Cultural Exchange between Japan and Korea

Image from Saadari Theatre's "The Day His Watch Stopped"

I find myself hanging out in the Kitchen again today and as I read over the Kijimuna Program, different company members come and go. All stop and have a chat which is nice. It seems that Kazenoko Kyushu have a little more time than Kazenoko in Tokyo (where I spent some time last year and will be returning to soon). Maybe they take things a little slower because it is so hot and sticky down here. Kazenoko Kyushu also conducts a workshop program and this afternoon, a group of four actors meet to head out for the finale of a 12 week workshop program which has been conducted with a small high school made up of 30 students. Once all have arrived, they pile into the Kazenoko van and disappear down the narrow street.

Meanwhile, I am joined by Tamaki-san who works as an actor for Kazenoko Kyushu but today is working in the office. The Kazenoko actors are on a salary so when they are not in shows, they carry out other roles within the company. I ask Tamaki about her experience performing in Mannan (The First Meeting) with Bo- Gyung`s company, Saadari in Korea. (Bo- Gyung from Saadari, is currently working with Kazenoko Kyushu on the up and coming co-production of her company’s The Day the Watch Stopped) She takes her time to explain her experience. This was the first collaboration with Saadari Theatre Company which took place in 2002. Since then Kazenoko Kyushu shows have been produced by Saadari and visa versa. It seems that this initial collaboration was instrumental in forming a strong working relationship between the two companies.

Incidentally, Fukuoka is closer to Soel, where Saadari are based, than Tokyo, which also gives reason for this healthy cultural exchange.

The development of the piece took place in Soul at Saadari, where the six actors (half from Kazenoko Kyushu and half from Saadari) worked with Japanese director, Ken Nakajima and Korean director Yuu Bonyon to create the show based on the theme of the first time people from different places meet. A very honest place to start which, from all accounts, created a very powerful and playful new piece of theatre. Tamaki said that the process of making a show on the floor in a supportive environment where you could try anything, was a very satisfying expereince for her as an actor.

I suggested that her role was more of actor/ devisor and she agreed...although there doesn`t seem to be a word for `devisor` yet in Japanese. Which is surprising, because many of the works that Kazenoko Kyushu and Kazenoko Tokyo create, do not involve a playwright, but are created by the actors on the floor with a director. This is devising and in Austraila, actors and directors are given devising credits when carrying out this important role. However, we have not yet boosted the pay of actors or directors who carry out devising roles, which might be something to discuss with our union, Media Entertainment Arts Alliance, in the future.

Mannan had its premier production in Korea in 2002 and then went on to be performed in Japan and then again in Korea in 2006. Since then, Saadari has produced Kazenoko Kyushu`s work in Korea (including Nikori Bokariza and Furato Burato) and this year, Kazenoko Kyushu is co-producing Saadari`s The Day the Watch Stopped.