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Date: 12-16 November 2003
Rakutendan Theater Company has made a name for itself performing, in Japanese, cutting edge and controversial indigenous theatre from around the world. Previous Australian presentations have included Stolen, Seven Stages of Grieving, and Silent Partner. Up the Ladder, written by award winning Aboriginal playwright Roger Bennett, follows an Aboriginal man's journey from the rough and tumble fights of boxing tents of the 1940s and 50s to a career as a professional and champion boxer. The play evokes the carnival atmosphere of boxing tents while subtly reminding us of the racism that underpinned the sport. Roger Bennett overcame a difficult youth to write some of Australia's best regarded indigenous plays including the Australian classic, Funerals and Circuses. Bennett said of Up the Ladder, "This play evolved from my memories as a kid going to the Brisbane Royal Show held in August each year. Down Sideshow Alley I would wander to my favourite show, the boxing tents, where a drum was beaten and a bell rung to draw the customers, where boxers stood on a high platform in gowns and boots and the spruiker places a hand to his mouth, calls out 'Hurry! Hurry! Step this way!..." As part of Ancient Future - Australian Arts Festival Japan 2003, and the second stage in the exchange between Wesley Enoch (Ilbijerri Theatre Cooperative) and Yoshio Wada (Rakutendan), Indigenous Australian actor/dancer Kirk Page will perform together with the Japanese Rakutendan actors. In addition, a post-performance talk will be held on Satuday 15 November (after the 6:30pm show) to deepen Japanese audiences' appreciation of contemporary Indigenous theatre. Participants include Directors Yoshio Wada, Wesley Enoch, Translator Keiji Sawada, Actor Kirk Page and Melbourne University Academic Peter Eckersall.
Note:Performance will be in Japanese.
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Related linkshttp://www.ilbijerri.org.au
Going 'Up the Ladder' with RakutendanAn after talk was held on Saturday 15 November after the 6:30pm performance. Participants included Mr Keiji Sawada (Translator), Mr Yoshio Wada (Director), Mr Kirk Page (Indigenous Actor), Mr Wesley Enoch (Theatre Director) and Mr Peter Eckersall (Academic, University of Melbourne).Click here for a report of the project and after talk by Peter Eckersall.
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Up the Ladder, a play evoking the blood and sweat, the smell of the sawdust, and the momentary fame of young Aboriginal men in the boxing tents of post-war Australia, will be performed in Tokyo for the first time as part of Ancient Future - Australian Arts Festival Japan 2003. The play will be staged by the Rakutendan Theater Company from November 12-16 at the Repertoire Theater Kaze.
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