CORPUS will have the North American premiere of the company’s original theatrical work Mukashi, Mukashi (Once upon a time) this month.
A co-production with Japan’s The Kio Company, Mukashi, Mukashi explores two iconic fairy tale characters from Western and Japanese folklore: The Wolf, from ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and the Crane, from ‘The Gratitude of the Crane’.
The unlikely meeting of these two characters sets the stage for a conflictual then harmonious relationship that blossoms through a transformative journey. The stage work uses traditional and contemporary Japanese art forms (Origami, Kyōgen, Bunraku, Manga), mixed with Western practices old and new including pantomime and the comedy traditions of Looney Tunes cartoons and TV talk shows.
Conceived and directed by CORPUS’ artistic director David Danzon and created with the ensemble, Mukashi, Mukashi speaks to children and adults alike. It introduces the poetic and intriguing world of Japanese folk tales and blends it with the dark and comedic undertones of western fairytales, all with a
playful CORPUS twist and cross-cultural sensibility.
To learn more about the creative process behind Mukashi, Mukashi, I spoke with Danzon. Here he talks about working with his colleague from The Kio Company, the influences for the show, and what audiences of all ages can look forward to when the show premieres this month in Toronto.
The North American premiere of Mukashi, Mukashi will be performed by Sakura Korin, Kohey Nakadachi, Takako Segawa, and Kaitlin Torrance. Lighting and set design is by Yann Becker, costume design by Atsuko Kiyokawa, music composition and sound design by Anika Johnson, choreography by David Danzon and Matt O’Connor with dramaturgy and graphic design by Carolin Lindner.
Mukashi, Mukashi first premiered in 2023 at Japan’s Toyooka Theatre Festival. The show will be presented in English and Japanese with surtitles in English.
Performances from September 24 to 29 take place at The Theatre Centre. Tickets are on sale now at CORPUS.ca or TheatreCentre.org.
Photos by Yoshikazu Inoue.
