Ballet “Poupelle of Chimney Town 2024” “A work that exceeds last year” is a good response to the re-performance! Practice room report *Kyodo Medias Co., Ltd.*
Press release: September 5, 2024
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Ballet “Poupelle of Chimney Town 2024” “A work that exceeds last year” is a good response to the re-performance! Practice room report
The ballet “Poupelle of Chimney Town” will be performed at the Meguro Persimmon Hall Large Hall in Tokyo on Thursday, September 19, 2024. 2024” rehearsal hall interview was held in early September. With the actual performance about two weeks away, we will be reporting on the detailed and passionate rehearsals conducted by the cast and director/choreographer Naoya Homitsu. In addition, after the public rehearsal, an interview was held with W stars Shizen Kazama (Poupelle and Bruno) and Hitomi Takeda (Lubich), executive producer Ruka Sekiha, and director/choreographer Naoya Houmatsu, and the interview was held with He expressed his thoughts towards the event.
“Poupelle of Chimney Town” is a picture book by Akihiro Nishino published by Gentosha in 2016. It has been performed in various media such as plays, movies, musicals, musical readings, and kabuki, and last year its first ballet, “Poupelle of Chimney Town,” was performed. The story of “Poupelle” is expressed through classical ballet and contemporary dance, with stage sets and costumes that look like pages from a picture book, and brought out the charm of the original picture book to the fullest, deeply moving audiences of all ages. This time it will be a replay.
CHIMNEY TOWN Co., Ltd., of which Nishino, who wrote the original work and script, is a director, will be participating in management cooperation this time.
As with the first performance, under executive producer Ruka Seki and director/choreographer Naoya Homitsu, the performers include Shizen Kazama who will play Poupelle and Bruno, Hitomi Takeda (former NBA Ballet principal) who will play Lubitsch, and Scoop. Akimitsu Yahata (former principal of New National Theater Ballet), Ayumi Shiraishi (former K-BALLET) who plays Rebecca
COMPANY
Braulio in addition to Ayano Teshigahara (NBA Ballet Principal) who plays Kathy, Asuka Tsuchida (Ballet Chambre West) who plays Louise, Hiromi Oka (Tokyo City Ballet) who plays Streetlight, and Mina Bonshihara.
Alvarez, Keita Yasumura (Tokyo Ballet), and Hiroko Mizui, who plays Laura, were among the names. It is said that 90% of the cast is the same as for the first performance, and the good atmosphere of the company was felt from the public rehearsals.
Director and choreographer Homitsu, who has prepared some new choreography for the re-performance, said, “I want to rev up the engine even more from here, so much so that I can see scenery that I couldn’t see last year.I don’t know how far we can go. “I’m really looking forward to it because I don’t know if I’ll be able to go,” he said, expressing his enthusiasm for the repeat performance.
Executive producer Seki talked about his extraordinary love for the work, and said, “Last year was so good that I was nervous about whether it would be able to surpass last year, but after rehearsing it all the way through, I think this year’s work will be even better.” I think it will happen,” he said with a passionate look filled with love and trust for the company.
“Poupelle of Entotsu Town” has already been published in various media. Perhaps the greatest feature of this ballet, Poupelle, is that it depicts this not with words, but only with music and physical expression. Homitsu says, “Although the story is a fantasy, there are moments that cannot be explained in words, where the energy seeping out from the bodies of the dancers immersed in their roles and the reality in which we live are linked.” She says that the appeal of ballet is that customers can feel this.
Even during the public rehearsals, Homan’s passionate guidance was used to create that “linking moment.” In the early Halloween party scene that draws the audience into the world of Poupelle, Homitsu carefully checks each person’s choreography, sometimes showing samples and sometimes standing on a chair and calling out to them. I will do it.
In the scene where Poupelle, a “garbage human,” appears, which is one of the key points in the film, Homan himself sits on a chair as an audience member and says, “At this moment, the audience begins to notice Poupelle’s existence for the first time. ”, explaining the movement of the audience’s mind and gaze.
On this day, rehearsals focused on scenes involving the children in the town, but Kazama, who plays Poupelle, also joined in for some scenes. Poupelle is an alien presence to the town, and Kazama embodies it with his unique presence. The moment he stood in the center of the rehearsal hall, the adult color disappeared from his eyes and they were replaced by those of an innocent boy. Although it was a short rehearsal scene, it was a moment that made you feel the meaning of his performance as Poupelle.
At a press conference, when asked about his enthusiasm, Kazama answered, “Not yet, I’m going to do it now,” and when it came to re-performing, he said, “I don’t remember the first performance anymore. I’m just concentrating on the present,” in his natural manner. He kept the press conference calm with his comments. Because Kazama is next to him, Takeda, who plays the role of Lubitsch, says, “I’m leaving it up to nature to live the role as it is.” Although it was not shown at the public rehearsal, expectations are high for the relationship between Poupelle and Lubitsch that these two will create on stage. Kazama shows what she feels through her body, and Takeda is forever stoic. “I’m even more excited than last year to see the chemistry between these two top-notch people who are complete opposites,” says Seki.
Homitsu also says that he has been greatly inspired by Kazama, who “stands on stage without any plans” since the first performance. “(Kazama) There are moments in the work where the energy of nature gradually expands and penetrates through.Every time I watch it, it’s completely different, so I get a tingle in a good way,” he said, expressing his high hopes for Kazama in the re-performance.
Takeda said, “I think what’s interesting about this stage is that there are child actors, classical dancers, contemporary dancers, and all kinds of people come together.” I think it’s really interesting to have people from all different generations come to see it. I hope you can feel it,” he said with enthusiasm.
Lastly, Kazama said, “To be honest, I don’t want to say anything like a pushy message like “Please come see it.” I came here not because I read my comments, but because I sincerely wanted to see this work. I hope people take something from this work. Ballet is not
entertainment, it’s art. I believe that people who can resonate with and receive the pure energy that we have will come without me having to tell them. “I will,” he concluded the press conference.
Ballet “Poupelle of Chimney Town 2024” is in its second year. From the beginning of the project, Seki has strongly expressed his strong desire to encourage theater viewing for children from the age of 0. This year, on September 18th (Thursday), the day before the opening day, we have decided to hold a general public performance that will be open to the public from the age of 0. Why not enjoy the story of the picture book “Poupelle of Chimney Town”, which has fascinated both children and adults, in the world of ballet, which does not require words?
* Original author and screenwriter Akihiro Nishino visits the rehearsal room! Supporting comment video has arrived! ! *
Akihiro Nishino, the original author of “Poupelle of Chimney Town” and the scriptwriter of this work, came to visit the rehearsal room. In addition, a video of support comments has arrived.
*Click here for support comment video*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPPc9vbWTIA&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPPc9vbWTIA
-Performance overview-
Ballet “Poupelle of Chimney Town 2024”
[Performance schedule]
Thursday, September 19, 2024 14:00/19:00
Venue: Meguro Persimmon Hall Large Hall (1-1-1 Yakumo, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-0023)
Original story/screenplay: Akihiro Nishino
Executive producer/composition: Tomoe Seki
Direction/Choreography: Naoya Homan
Music director: Minori Tomita
[Cast]
Poupelle: Kazama Nature
Lubitsch: Hitomi Takeda (former NBA Ballet Principal)
Scoop: Akimitsu Yawata (former principal of the New National Theater Ballet Company)
Rebecca: Ayumi Shiraishi (Former K-BALLET COMPANY principal) Cathy: Ayano Teshigahara (NBA Ballet Principal)
Louise: Asuka Tsuchida (Ballet Chambre Waist)
Streetlight: Hiromi Oka (Tokyo City Ballet Soloist)
Mina Bonshihara
Braulio Alvarez (Former Tokyo Ballet Soloist)
Keita Yasumura (Tokyo Ballet Soloist)
Laura: Hiroko Mizui
Entotsu cleaner: Naoki Makimura (first soloist of Momoko Tani Ballet Company) Akiaki Okada (Tokyo City Ballet Soloist)
Tomonori Sekiguchi (Star Dancers Ballet) and others
Ticket price (all seats reserved, tax included): S seat advance 13,200 yen/same day 14,000 yen
A seat advance 11,550 yen/same day 12,000 yen
B seat advance 5,500 yen/same day 6,000 yen
*Available for viewing over 3 years old. Viewing on your knees is not possible. *The performance will be performed with recorded sound source.
Now on general sale
Ticket handling:
TicketPay
https://www.ticketpay.jp/search/?keyword=プペル Ticket Pia https://w.pia.jp/t/poupelle-ballet/
-Paid public gene program that can be viewed from 0 years old- Wednesday, September 18, 2024 Doors open at 16:00, Performance starts at 16:30 Ticket (tax included): Adult (13 years and older) 5,000 yen
Child (0-12 years old) 1,000 yen
*Children aged 0 to 2 can watch on their laps (no ticket required) Crowdfunding conducted within PICTURE BOOK
[Part 2] We want to make Poupelle Ballet a huge success this year too! On sale as a return of
Adult ticket: https://www.picture-book.jp/projects/4665/rewards/48423 Child ticket: https://www.picture-book.jp/projects/4665/rewards/48422
Official website: https://poupelle-ballet.com
Sponsor: Leap Co., Ltd.
Management cooperation: CHIMNEY TOWN Co., Ltd.
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