Notice on the Start of a Theatrical Creation Project by UMUT and SEAMI, and the Holding of a Public Discussion
The University Museum, the University of Tokyo (UMUT) and SEAMI have started collaborating on a theatrical project staged at the JP Tower Museum INTERMEDIATHEQUE. This project is an experiment on theatrical creation within a museum space. While pursuing new possibilities for creative activities in relation to the scientific specimens and museum space proper to the Intermediatheque, we will attempt to give birth to new forms of theatrical expression. A public performance is scheduled for next year.
Theatre is a synthetic means of expression involving the body, words and space. It consists in the union of such elements as the actors’ movements and speech, scenic devices, music, lighting and the public, and in these elements sharing a common time-space. The present project does not simply aim to present a theatrical performance with the museum space as a particular stage. Rather, it will investigate how to relate each constitutive element of theatre with the museum. In other words, by organically integrating from the very beginning the Intermediatheque collection and activities, as well as the people who come here, into the theatrical creation process, it will crystalize a unique theatrical expression within the museum space, thus presenting to society a theatrical work which by definition can solely be realized in a museum space.
So far, under the name of “Art & Science,” UMUT has led various activities bridging the world of scientific specimens belonging to the University and the University Museum’s research activities with various disciplines such as fashion, contemporary art, music or sweets. SEAMI is a creative group led by Korean-born Kim Seil, who actively works in Japan as an actor/stage director/technical trainer, and which pursues a theatrical thought and a theory of performance proper to the East, ambitiously working on experimental theatrical creation.
In the present project, we will thus build up the process of theatrical creation in a public form. In doing so, we plan to regularly organize related events within the Intermediatheque, such as performances, public rehearsals and workshops. As stated below, we will begin this series of events with a public discussion, reuniting project members who will openly discuss about the possibilities of theatrical creation within the Intermediatheque, thus reflecting upon the future perspectives of this project by sharing ideas with the public. We sincerely ask our media partners to give a larger publicity to the present project and its related events.
Key Information
Title: Public Discussion “Play IMT – On the Possibilities of Theatrical Creation Within the Intermediatheque”
Speakers: Kim Seil (Leader of SEAMI), Yoshiaki Nishino (Director, UMUT & Intermediatheque) & others
Date & Time: Friday, November 7, 2014 6:00 p.m.
(Doors open at 5:45 p.m.; expected to end at 7:30 p.m.)
Venue: Intermediatheque 2F Lecture Theatre ACADEMIA
Admission free (no reservation required)
Language: Japanese
The number of seats limited to 50.
Organization: SEAMI + The University Museum, the University of Tokyo (UMUT)
Address: JP Tower/KITTE 2-3F, 2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN
Access: JR lines and Tokyo Metro Marunouchi line Tokyo Station. Direct access from the Marunouchi Underground Pathway.
http://www.intermediatheque.jp/
Contact:
Intermediatheque 03-5777-8600 (Hello Dial)
SEAMI Official Website:
http://seami.net