| Gaijin | Benjamin Knapton and Brisbane Powerhouse |
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Spending the night in the watch house might be considered a rite of passage for some young Aussies journeying into the fast paced world of drinking and partying. But what would you do if you were thrown in prison in a strange land? Alone?
From 19 – 23 August, Benjamin Knapton and Brisbane Powerhouse take a look at Contemporary Japan from the inside, following one Australian foreigner, or Gaijin, and the events leading to his arrest and imprisonment. How did he get there and how will he get out?
A Japanese word, meaning ‘outsider’ or ‘foreigner’, Gaijin is generally used to describe racially non-Japanese groups, principally Caucasians. The term has now become politically incorrect and is avoided by most Japanese media.
In its Australian premiere, Gaijin, is a visually stunning one-man-show about the journey of an Australian ‘foreigner’ (Gaijin) in contemporary Japan. Well-known Brisbane performer David Eastgate takes his audience on an adrenalin pumped adventure, interweaving narrative by presenting the story through the eyes of multiple characters.
Directed and co-written by Benjamin Knapton, co-written and performed by David Eastgate, with mediated performances by Nick and James Stewart, Gaijin raises questions about moral and cultural responsibility in an increasingly globalised world.
Knapton’s innovative use of technology and live performance fantastically conveys the buzz of Japanese city-life and the strangeness of being in a foreign country. Eastgate blends seamlessly into the theatrical environment as a one man tour-de-force moving from character to character to tell this all to real story of Australians’ abroad – this Gaijin is one man not to be missed.
Knapton says “Based on the public rehearsals we have presented, the show appeals to a wide age-group, as these types of events affect many family members and people surrounding the families…there are no simple answers when it comes to different laws and different ways of viewing acceptable and non-acceptable human behaviour, I think that’s one of the thing this show explores”
Gaijin is Knapton’s latest offering since his return to Brisbane after spending much time in the rehearsal room of world-renowned director Robert Lepage.
Benjamin Knapton and Brisbane Powerhouse present
GAIJIN
Venue: Visy Theatre
Date: Tues 19 – Sat 23 August
Time: Tues 6:30pm, Wed – Sat 8pm, Thurs + Sat 2pm
Tickets: $18 - $25, Schools $15
More Information: 07 3358 8600 or brisbanepowerhouse.org
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