Nestled among the markets, cafes and residential manshon of northern Nogizaka in Tokyo's Minato Ward is a tiny studio theater called Studio Akasaka Playbox.
There is nothing unusual about the space. It's a typical, intimate box in the basement of a three-story office building close to Roppongi. What makes it unique is the work that has been taking place there. For the past six weeks, Playbox has been the permanent home of the capital's newest English-speaking acting company, Intrigue Theatre.
As part of EU-Japan Friendship Week, running May 20-26, Intrigue Theatre is presenting its inaugural production, Moliere's comedy, "The Miser." The group's artistic director, Mozaffar Shafeie, formerly of the National Theatre in England, hopes the company will provide an environment in which Japan-based artists and visiting professionals can work together to stage productions as well as to pursue further training.