6 February 2019
The creative team were invited to give a Phase 2 Presentation Event at the Embassy for Japan in London. The event was opened by Minister Shinichi Iida, and was followed by a performance demonstration by Teruhisa and Kinue Oshima and Richard Emmert. Then, British Actor, Simon Callow, who had very kindly taken the evening off from intensive rehearsals for his current show, read the then draft script of the new contemporary noh ‘Between the Stones’ beautifully assisted at the end by young Clementine Laikin. The reading was followed by a short demonstration of the ‘kuse’ section of the new noh by Kinue Oshima in full costume and mask, with Teruhisa and Rick both singing for the Chorus in English.
Comments received after this event included:
“Brilliant!
An illuminating + brilliant event
Great show!
I believe very passionately that events of this kind greatly inspire and encourage human beings to learn and discover more about the beauty, history and culture of this wondrous world we live in
Wonderful evening!
”
“I thought the various elements came together very well and it was a pleasure
to hear and see your moving text rendered so beautifully.
The whole project is coming together so well and we are delighted to have
been able to offer some support. The education programme is exemplary.
Chapeaux!
Kind regards
Brendan
p.s. how wonderful to see the Embassy Ballroom so full - and such an
attentive audience!
”
“It was a privilege to be at the Embassy of Japan in London for the demonstration and performance evening which was a central part of Phase 2 of the Between the Stones project.
We saw Kinue and Teruhisa Oshima, working with Richard Emmert, give us a gripping demonstration of some noh techniques. We were spellbound as Simon Callow read the whole of the developing text of Between the Stones. And finally we had a first ever taste of what the work will look and sound like when it is put on stage, as the three performers gave us the world premiere of a scene which they had been working on together in London.
Those of us who have been following the project since its first days could not have been more thrilled to see and feel its impact. Our warmest thanks are due to the Embassy and to the sponsors for enabling this event to take place, as a key step towards making a reality of this exciting project.
”
“Dear Jannette
Thank you so much for all your hard work involving us in the Noh project and for giving us such fantastic opportunities.
Firstly on behalf of myself and all the schools, thank you very much for inviting us to the Embassy event. It was a great honour to attend and we were thrilled at how interested everyone was in our peace poems.
Secondly, many, many thanks to you, Kinue and Richard for coming up to Coventry especially when you had such a busy schedule. The workshop with the pupils was absolutely fantastic. I had been curious to see the children’s reaction to Noh and they were completely mesmerised. It was something so different to anything they have experienced before. I think that they will always remember the experience. In our busy lives as educators we sometimes need to stand back and let the children experience something totally different.
We are very excited about the next phase of our project and are meeting in a couple of weeks to plan how we are going to develop the travel songs. I’ll keep you informed of our plans. I’ll also start working with Afton on the gardens project so that it is ready for the summer.
Please pass on our sincere and heartfelt thanks to the Oshima family and Richard.
”
“Huge thanks for inviting me to the Between the Stones event at the Japanese Embassy - I found the whole evening to be continually fascinating, informative, and inspiring, and really appreciate the opportunity of having been there for it.”
“What a lovely evening! A marvellous venue, attentive staff, incredibly interesting demonstration of the Art of Noh – and a beautiful reading by Simon of Between the Stones. It was a most successful event.”
“I want to thank you so very much for the privilege of attending your wonderful event last night. It was such a wonderful revelation and insight into the beauty and richness of the Noh art form graced by such brilliant exponents of the art through the drama of your wonderful play. It was lovely to have Richard and Simon to further illuminate the play’s action.”
The Performance Presentation Event at the Embassy of Japan, London. Photographs by Clive Barda
