A Gekidan Miyama performance is like taking a trip through time, with elements from the past intertwining with modern flourishes. However, there's one modern flourish that the traveling theater troupe could do without — COVID-19.
Gekidan Miyama normally sells out shows up and down the country, but as with many theater companies around the world it faces an uncertain future. When I speak to the troupe's leader, Takashi Nakamura, in March, the crowd at one show is sparse — great for keeping your distance from others, not so great for the box office.
“It’s something I think about every day. Is it OK to go ahead with the shows? Should we close? This is an unprecedented situation." Nakamura says. "We’ve had earthquakes and typhoons that have shut down areas, but nothing on this scale. It’s hard to know what to do. We are following guidelines from the government and, at the moment, have decided to continue. This is our livelihood. Stopping could mean we fold. Like everyone, I just hope things get better soon.”