Yakumo's own Theatre Group Ashibue's performance of "Hikoichi's Tale"

by Jeff Lippold

After receiving on-line applications and inquiries from an astonishing 43 groups in 31 countries, the organizers of the 2^nd Yakumo International Theatre Festival (YITF), with equal degrees of excitement and panic, realized just what they were in for. Just how exactly were they supposed to choose five contest theatre groups and four special performance groups from a pool of so many strong candidates? How had the buzz from Yakumo extended across these distances, and just how would the town cope with being a focal point for international theatre for a week in November?

Special performance group, Dance Theatre Minimi, from Finland, wowed audiences with their dynamic and emotion filled performance of "Let's Play Love".

On November 2, joining Yakumo's own Theatre Group Ashibue, nine troupes arrived from 8 countries around the world, including Australia, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Spain and Venezuela along with a group from Tokyo. Their performances went beyond the expectations of both professional adjudicators from Japan, Canada and the USA, observers from those countries and India, and the hundreds that took in the performances. In her address at the closing ceremonies, Canadian adjudicator Annette Procunier declared, "Yakumo's festival has risen to become one of the top international theatre festivals in the world today, with a high level of theatre, organization and warmth." The performers were vociferous in expressing their satisfaction with all aspects of the YITF: a participant in Lithuania's Aglija said, "No matter how long it takes, there is no way I can forget this festival."

While those passing through the Hirahara area may have spied the tents, flags and markets marking the occasion, the real legacy came from strengthened human relationships and personal understanding brought about by the YITF. The 621 volunteers and staff organized the festival not as an isolated event but as a holistic experience in community and personal growth. Months of accumulated discussion and labor culminated in the success of the six-day event, for which volunteers prepared everything−from the food for the performers to the stage for the performances. This degree of personal involvement created a warmth and sense of belonging that is rarely found in other international theatre festivals, and contributed to the homegrown feeling of all aspects of the festival.

All performers and adjudicators were transported from Kansai Airport on November 2 to Yakumo's Shiinomi Theatre, site of the competitive portion of the festival. Everyone who traveled to the festival from within and outside of Japan was placed in homes throughout the community. This was done not because of the lack of hotels in Yakumo, but because of the festival's guiding principles that focus on building a community that is comfortable and responsive in the presence of Japan's ever-growing foreign population.

Winner of Best Ensemble, Outstanding Production and Outstanding Direction was Theatre Sol from Australia with their performance of "Swan Laid".

On Wednesday, November 3, after all participants had travelled to The Adachi Museum of Art, Theatre Group Ashibue, the festival host troupe, put on their rendition of Junji Kinoshita's "Hikoichi's Tale," which the crowds and adjudicators thoroughly enjoyed, commenting that "it was the perfect and charming way to kick off the festival performances." Exchange wasn't limited to the stage, however, and the next morning, before the official opening ceremonies, performers visited Yakumo's elementary and junior high schools. In a rare chance, students met directly with the international artists, shared a bit of Japan with their guests and ate a specially prepared school lunch that featured food from all of the participating countries. An everlasting memory will most certainly be 400 people partaking in a massive, wild version of kamotsu resshya (a paper-rock-scissors game where the loser attaches himself to the person to whom he lost, and the sole winner stands at the head of the "train" when the game is over). A performer from Spain's Aula d'Art gushed that "meeting the children at the elementary school did something to me that I never experienced before in my life. In particular, that day was unforgettable."

On Thursday the opening ceremonies and a performance by an improvisational group from Tokyo, Yellow Man Group, kicked off the events, followed by the Welcome Gala. The YITF schedule picked up on Friday, November 5th, with three performances around the village. Belgium's Jonna Theatre, featuring a clown who has performed for adults and kids in over 30 countries, started the day off with a show for the elementary school. The sight of the somewhat shy students who, once they had been dragged on stage, turned into confident, dancing and comically goofy actors and actresses was astonishing. At the junior high school, Finland's dance theatre Minimi performed "Let's Play Love," an exhausting, physical tale conveying the angst teenagers feel when they have unrequited crushes. "I couldn't catch all of the words, but I knew exactly what they were trying to say," a student said. Friday night also kicked off the festival's contest portion at Shiinomi Theatre, the host venue, with Teatro San Martin de Caracas performing "Passport," a story about mistaken identity and abuse of power that left all in attendance shocked and uneasy.

On Saturday morning, Estonia's KA Theatre performed "Niagara," a tale about the first man to cross Niagara Falls and the power of conviction. Following the Estonians in the afternoon was Theatre Sol from Australia, whose take on Hans Christian Andersen's dramatic comedy "The Ugly Duckling" received lots of praise, especially from a large contingent of the English-speaking Shimane foreigners. Closing off Saturday was a harrowing and beautiful rendition of Anton Chekhov's "The Bear," staged with equal amounts of grace, drama and beauty by Lithuania's Aglija. On Sunday morning the Catalonian troupe Aula d'Art performed "El Comte Arnau," a dramatic musical the audience adored. The YITF's official program ended with two showings for the general public of Dance Theatre Minimi's "Let's Play Love." However, the YITF extended beyond the recognized line-up and also included a lively market and a "Kids Corner," which featured not only face painting and games but also Jonas the Clown, Teatro San Martin de Caracas and Izumo's Murakumo-za (Shimane's foremost Kabuki troupe) who staged a kabuki dress up and swordfight demonstration. For those really into their theatre, an open discussion of all performances between the adjudicators also took place on Sunday afternoon!

At the "Sayonara Gala" on Sunday evening, which followed the closing and award ceremonies, the curtain came down on the festival and almost 400 people exchanged goodbyes and conversed out of desire−not necessity. When the two buses arrived to whisk the performers back to Kansai Airport on Monday morning, November 8, the tears shed were genuine. The friendships forged between hosts, volunteers and theatre groups were the product of an opportunity only available in a small Japanese village every three years, but the connections and memories made are certain to last a lifetime.

Jeff Lippold is the Marketing Director for the Yakumo International Theatre Festival. The 3rd Yakumo International Theatre Festival will be held in November of 2007, and the preparations for it have already begun!

Students at Yakumo Elemntary School teach members of the Lithuanian group, Aglija, a Japanese game during the Festival's school visit program.