his own hands.
Kandata’s journey echoes our current struggles, in a world filled with social and political unrest, fuelled by the ecological crisis. These uncertainties create tensions within the different communities and foster a sense of helplessness. This piece seeks to remind us that each of us holds the power to change—and that we must resist the forces that seek to divide us.
Creative team
Lead Artist, Puppeteer: Aya Nakamura
Director, Co-Project Leader: Paul Piris
Manga Artist: Inko Takita
Performer: Kimihiko Katamura
Stage Manager: Vivi Wei
Lighting Designer: Alex Fernandes
Story Collaborator: Louisa Ashton
Composer: Paul Mosley
Calligrapher: Atsushi Tohriyama
Mentor: Sue Buckmaster
Assistant Makers: Edd Berridge, Yunshu Jiang, Izzy Jiang, Jumi Faruq, Evie Rosa
Co-Producers: Clarissa Widya (New Earth Theatre) & Rio Matchett (Camden People's Theatre)
Filmmaker: Charlie Flint
Projections Adviser: Will Monks
Technical Adviser: Nao Nagai
Special thanks to Claire Doucet, Mohsen Nouri, Kiki Ye, Audrey Kong, Teele Uustani, Alice Lemmard, Emily Fellah, Kaveh Rahnama, Hugh Purves, Stacey McNelis, Mehrzad Jahromi, Puppet Place
Funders: Arts Council England, New Earth Theatre, Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Lewisham Council, Waltham Forest Libraries
We have created a 20-minute work-in-progress that we have presented at The Bush Theatre as part of The Twisted Root Festival, as well as at Leytonstone and Downham libraries.
Akutagawa is based on several short stories by the Japanese modernist writer Akutagawa Ryunosuke. The narrative is primarily visual, with minimal spoken text. We are collaborating with a Japanese Manga artist Inko Takita to develop the character designs and scenic landscapes.
The story follows Kandata, a flawed man who is reincarnated - from criminal to monk - across different eras of Japanese history, including the Edo period (1600–1868), the psychedelic 1970s, and the medieval past. Throughout these lives, Kandata repeatedly makes selfish choices, yet through his suffering, he comes to understand that his fate is within his own hands.
Kandata’s journey echoes our current struggles, in a world filled with social and political unrest, fuelled by the ecological crisis. These uncertainties create tensions within the different communities and foster a sense of helplessness. This piece seeks to remind us that each of us holds the power to change—and that we must resist the forces that seek to divide us.
Creative team
Lead Artist, Puppeteer: Aya Nakamura
Director, Co-Project Leader: Paul Piris
Manga Artist: Inko Takita
Performer: Kimihiko Katamura
Stage Manager: Vivi Wei
Lighting Designer: Alex Fernandes
Story Collaborator: Louisa Ashton
Composer: Paul Mosley
Calligrapher: Atsushi Tohriyama
Mentor: Sue Buckmaster
Assistant Makers: Edd Berridge, Yunshu Jiang, Izzy Jiang, Jumi Faruq, Evie Rosa
Co-Producers: Clarissa Widya (New Earth Theatre) & Rio Matchett (Camden People's Theatre)
Filmmaker: Charlie Flint
Projections Adviser: Will Monks
Technical Adviser: Nao Nagai
Special thanks to Claire Doucet, Mohsen Nouri, Kiki Ye, Audrey Kong, Teele Uustani, Alice Lemmard, Emily Fellah, Kaveh Rahnama, Hugh Purves, Stacey McNelis, Mehrzad Jahromi, Puppet Place
Funders: Arts Council England, New Earth Theatre, Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Lewisham Council, Waltham Forest Libraries