Ninagawa Company (Japan) - "NINAGAWA Macbeth"

Due to overwhelming response, there will be 8 tickets of box seats with restricted view available for sale at the price of $160 at the box office of Hong Kong Cultural Centre from 10am on the day of performance.  Each patron can purchase a maximum of two tickets per transaction on a first-come-first-served basis while stocks last.

In Japanese with Chinese and English surtitles

‘... never seen a production as achingly beautiful as Yukio Ninagawa’s Macbeth.’ The Guardian

A tour de force by the late Japanese theatre guru Yukio Ninagawa
A tragedy of bloodshed and remorse under the cherry tree
An adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic in unique aesthetics 

NINAGAWA Macbeth, the classic of the late Japanese theatre director Yukio Ninagawa who is honoured as ‘the world's Ninagawa’, will be staged at Hong Kong Cultural Centre in June.  Hong Kong audience will have a chance to experience this poignant story of regicide.

NINAGAWA Macbeth adapts the story of Macbeth, one of Shakespeare’s four great tragedies, and sets in Azuchi-Momoyama period of Japan in the late 16th century.  The original Scottish warriors are transformed into samurais and the Great Birnam Wood is turned to a forest of cherry blossoms.   Ninagawa’s ability to perfectly harmonize the Eastern and Western theatre traditions into visually spellbinding amalgams are accentuated by the huge butsudan (Buddhist altar) as the stage set and the scenes of cherry trees in full blossom of magnificent beauty.  Premiered in Tokyo in 1980, the production was toured internationally and was lately reproduced in 2015 with a strong line-up of Japan’s famous stars.  The ambitious Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are played by eminent artists Masachika Ichimura and Yuko Tanaka. 

Director: Yukio Ninagawa
Original Playwright: William Shakespeare
Translation: Yushi Odashima
Set Designer: Kappa Senoh
Lighting Designer: Sumio Yoshii
Sound Effect: Akira Honma
Sound Designer: Katsushi Takahashi
Choreographer: Juraku Hanayagi
Fight Choreographers: Masahiro Kunii, Naoki Kurihara
Costume Designer: Jusaburo Tsujimura
Hair Designer: Nihiro Fukamachi
Hair and Make-up Supervisor: Yoko Kawamura
Associate Set Designer: Atsumi Yokota
Assistant Lighting Designer: Naomi Suzuki
Chief Assistant Director : Sonsho Inoue
Stage Manager: Kiyotaka Kobayashi
Production Manager: Yuichiro Kanai

Main Cast:
Masachika Ichimura, Yuko Tanaka, Kazunaga Tsuji, Keita Oishi, Tetsuro Sagawa

Yukio Ninagawa   Director

Passed away in May 2016, Yukio Ninagawa was one of Japan’s most significant and representative theatre directors.  He had worked in the theatre for over 60 years since 1955.  Ninagawa had directed a wide range of highly acclaimed productions including both classic and contemporary Japanese plays, as well as Shakespearean works and Greek tragedies in Japanese.  His repertoires include Romeo and Juliet, Medea, NINAGAWA Macbeth, Hamlet, etc.  Ninagawa was honoured with a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2002.  He also received a number of theatre and educational awards in Japan and was granted the Order of Culture by the Emperor of Japan in 2010.

‘One of the most consistently inspirational directors in the world.’ Financial Times

Masachika Ichimura as Macbeth

Ichimura is one of the most accomplished actors in Japan.  He has received numerous acting awards.  He was also granted the Medal with Purple Ribbon by the Japanese Government for his distinctive contribution to cultural industry.  His role of Tokugawa Ieyasu in Anjin: The Shogun and The English Samurai directed by Gregory Doran, the Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, in 2013 was praised by The Daily Telegraph as ‘transfixing and authoritative’.

Yuko Tanaka as Lady Macbeth

Tanaka is the leading Japanese actress who is renowned for her title role in the TV series Oshin.  She has received the award of Best Actress in various movie festivals.  In 2003, she was invited to play the roles of Thaisa and Marina in Pericles directed by Yukio Ninagawa at the British National Theatre in London and was praised by The Guardian, that her roles ‘made this production a landmark’.

The running time of the performance is approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes with a 20-minute intermission. 

Latecomers will only be admitted during the intermission or at a suitable break.

Ninagawa Company (Japan) - "NINAGAWA Macbeth"

DATE

VENUE

PRICE

08.05.2017 (Mon)
15.05.2017 (Mon)
22.05.2017 (Mon)
29.05.2017 (Mon)
05.06.2017 (Mon)
26.06.2017 (Mon)
19:30-21:00

Talk Series

AC1, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Free Admission

21.06.2017 (Tue) -
09.07.2017 (Sun)
09:00-23:00

Retrospective Exhibition

Foyer, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Free Admission

06.06.2017 (Tue) -
19.06.2017 (Mon)
09:00-20:00

Photo Exhibition

Exhibition Gallery, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing

Free Admission

23.06.2017 (Fri) -
24.06.2017 (Sat)
19:30

25.06.2017 (Sun)
14:30

Performance

Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

$580, $480, $380, $280, $160

BUY NOW

24.06.2017 (Sat)
17:00-17:45

Sharing Session

Level 2, Auditoria Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Free Admission

DATE

08.05.2017 (Mon)
15.05.2017 (Mon)
22.05.2017 (Mon)
29.05.2017 (Mon)
05.06.2017 (Mon)
26.06.2017 (Mon)
19:30-21:00

Talk Series

VENUE

AC1, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

PRICE

Free Admission

DATE

21.06.2017 (Tue) -
09.07.2017 (Sun)
09:00-23:00

Retrospective Exhibition

VENUE

Foyer, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

PRICE

Free Admission

DATE

06.06.2017 (Tue) -
19.06.2017 (Mon)
09:00-20:00

Photo Exhibition

VENUE

Exhibition Gallery, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing

PRICE

Free Admission

DATE

23.06.2017 (Fri) -
24.06.2017 (Sat)
19:30

25.06.2017 (Sun)
14:30

Performance

VENUE

Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

PRICE

$580, $480, $380, $280, $160

BUY NOW

DATE

24.06.2017 (Sat)
17:00-17:45

Sharing Session

VENUE

Level 2, Auditoria Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

PRICE

Free Admission

Tickets available from 23 February onwards at all URBTIX outlets, on Internet, by Mobile Ticketing App and Credit Card Telephone Booking.

Discount Schemes
Half-price tickets available for senior citizens aged 60 and above, people with disabilities and the minder, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients.(Limited tickets for CSSA recipients available on a first-come-first-served basis.)

Group Booking Discount
10% off for each purchase of 4-9 standard tickets; 15% off for 10-19 standard tickets; 20% off for 20 or more standard tickets.

Credit Card Telephone Booking：2111 5999
Internet Booking：www.urbtix.hk

Programme Enquiries：2268 7325
Ticketing Enquiries：3761 6661
Credit Card Telephone Booking：2111 5999
Internet Booking：www.urbtix.hk

The presenter reserves the right to change the programme and substitute artists.
The programme does not represent the views of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

     The Perspectives from Specialists:
The Japanese & Asian Theatre Talk Series

The captioned activity scheduled on 12 June 2017 (Monday) at AC1, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre at 7:30pm has been cancelled due to Typhoon.  The talk will be rescheduled to 26 June (Monday), time and place remain unchanged.  Registered audience could turn up for the talk at the rescheduled time.

Professor Howard Choy, one of the speakers, is not able to participate in the talk.  Theatre critic Felix Chan will join the original speaker Dr. Cheung Ping-kuen in the talk.  Thank you for your kind attention. 

There are still limited quota, audience who are interested in attending can call 2974 0542 (International Association of Theatre Critics (Hong Kong)) during office hours for registration.  

Yukio Ninagawa was born in Kawaguchi, the ‘town of Shokunin (specialist)’ of the Saitama Prefecture in Japan.  Ninagawa had devoted himself in theatre sector for more than 60 years, focusing and dedicating his whole life to the theatre.  He had created a list of captivating works from his professionalism and pursuit for excellence, painting a deeply vivid scene that combines traditions with contemporary ideas in the Japanese theatre.  He had also laid down an exploratory path for cross-cultural theatre in Asia.

Over six Monday evenings in May and June, local theatrical specialists would be invited to the talk series to discuss and analyse the Japanese and Asian Theatre from their professional perspectives with Yukio Ninagawa as a starting point.                                              

The Tradition & Contemporary of Japanese Theatre

8.5 (Mon)
Understanding Japanese Theatre: from Noh, Kabuki to Contemporary Theatre

15.5 (Mon)
Scanning Yukio Ninagawa: from Little Theatre Movement, Commercial Turn to Community Interaction

Speaker: Anson Lam (Artistic Director of Yakusha Theatre)
Moderator: Bernice Chan (General Manager of International Association of Theatre Critic (Hong Kong))

The Cross-cultural Exchange in Asian Theatre

22.5 (Mon)
Telling One’s Own Story: the Various Exploration and Practices of Macbeth
Speaker: Tang Shu-wing (Veteran Theatre Director) X Andy Ng (Veteran Theatre Actor)
Moderator: Bernice Chan (General Manager of International Association of Theatre Critic (Hong Kong))

29.5 (Mon)
Underneath the Glamour: in Search of Asian Elements in Stage Costumes
Speaker: Mandy Tam (Stage Costume Designer) X Tsang Man-tung (Scenographer)
Moderator: Poon Pik-wan (Manager (Theatre Literature and Projects) of Hong Kong Repertory Theatre)
 

5.6 (Mon)
From Local to Global: Investigating Asian Theatre and Arts Festivals through Yukio Ninagawa
Speaker: Low Kee Hong (Head of Artistic Development (Theatre) of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority) X Bobo Fung (Assistant Artistic Director of Hong Kong Repertory Theatre)
Moderator: William Chan (Art Critic)
 

26.6 (Mon)
The Possibility of Transformation: Shakespeare in Asian Theatre
Speaker: Cheung Ping-kuen (Veteran Theatre Critic) X Felix CHAN (Theatre Critic)
Moderator: William Chan (Art Critic)

Conducted in Cantonese

Venue: AC1, Level 4, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Time: 7:30pm-9pm

Free admission.  Limited seats available on a first-come-first-served basis.
Registration & Enquiries：www.iatc.com.hk / 2974 0542
 

The Guru of the World: Exhibitions of Yukio Ninagawa’s Shakespearean Plays

When the leading director of the East encounters the great playwright of the West, the collision and fusion of their theatrical vision enables the creation of internationally renowned works.

The exhibitions focus on the Shakespeare’s plays directed by the late Japanese theatre director Yukio Ninagawa.  Have a glimpse of the guru’s theatrical world fused with Eastern and Western dramatic elements from the moments on stage captured by camera and invaluable exhibits from the performances.   

Photo Exhibition

6-19.6.2017

9am – 8pm                                                                                                                                     

Exhibition Gallery, Ko Shan Theatre New Wing  

Retrospective Exhibition

21.6-9.7.2017

9am – 11pm

Foyer, Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Free admission
Enquiries：2268 7325

The Revival of Classic: Sharing Session of NINAGAWA Macbeth

Masachika Ichimura, the actor who plays the title role of Macbeth in NINAGAWA Macbeth, had cooperated with Yukio Ninagawa for years and participated in a number of his productions such as Richard III and Hamlet.  Ichimura will share with us the magic of Ninagawa’s plays that attracts audience and actors, as well as his inspirations performing NINAGAWA Macbeth, the foundation and final work of Ninagawa’s Japanese Shakespearean plays.

 24.6 (Sat)  5pm-5:45pm
Speaker：Masachika Ichimura (Leading actor of NINAGAWA Macbeth)
Moderator：Chan Wing-chuen (Artistic Director of POP Theatre, veteran actor and director)

 

In Japanese with Cantonese Interpretation

Venue：Level 2, Auditoria Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Free admission.  Limited seats available on a first-come-first-served basis.
Registration & Enquiries：www.bit.ly/NMSharingSession  / 2268 7325