On September 18th, the UBC community and beyond had the privilege of watching the latter half of the noh play Atsumori performed by Japanese Intangible Cultural Asset Hisa Uzawa and her fellow noh actor and daughter Hikaru Uzawa. Over 300 students, faculty, and community members filled UBC’s Frederic Wood Theatre for this rare and special night of noh theatre outside of Japan.
Dr. Christina Laffin introduced the performance with some historical and cultural background about noh, while TomoeArts Artistic and Managing Director Colleen Lanki walked the audience through the stage, explaining each aspect in the traditional setup of a noh theatre stage and how the story unfolds in this environment. The performance itself showcased the tremendous skill that the Uzawas embody in their carefully trained, but emotional, stage work
Followed by a Q&A (translated by Dr. Laffin) the actors shared their honest thoughts and experiences with audience members, fostering a space of creativity and connection in what was ultimately an inspiring night of noh for all those present.
Thank you to the Centre for Japanese Research, Theatre and Film at UBC, Hisa and Hikaru Uzawa, Dr. Christina Laffin and Colleen Lanki, and to all those in attendance for making the event a success.
For more information. please see the Centre of Japanese Research’s official event page here.
