THEATRE
(演劇)
2012. 172 mins.
In Japanese with English subtitles.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27 – 12 PM with Kazuhiro Soda and producer Kiyoko Kashiwagi in-person for Q&A.
(This event is $10.)

“Human beings are organisms that perform.” – Oriza Hirata

Not unlike MENTAL, Soda’s fourth feature-length documentary captures many people refracting around a solitary and perhaps genius central figure – in this case, the perpetually exhausted Oriza Hirata, considered by many to be Japan’s most prestigious playwright and theatre director. Hirata’s stamina and attention to detail are indeed made epic over the course of Soda’s two-part, nearly six-hour portrait (which we’ll be screening marathon style, as it was released in Japan.) THEATRE forms Soda’s most elaborate inquiry into art culture and its relation to society, especially insofar as the brass tax of running such an operation like Hirata’s Seinendan (meaning “Youth League”) theatre company, as well as smaller festivals and performances – the constant mapping out of logistics, endless small fires to be put out, and lots of rehearsals. The shooting of actors at work bring both THEATRE films closer to the realm of staged drama than any of Soda’s other works (unless you count CAMPAIGN), but only in the time made available before Hirata calls for a break or asks an actor to try a different approach.