In the theater world, director Yukio Ninagawa is a living legend. Practicing his craft for more than 30 years and in the international spotlight for 20, he has yet to exhaust his renowned creativity and energy.
However, Ninagawa, still feisty at 65, attributes his success to something beyond imagination and stamina. "I like to fight," he said. "Not physical fights, I like to fight with different moments."
Ninagawa is a man who likes a challenge. Three years ago, he set out to direct all of Shakespeare's 37 plays at the Saitama Arts Theater. He gave himself 13 years; his most recent, "Macbeth," was the eighth. That production has now moved to Bunkamura Theatre Cocoon in Tokyo, and, as if he weren't busy enough already, he's simultaneously directing "Chikamatsu Shinju Monogatari (Suicide for Love)" at the Meiji-za Theater in Ningyocho.