'If it's possible, I'd like to act live on stage at least once a year," says film and television star Shun Oguri following an intensive rehearsal at a small studio in central Tokyo.
"And though I'm offered lots of opportunities to appear in major venues," he adds, "I especially want to perform at more intimate theaters, because I think they offer far more scope for different approaches to acting."
At only 32, Tokyo-born Oguri is already a towering presence among a rising generation of actors, and he is about to see his wish come true as he prepares to costar in "Red," a play for only two actors that premiered in London in 2009 before moving to Broadway and winning six Tony Awards the following year.