This year is set to be a good one for English theater in Japan, from Shakespearean comedy to original works, from intimate black-box stagings to a rock'n'roll musical. It's not Tokyo or even Osaka serving up this feast, though — but Nagoya, which is home to three thriving companies: The Nagoya Players, KPB Theatre and Nameless Theatre.
Although each has its own niche in the wider community of Aichi Prefecture, as Anthony Gilmore, director of Nameless Theatre, noted, "All the groups very much support each other; we all see each other's shows and the actors move between companies."
Yet for all they have in common, it's what sets them apart that ensures each company continues to succeed.