Banquet for a Void
Written and Directed by ▷ Kumiko Ueda
Cast ▷ Kyoko Takenaka, Ryo Mikawaya, Kumiko Ueda
An Invitation to Onsen and Our “Banquet”
Director Kumiko Ueda wants to create a banquet-style theater where people who have just come out of the onsen (public bath of hot spring) can drink together, relax, and enjoy a performance.
The play is a story about a minor actor and a worker. Although they exist, no one notices them. It is also a mythical story where loneliness gives birth to great art. Can we transform the banquet hall of Kamata Onsen, which has been around since the Showa era, into a theatrical alternate space by the end?
Kumiko Ueda, who will host the banquet, is a former director of the Takarazuka Revue. Kyoko Takenaka, who will appear in the play, is an actress active in experimental works and has also worked in France. Ryo Mikawaya, also appearing in the play, is a veteran of traditional traveling theater, known as “taishu engeki.” These three are leaders in their respective fields.
However, putting these three together is like mixing fire and water—it’s not easy to create something when people from completely different worlds come together. It’s uncertain if a high-quality piece of work, made by those who share similar values, can be produced. But Kumiko Ueda is curious to see if this “banquet” style of theater can challenge this impossibility. Diversity is often discussed these days, but Ueda believes it means allowing the discomfort of differences to exist and being able to drink, eat, and live together in the same space.
We hope to surround the loneliness of this society with you, whether you’re a theater researcher, a devoted fan, or a local resident of Ota Ward who just came to enjoy the hot springs.
This “banquet” will be the first public performance that Kumiko Ueda has planned and produced.
Venue
Kamata Onsen 2nd Floor, Banquet Room
2-23-2 Kamatahoncho, Ota-ku, Tokyo 144-0053
Kamata Onsen Official Website ▷ https://kamata-onsen.com/
Business Hours: 10:00 – 24:00
Date and Time
| 2:00 PM | 7:00 PM | |
|---|---|---|
| 1.24 Fri | ◎ | |
| 1.25 Sat | ☆ | |
| 1.26 Sun | ● | ● |
| 1.27 Mon | ● | |
| 1.28 Tue | ● | |
| 1.29 Wed | Closed day | |
| 1.30 Thu | ● | ● |
| 1.31 Fri | ● | |
| 2.1 Sat | ● | ● |
| 2.2 Sun | ● | ● |
| 2.3 Mon | ● | |
◎ Opening Day Discount
☆ Video shooting
*Reception, doors open, and light meals sales start one hour before the performance begins.
*The performance on January 25, 7:00 PM will be filmed as part of a recording. Due to the layout of the venue, there is a possibility that the audience may be captured in the video. The filmed footage may be released in its entirety at a later date, or a portion of it may be used for publicity purposes.
Tickets
Tickets go on sale on November 23, 10:00 AM
Prices (tax included, bathing fee of ¥550 included)
Opening Day Discount ¥4,000 (Friday, January 24, 7:00 PM performance)
General ¥4,500
Ota Ward Resident Discount ¥3,500 (proof required)
U25 ¥3,500 (proof required)
Ticket Purchase: Peatix
https://banquetforavoid.peatix.com
• All seats are unreserved. There are seats where you can enjoy light meals and drinks while watching the performance.
• The ticket price includes the bathing fee. Please enjoy Kamata’s famous black natural hot springs, which have been open since 1937. If you show the QR code issued at the time of reservation to the front desk, you will receive a ticket that allows you to enter the hot springs at any time on the day of the performance. Bathing is valid only on the same day. Please note that it cannot be changed to another day. (Towel rentals and sauna use require an additional fee.)
• U25 tickets are for those who are 25 years old or younger on the day of the performance. Please present proof of age (driver’s license, insurance card, etc.) at the reception.
• Ota Ward Resident Discount applies to those who can present proof of residence (such as mail) at the reception on the day of the performance.
• For wheelchair access, please inquire in advance. Due to the design of the venue, it may not be possible to accommodate all requests.
• Entry is on a first-come, first-served basis, starting from the opening of the reception.
How to Enjoy the Banquet
Light meals and drinks will be available from the Kamata Onsen cafeteria. Please feel free to enjoy a drink while watching the performance. If you arrive early, feel free to enjoy a bath before the performance, or have a late-night snack after the show. Craft beers and Kamata Onsen’s specialty salt yakisoba (stir-fried noodles) are also recommended. The menu is carefully crafted by the hostess with love and attention to ingredients. Food and drink will be available from one hour before the start of the performance until one hour after it ends, and the hot spring will be open until midnight. (Bringing your own towel recommended!)
Directions to Kamata Onsen
For those taking the bus:
1. Take a bus from Kamata Station East Exit Bus Stop ① (routes 73, 74, 75).
2. Get off at the 4th stop, “Kamata Honcho.”
3. Turn left at the corner with the dentist (into Demura Street).
4. Walk straight, and Kamata Onsen will be on your right.
For those walking from Kamata Station:
1. Exit Kamata Station East Exit and turn right.
2. When you reach Kanpachi (Route 8), turn left.
3. Cross Kanpachi when you see Kamata Post Office and continue straight on the street beside it.
4. Turn left at the corner with the dentist (into Demura Street).
5. Walk straight, and Kamata Onsen will be on your right.
Creation Collaborator: Kyoko Takenaka, Ryo Mikawaya
Stage Crew: Akinobu Osaki
Lighting Advisor: Masayoshi Takada (RYU)
Sound Supervisor: Masashi Wada
Stage Manager: Hogara Kawai (Ressenchka)
Publicity Design: Aiko Koike
POP Design: Shimamura
Video Filming: Shingo Ota
Photography: Kazuyuki Matsumoto
Cooperation: Kiyomi Maeda
Production: Rin Terada, Mao Furukawa, Mihoka Kawamura (syuz’gen)
Projectumï Support Staff: Yuko Takahashi, Ikoma Hishida, Keiko Kawano, Akihito Hirano
Presented by Projectumï
Sponsored by Open Road Associates, Inc.
Supported by Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture), The Saison Foundation
Inquiry
Banquet for a Void Production Team
TEL: +81(0)3-4213-4290 (Syuz’gen LLC. Weekdays 10:00-18:00)
FAX: +81(0)3-4333-0878
EMAIL: staff@kumikoueda.com