Art Happens

Yoroboshi: The Weakling – A vibrant, queer puppet show inspired by Japanese bunraku theater is how playwright and director Satoko Ichihara reimagines the ancient legend of the ‘Blind Weakling’ (Shuntokumaru) for the present. While in the original version children are abandoned, sick people are discriminated against and everyone is redeemed in the end, Ichihara’s thinking reaches far beyond this tragic narrative and its simple opposition between good and evil. A cast of sex dolls, mannequins, and other creatures embody humans, their fates, desires, and violence. As narrator (gidayu), actress Sachiko Hara guides us through the story. Experimental musician Kakushin Nishihara combines the traditional sound of the satsuma-biwa, noise, and electronic music to create an extraordinary soundtrack for the piece. Together, they drive the story forward, mediating between worlds and bringing the puppets to life.

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