Stage Nov 11, 2021
‘The Doctor’ diagnoses society’s afflictions
Veteran actress Shinobu Otake takes on the role of Dr. Ruth Wolff, a Jewish physician, and tackles modern ills in a Japanese production of Robert Icke's latest work.
Nobuko Tanaka
Nobuko Tanaka is a stage writer who has regularly contributed contemporary theater and dance articles to The Japan Times since 2001. She also writes for several Japanese and overseas magazines and web sites. As a promoter, she takes Japanese artists to foreign theater festivals.
For Nobuko Tanaka's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Stage Oct 30, 2021
New opera ‘Yuzuru’ cautions against the dangers of capitalism
For his first foray into opera, dramatist Toshiki Okada is modernizing a Japanese classic, centering it on "the damaging influence of capitalism" instead of a tragic love story.
Stage Oct 16, 2021
Rena Matsui tackles Shakespeare in an all-female 'Julius Caesar'
The former idol-pop star takes on the role of Mark Antony in a version of Shakespeare's tragedy that focuses on the tense disputes that arose around Julius Caesar's assassination.
Stage Oct 8, 2021
Cameron Mackintosh's all-Japanese 'Oliver!' will have you asking for more
"You’ll leave the theater with a smile on your face and joy in your heart," says theater titan Cameron Mackintosh of his latest production.
Stage Aug 26, 2021
Family drama hits close to home for Keito Okamoto
The former Hey! Say! Jump member makes his stage debut opposite his father in “The Son,” a play about a complex father-son relationship.
Stage Jun 20, 2021
Obscured truths come to light in Hideki Noda’s ‘Fakespeare’
William Shakespeare is one of the world’s most influential playwrights, but his life continues to be shrouded in mystery. Since his death in 1616 at the age of 52, no handwritten manuscripts have ever surfaced, and even his six supposed signatures all spell his ...
Stage Jun 18, 2021
Israel Galvan renews the passion of a long love affair
Flamenco — the exuberant dance form originating from Andalusia in southern Spain — has long thrived in Japan, with many of the greats traveling here to perform. There is even a popular claim that Japan has more flamenco academies than Spain. “In this country flamenco ...
Stage Jun 3, 2021
A take on ‘The Tempest’ that aims to broaden your horizons
“The Tempest: Swimming for Beginners” incorporates the real-life experiences of its cast members with disabilities, as well as the challenges of living through a pandemic.
Stage Feb 18, 2021
'Yabuhara Kengyo' shows audiences that justice isn't always blind
Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke IV takes on the role of Suginoichi, the cunning antihero of Hisashi Inoue's play about social oppression.
Stage Feb 10, 2021
Secrets of the Oslo Accords come to light on stage
Playwright J.T. Rogers' drama about the clandestine negotiations that led to the historic agreements reveals what went on behind the scenes.