[Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre] Performing Arts Festival “Autumn Meteorite 2025 Tokyo” Gekijyo Autumn Selection | Mary Said What She Said Promotional Video Has Arrived!
Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture Press release: September 7, 2025 To Members of the Press Performing Arts Festival “Autumn Meteorite 2025 Tokyo” Gekijyo Autumn Selection | Mary Said What She Said Promotional Video Has Arrived! The late Robert Wilson, a master of experimental theater, directed a solo play starring the renowned actress Isabelle Huppert, making its Japan debut. It depicts the tragic Queen Mary Stuart’s striking monologue on the eve of her execution.
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https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/38211/903/38211-903-35314c418b42875ffa725396ecd68221-786×517.jpg All photos (C) LUCIE JANSCH
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/38211/903/38211-903-1efe057c9bed36cca4504ec359c4c461-798×513.jpg Key staff profile
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/38211/903/38211-903-a6b9ed142335e501bfba7a42fc01615d-288×384.jpg (C) Yiorgos Kaplanidis Direction, Set Design, and Lighting: Robert Wilson WILSON A Texas-born director and stage designer, WILSON has had a profound influence on contemporary theater and opera since the late 1960s. He first came to prominence with the avant-garde opera “Einstein on the Beach” (1976), co-written with Philip Glass, and has since presented a series of groundbreaking works in the worlds of theater, opera, and dance. He has collaborated with leading artists, writers, and musicians of his time, including Heiner Müller, Tom Waits, Susan Sontag, Laurie Anderson, William Burroughs, Lou Reed, and Jessye Norman, earning him international acclaim as a master of experimental theater and an innovator in the visual arts. He was a Pulitzer Prize nominee, a recipient of the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale, an Olivier Award, and numerous other awards. He was the founder and artistic director of the Watermill Center for the Performing Arts in New York. He passed away on July 31, 2025, just before the performance. Starring: Isabelle Huppert Born in Paris. She began her film career and quickly gained attention both in France and around the world. She served as a muse to renowned directors such as Claude Chabrol, Jean-Luc Godard, Michael Haneke, François Ozon, and the Taviani brothers, appearing in films such as “The Piano Teacher,” “What Marie Did,” “The Silent Woman,” and “Elle.” She has twice won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as a César Award and a Golden Globe Award. She served as president of the jury at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival. Her stage credits include “Orlando,” directed by Robert Wilson, Heiner Müller’s “Quartet,” and Benedict Andrews’s “The Housemaids,” based on Genet. She came to Japan to appear in “The Glass Menagerie,” directed by Ivo van Hove. This is her third work directed by Robert Wilson. She continues to be active at the forefront of film and theater.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/38211/903/38211-903-cc76943c44b9f2431bf1a6b40ebb5ec8-265×393.jpg (C) Peter Lindbergh
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/38211/903/38211-903-e6da181b6c9f2876a35d49f595ff8a9b-252×355.jpg (C) Lucie Jansch Written by Darryl PINCKNEY He is an Indiana-born author, playwright, and essayist. His semi-autobiographical novel, “High Cotton” (1992), depicts the coming-of-age of a middle-class black man in the 1960s and won the Los Angeles Times Best New Fiction Award. Through his writings, he offers deep insights into
African-American history, culture, and identity. He has been a long-time creative partner with Robert Wilson, adapting the
screenplays for eight of Wilson’s works, including this film, Orlando (1989), and Dorian (2022). Music: Ludovico EINAUDI A composer and pianist from Turin. He studied classical music at the Turin and Milan Conservatories. After studying under Luciano Berio, he has worked on music for a wide range of genres, including orchestras, ballet, film, and theater. In addition to his representative works such as “Le onde” (1996), “Divenire” (2006), and “In a Time Lapse” (2013), he has also composed the music for numerous classic films, including “Nomadland” (2020) directed by C. Zhao, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, “The Third Murder” (2017) directed by Hirokazu Koreeda, and “The Father” (2020) directed by Francis Zeller.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/38211/903/38211-903-a236c071556bd5a080ba095abb963df3-249×350.jpg (C) Ray Tarantino Press commentary “She and He” In announcing the 2018/2019 program for the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris, Robert Wilson praised Isabelle Huppert as “an exceptional actor capable of abstract thought.” Isabelle Huppert is a rare talent who responds to his rigorous, formal direction, and the two have previously collaborated on productions such as “Orlando” and “Quartet.” Mary Said What She Said tells the story of the Queen’s life through seemingly random but intricately constructed episodes, and her fate is revealed through a perfect fusion of choreography and text. Wilson and Huppert’s effortless collaboration conveys emotions such as joy, pain, memory, and a readiness for death through simple, methodical movements and poetic moments. The actors carve their own unique trajectories in space and time, eventually even changing the course of light. ― François Regnault François Regnault (philosopher and playwright) (summary) Dreaming Mary Stuart—A Magnificent Conversation Between Robert Wilson and Isabelle Huppert Wandering through the forest of her memories, enveloped in the looming presence of death, she never forgets that she is a queen. Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, is embodied by Isabelle Huppert, an essential presence in Robert Wilson’s works. Quiet yet intense, Huppert stands in a void of sound and light, navigating the stage like a tightrope walker in contrapuntal combat. Enveloped in a vast musical landscape and corseted costumes, her voice, accompanied by flickering rhythms and intonations, vividly evokes an ancient tragedy where love, power, and death intertwine. France, Scotland, England—the destiny of the Queen’s historical journey is brought to life. “Mary Said What She Said” is a mosaic of fragments, from the most trivial to the most fatal, sometimes graceful pavane (a dance popular in Europe in the 16th century) and sometimes sepulchral. The queen depicted remains crowned in memory. Beneath the strict formality of the court and Wilson’s austere stage aesthetic, we witness a magnificent unleashing of the human heart. ― Odile Quirot Odile Quirot (theatre critic) Isabelle Huppert, Queen of Scotland and the Theatre Isabelle Huppert plays Mary Stuart on the night before her execution in “Mary Said What She Said,” directed by Bob Wilson and written by Darryl Pinkney. With almost no stage props, light and music define the space. Wilson suppresses vibrant colors and creates a flickering light reminiscent of a Scottish sky. Accompanied by Ludovico Einaudi’s music, it reflects the queen’s inner thoughts as she faces death. The highlight is Act 3, when Huppert walks diagonally back and forth across the stage. His black nails, his dark lips uttering the words “I despise death.” The tension and sustained force of the performance overwhelm the audience. Huppert embraces Pinkney’s profound text with his body and voice, and by combining it with Wilson’s strict formal beauty, he demonstrates the moment when theater reaches pure beauty. ― Le Monde, Brigitte Salino, Le Monde, Brigitte Salino (theater critic) (Summary) On the Passing of Director Robert Wilson Robert Wilson, a leading figure in the world of contemporary performing arts, passed away on July 31st. He was 83 years old. His works, including “Einstein on the Beach,” have been performed in Japan, and each time they have had a profound impact on audiences and artists alike. Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre and the performing arts festival “Autumn Meteorite 2025 Tokyo” will be hosting a performance of his work “Mary Said What She Said” in October of this year. This Japanese performance was made possible by his strong desire to collaborate with Japan again when he visited Japan in 2023 to receive the Praemium Imperiale Award. He had intended to return to Japan for another performance, but unfortunately this will not be possible. We sincerely mourn the passing of another great star and pray for his soul to rest in peace. Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Artistic Director, Hideki Noda Performing Arts Festival “Autumn Meteorite 2025 Tokyo” Artistic Director, Toshiki Okada THE WATERMILL CENTER, founded by Robert Wilson
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/38211/903/38211-903-1ea6a905119de29ad9d5eb2f1a90379b-238×168.jpg The Watermill Center (C) LOVIS OSTENRIK Founded in 1992 by avant-garde pioneer Robert Wilson, Watermill Center is an interdisciplinary institute for the arts and humanities located on 10 acres of land on the eastern tip of Long Island, on Shinnecock Indian Nation. With a focus on creativity and collaboration, the center offers year-round artist residencies and educational programs, providing time, space, and freedom to create and inspire communities around the world. Watermill Center’s rural campus features multifunctional studios, landscaped gardens and green spaces, a curated art collection, an extensive research library, and archives documenting the life and work of Artistic Director Robert Wilson. The Center’s facilities enable artists-in-residence to integrate humanities resources and scientific research into their contemporary artistic practice. In addition, public programs held throughout the year reach over 1,000 local residents each year, exposing them to the creative process with a rotating cast of domestic and international artists, shedding a unique perspective behind the scenes of artistic expression and unraveling the mysteries of creation. Watermill Center Website
https://www.watermillcenter.org/ Timeline of Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots 1542 – Birth and Accession to the Throne • Born at Linlithgow Palace as the daughter of King James V of Scotland. • She ascended to the throne as queen at the age of six days after her father’s death. 1543 ─ Coronation • Coroned at Stirling Castle at the age of one. 1548 – Travel to France • She was engaged to French Crown Prince Francis and traveled to France at the age of six. • Received education in France (equestrian, falconry, poetry, music, etc.). 1558 – Marriage and claim to the throne of England • Married Francois at the age of 15. • King Henry II of France proclaimed Mary Queen of England. 1559 – Queen of France • Her husband, Francis II, ascended to the throne, and Mary became Queen of France. • France recognizes Elizabeth I as Queen of England. 1560 – Death in the family • Her mother, Mary of Guise, and her husband, Francis II, died. 1561 – Return to Scotland • Returned to Scotland. • Protestant forces led by John Knox criticized Mary’s lavish lifestyle and love of dancing. Conflict ensued. 1565 – Married Lord Darnley • Married her Catholic cousin, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. Political unrest followed due to opposition from Protestants. 1566 ─ Adultery • She has a relationship with adventurer James Hepburn (Earl of Bothwell). Mary becomes seriously ill. 1567年 ─ 爆殺・幽閉・譲位 • Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, is bombed to death. • Married the Earl of Bothwell. He was later imprisoned on suspicion of complicity in the bombing. • Miscarriage; passed on to son James. 1568年 ─ イングランド亡命 • Escaped to England with a small army. He was placed in protective custody by order of Queen Elizabeth I. • An inquest was held in York and “letters serving as evidence” were discovered. He was imprisoned for 18 years under the supervision of George Talbot. 1587年 ─ 処刑 • Encrypted communications with supporters were discovered, leading to a death sentence. • On February 8th, she was executed at Fotheringhay Castle wearing a scarlet dress. The drunken executioner swung his ax three times and decapitated the man. Buried in Westminster Abbey. 公演概要 Performance name Performing Arts Festival “Autumn Meteorite 2025 Tokyo” Geki Autumn Selection “Mary Said What She Said” Event period October 10, 2025 (Friday) – October 12, 2025 (Sunday) Venue Tokyo Metropolitan Theater Playhouse (Address: 1-8-1 Nishiikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 171-0021) 2 minutes walk from the west exit of Ikebukuro Station on JR, Tokyo Metro, Tobu Tojo Line, and Seibu Ikebukuro Line. Directly connected to station underground passage 2b exit WEBSITE https://www.geigeki.jp/performance/theater378/
[Staff/Cast] Direction/Set Design/Lighting: Robert Wilson Cast: Isabelle Huppert Written by: Darryl Pinckney Music: Ludovico Einaudi Ludovico Einaudi Costume: Jacques Reynaud Associate Director: Charles Chemin Associate Scene Design: Annick Lavallee-Benny Associate Lighting Design: Xavier Baron Associate Costume Design: Pascale Paume Co-choreography: Fani Sarantari Sound design: Nick Sagar Makeup design: Sylvie Cailler Hair Design: Jocelyne Milazzo English-French translation: Fabrice Scott Stage props: Atelier Espace et Compagnie Costume production: Atelier Caraco Shoe production: Repetto
Production: Theater de la Ville-Paris Co-producer: Wiener Festwochen Teatro della Pergola – Florence International Theater Amsterdam Thalia Theater – Hamburg Cooperation: EdM Productions EdM Productions Premiere: May 22, 2019 Theater de la Ville-Espace Cardin [Performance schedule] October 10th (Friday) 19:00 October 11th (Sat) 14:00 / 18:00 October 12th (Sunday) 14:00＊ Doors open 30 minutes before the performance Performance time: Approximately 90 minutes (French performance with Japanese subtitles) *For the performance on the 12th, we will provide a portable subtitle device and an English subtitle device for those who are hard of hearing or have difficulty hearing. (Reservation required) *Hearing loops (magnetic loops) will be in operation in some of the audience seats during all dates. [Ticket price] S seat 12,000 yen / A seat 9,500 yen / Under 29 years old (A seat) 9,000 yen / Side seat 5,000 yen / High school students and under 1,000 yen [Ticket release date] On sale to the general public from July 7, 2025 (Monday) [Ticket handling] Tokyo Metropolitan Theater Box Office WEB https://www.geigeki.jp/t/ *24-hour reception (excluding maintenance time) Telephone: 0570-010-296 (10:00-19:00, excluding closed days) Counter 10:00-19:00 (excluding closed days) Ticket Pia https://pia.jp/t/geigeki/ Seven-Eleven store E
https://eplus.jp/geigeki/ FamilyMart store Lawson tickets
https://l-tike.com/ Lawson Ministop store Confetti
https://www.confetti-web.com/ 050-3092-0051（平日10:00～17:00） 【託児サービス】 Temporary childcare is available for viewing at Tokyo Metropolitan Theater. (For children from 3 months old to before entering elementary school/Charges apply/Capacity system/Reservations required at least one week in advance of desired date, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) Reservations/Inquiries: Asuka Co., Ltd. 0120-165-115 (Weekdays 9:00-17:00) Tokyo Metropolitan Theater 託児予約フォーム
https://ws.formzu.net/fgen/S11738210/ ――― Childcare workshop “Children’s Play Theater” Intended for children aged 4 and over. Reservations are required. *The price is 500 yen for 2 hours (extension possible) / Limited capacity *Not held from 10/28 to 10/30 For more information, please see the performing arts festival “Autumn Meteorite 2025 Tokyo” program page. [Inquiry] Tokyo Metropolitan Theater Box Office 0570-010-296 (10:00-19:00 except on closed days) [Performance details] ●Tokyo Metropolitan Theater website
https://www.geigeki.jp/performance/theater378/ ●Performing arts festival “Autumn Meteorite 2025 Tokyo” official website
https://autumnmeteorite.jp/ja ●プロモーション映像 https://youtu.be/F1GajnLbIoc Sponsor: Tokyo Performing Arts Festival Executive Committee [Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo Metropolitan Theater (Tokyo
Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture)] Subsidy: Agency for Cultural Affairs Subsidy for Cultural Arts Promotion (Project to promote functional enhancement of theaters, music halls, etc.)｜ Independent Administrative Institution Japan Arts and Culture Foundation, Sasakawa Japan-France Foundation Sponsored by: Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels, Sansei Technologies Co., Ltd., Asahi Group Japan Co., Ltd. Sponsored by: Embassy of France in Japan/Institut Francais メディアパートナー：Tokyo Art Beat
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