New to Theater? Check this out: Director of Enpaku Ryuichi Kodama Talks About the Charm of Theater
“When you visit the theater, I want you to feel both what has stayed the same over time and what is different across cultures.”
Waseda Weekly’s guest for this edition of “Essence of Theater”, produced along with Waseda Shogekijo Drama-kan Theater, was Professor Ryuichi Kodama of the Faculty of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. Professor Kodama took over as the ninth Director of The Tsubouchi Memorial Theatre Museum (commonly known as Enpaku) in April 2023. He is a critic and specialist of one of Japan’s traditional theater arts: Kabuki.
Professor Kodama believes that the arts, whether it’s reading a story, watching a movie, or attending the theater, give us the opportunity to imagine our lives as they could have been or as they will never be. When asked what students can take away from theater performances in particular, Professor Kodama shared his opinion about the charms of the theater. Each performance is a once-in-a-lifetime, real-time experience that can never be repeated. The audience members together in the same place, at the same time, watching a performance of someone else’s life with their own eyes is theater’s biggest appeal.
Considering Professor Kodama’s specialty, Waseda Weekly asked more specifically about the charm of Kabuki. He replied that Kabuki and similar classical theater and literature are interesting because you often find yourself thinking, “That’s still the same!” or “We never could have come up with that now.” He went on to describe how Kabuki is different than the Greek tragedies or Shakespeare’s plays which rely heavily on reciting a script because it emphasizes how the actor performs. His advice for “theater newbies” is to take advantage of your time as a student and at least try it out. If it doesn’t suit you, it is ok to leave it. The collection of three-minute theater shorts at Enpaku’s Japan Theater Digital Arts (JTDA) is one place to begin.
Japanese article:初心者のあなたに伝えたい 演劇博物館館長・児玉竜一が語る演劇の魅力
11/4-5 was the Waseda Festival! For the First Time in Four Years Japan’s Biggest School Festival Returns in Full Force
“Towards a Festival that Says ‘This is Waseda Today’”
For the last three years the Waseda Festival, Japan’s largest school festival, has been held with restrictions in place to help reduce the spread of the Coronavirus. Finally, in 2023, the festival returned in full force! In this piece, Waseda Weekly asked “Waseda Festival 2023”’s Event Staff Representative Masayuki Samizo (third-year student in the School of Political Science and Economics) and Public Relations Manager Chiho Sato (third-year student in the School of Political Science and Economics) about their experience planning the festival this year.
Masayuki first discussed overcoming the difficulty of planning an event with staff who have never experienced it without restrictions in place. In 2020 the festival was held entirely online while 2021’s Waseda Festival was carried out in a hybrid style, partially on-campus/partially online. In 2022 attendees were required to have tickets to enter the campus. Masayuki and his team embraced these new festival forms to deliver a “New Style of Waseda Festival” in 2023, which included live streaming of the main stages and a large increase in the number of planned events and food and drink stalls.
Masayuki and Chiho shared their recommendations for how to enjoy the 2023 festival. These included coin machines, or gachagacha, with prizes containing information on recommended events inside, festival tours conducted by the event staff, the Waseda Parade, and the Eco Candle Project. The organizers hope you enjoyed it!
Japanese article:11/4、5は早稲田祭！ 日本最大級の学園祭が4年ぶりに完全復活。見どころ・楽しみ方は？
Harmonicas with Flutes and Basses?! A Diverse Student Music Club: “Waseda Harmonica Society”
“We pride ourselves on how well we all get along.”
The Waseda Harmonica Society’s (WASEHAMO) Deputy Secretary General Kaho Yanagida, a second-year student in the School of Law, describes it as a big band music club with a focus on the harmonica. Most members show up without ever having picked up a harmonica, but they catch on quickly thanks to how easy it is to play. Some readers may be wondering, “But is it only harmonicas?” Actually, members playing the harmonica part only make up about 20% of the total. WASEHAMO is also home to flute players, clarinet players, and even drum, guitar, and bass players, so it’s a great choice for musicians looking for a place to play their preferred instrument or try something new!
For Kaho, WASEHAMO’s charm lies in the close relationships shared by the members. After practice they often eat out together, and on days off, they meet up. Kaho chose WASEHAMO because of its good balance between seriousness and playfulness and due to the kindness of the senior members, who helped her learn to play the bass. They meet every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday and perform two to three times a year. The next concert will be held in December. Check out Wasehamo’s social media including Instagram for more information!
Japanese article:ハーモニカにフルートにベース!? 楽器もメンバーも多様な音楽サークルです
