Costume Design Crossing Borders

Costume designer, TOKIHIRO Shingo

In August 2006 at the Umewaka Noh-gaku Gakuin Kaikan in Tokyo's Nakano ward, four musicians in fancy costumes appeared on the quiet and simple Noh stage and began to play drums that echoed around the hall. It was very difficult to recognize exactly which play was being performed from this opening scene, but once the dialogue started, you realized that it was SHAKESPEARE's "Othello."

"Ryutopia" (Niigata City Performing Arts Center) took on the challenge of creating new versions of famous Shakespeare plays which naturally adopt the concepts and methods of traditional Japanese performing arts. The group started this series with "Macbeth" in 2004, continued with "King Lear" and "Winter's Tale" which was performed in Niigata, Tokyo, and other locations. The groups' latest performance is "Othello" which was introduced in August this year.

Besides original staging and vivid acting by performers, the beautiful costumes are some of the most important elements of the play. "Costumes are created by integrating all the aspects in the play, such as the plan of the director, the actors, and the atmosphere of the stage designs," says Mr. TOKIHIRO Shingo, who designed the costumes in the series.

Male actors such as the person who plays Othello wear costumes of the Renaissance period similar to those seen in pictures painted by RAPHAEL. Pretty and pure Desdemona performs in costumes inspired by Junihitoe, which are elegant traditional Japanese kimono for ladies of the Imperial court. At one point she is dressed in layers of colors in cherry blossom hues, and at another point she is dressed in willow-colored hues. One of the remarkable things is that Emilia, who has a realistic and unchanging image, looks so noble in a purple dress, and Bianca, a prostitute, is so neat and sincere-looking in a chic dress, both of which are totally different from their stereotyped images. The costume designer describes the mentalities of various actors using different colors and costume styles. For instance, patchworks can represent complicated human psychology, power or property.

"I wish that everyone will be beautiful on stage," Mr. Tokihiro says. "We are not really beautiful in real life. Unfortunately, that is human nature. So I would like to express our beauty at least in an imaginary world. Bianca has a relationship with many men because of her job, but she is also sincere about her love. Therefore, I would not like to design her costume to be too feminine. Also I considered creating the props in accordance with the atmosphere of a Noh stage, which is a special place with a feeling of dignity."

Mr. Tokihiro wanted to be a Japanese-style painter when he was a student. He was interested in historical paintings and "Bijinga," which is one of the genres of Japanese-style painting involving pictures of beautiful women. However, he studied Japanese literature in university and after graduation, covered the Paris Collection and the London Collection for a long period of time as a journalist. He was greatly impressed by the sense of "creating 3D art" which began in Europe. Europeans picked up this sense naturally during their long history, and it is very difficult for people of other countries to come to the same level of awareness. Then, he decided to design costumes utilizing Oriental ideas.

Mr. Tokihiro also designed costumes for the play "Okuni Warau," which is about Okuni of Izumo, who founded Kabuki. This job was a turning point in his life. He thought that he could not re-create the kimono worn by Okuni 400 years ago, but he was sure that he could create new costumes for her if she was alive today, therefore he tried to design costumes filled with the essence of oriental beauty. Kabuki started in Kyoto, a local region, but the stage performance was so powerful it was as if their passion had spread across the seas. It is obvious that Mr. Tokihiro's costumes have greatly contributed to this.

"When I was offered this job, I felt that Okuni was giving me permission to create costumes that represented her. Then hundreds of images of costumes filled my mind like rain falling from the sky. Now I can feel Shakespeare would have appreciated my work." The costumes he designed for the Shakespeare series are a little different from those he created unique oriental charm. Instead, Mr. Tokihiro harmonized western with eastern tastes.

"I suppose that I expressed myself more naturally. I have been working a lot in other countries and when I stay in Japan, I have coffee and bread in the mornings. So, I have been influenced a lot from western cultures. My productions honestly describe myself." "Winter Story," the show that was performed before "Othello," was invited to the Shakespeare International Festival held in Romania and received high praise.

Mr. Tokihiro's costumes have certain themes that stay constant. These may be a prayer for peace, admiration for beauty, or gratitude for living on earth. The most important thing for Mr. Tokihiro is loving human beings. Costumes, arts, cultures - they are all without borders. His inspiration wafts freely around Japan and other countries wishing for peace.

Stage performance schedule in 2007, "Macbeth" (Niigata, Tokyo), March ~ April

TOKIHIRO Shingo's website
www.shingotokihiro.com/

Ryutopia 
www.ryutopia.or.jp/

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