Profile

Shu Matsui

Born in Tokyo in 1972. The director of the theatre company “Sample”. In 1996 he entered the Seinendan as an actor, where he appeared in a number of its representative works, such as the “Tokyo Note” and the “From Plateau S”. Still pursuing his activity as an actor, he started his career as a playwright. In the frame of the “Young Seinendan Independent Project Performance” series he created “Passage”, and “World premiere”, for which he received the New Face Award for Writers by the Japan Playwrights Association.. After producing and directing “Basement” and “Shift” he established “Sample” in September 2007 with the performance “Burning up Calories”. The “Sample” works are characterized by the way values are overturned, and space, body and time are searched for new possibilities. In 2008 Matsui directed Sarah Kane’s “Phaedra’s Love”. He is also engaged in a wide range of activities, such as writing of novels, and teaching at universities.

CAST

Yuriko Osaki (Mother)
Member of Nakamuraza theater company (later the name was changed to Tadao Kanasugi and Associates) from 1975 to 1998, performing in most of its productions. After the company’s disbandment in 1998, she acted in “AMERIKA”, ”The Trial”, “The Castle” (written by Franz Kafka and directed by Osamu Matsumoto), “Mirena”, “Manhattan in morning glow” (written by Ren Siato and directed by Makoto Sato), and “Faust” (written by Goethe and directed by Akira Shirai). She has performed in many productions by Oriza Hirata and resident directors of Seinendan. This is the first time for her to perform in a play directed by Shu Matsui.

Nodu Aoi: Olga (Sister)
Born in Tokyo in 1985. In addition to being an actor, she is also a director and choreographer. She has experience working with Sample, Kotsubone and Gotandadan.

Sugawara Naoki: Kurt (Brother)
Born in Tochigi prefecture in 1983. Obirin University graduate. He has worked with directors such as Oriza Hirata, Yutaka Tanoue, Mariano Pensotti and Toshi Shiba.

Hideto Iwai: Paul
Actor/Writer/Director. He is the artistic director of Hye-Bye, a theater company whose works often deal with issues of families, groups and individuals, and social withdrawal. He writes and directs all works with Hye-Bye while he writes and directs for other companies. He has also performed with Tokyo Deathlock, and appeared in his own play “Hand” as Mother, to great appraisal. His new play will be premiered at Komaba Agora Theater in June 2009