I watched Takeshi Kitano’s Kubi as the opening film of Queer East Festival in London. The freely and vividly homoerotic scenes are certainly there, and no one seems to be conflicted or tormented about their desires. That kind of unashamed vitality feels, in a way, such a radical especially, as a historical Japanese film. It is a Japan from before Western values took hold.
That said, when compared to the bittersweet complexity of Beat Takeshi’s portrayal of Hideyoshi—a man who, no matter how far he climbs the ranks, remains a mere “peasant-turned-general,” always on the outside looking in through a broken telescope, unable to live within the aesthetics of the samurai class or their appreciation of gay love—the depiction of queerness in the film becomes suddenly shallow and vague. Which is why I’d argue; this isn’t a queer film. Sure, it was just Queer East invited it (and to be clear, I wholeheartedly support itself).
Take the scene where Mitsuhide and Murashige lie naked in bed. The Japanese style bed is bizarrely tidy and dry there’s not even a trace of sensuality. The repeated kissing scenes, too, feel far more superficial than moments of ambition or life-and-death stakes. There’s even a sense of hesitation in the air, like: “Well… Kitano says so, so I guess I’ll give it a try…”
If having straight actors play these roles leads to awkwardness or a ignorance, then why not bring in queer creatives, queer actors, or even intimacy coordinators? I’m here! Although I’m in London though. If the intention had been to show characters engaging in same-sex acts just for the sake of social climbing, then that hollowness might have made sense. But if we’re meant to believe that the peasant-born Hideyoshi is witnessing a passion so intense he simply can’t understand it. It’s just not convincing.
The one exception is the scene, also featured in the trailer, where Nobunaga feeds a manju off the tip of his sword to Murashige, then kisses his bloodied mouth. That moment had a perverse Mishima Yukio-ish esque intensity to it, powerful. For my desclaimer.Not really to my taste.
Despite all the kiss scene in the film, not a trace of it appears in the trailer.
It’s not that things have to be explicit. But there are so many ways to make queerness feel funny, tense and awkward.
The ambition to portray historical gay relationships in a form other than romance, and with this kind of massive budget, is genuinely intriguing. I imagine queer artists around the world—myself included—who are scraping together grants for short films, are wildly envious. And that’s exactly why I hope Kitano Takeshi, as director, won’t just brush it all off with a “dunno, man” like his Hideyoshi character does in the film.
Well, I’ve played three different drag queen roles on stage, and I’ve snuck some sneaky drag into a few parties. But I’ve never actually claimed a drag name of my own… not yet.
Some of my dream roles are Angel from RENT, Hedwig from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and Benten Kozō from Kabuki. Certainly, I’m also very down to play Mimior Rapunzel—I’m versatile like that.
Back in Japan, most actors avoided announcing their sexuality or gender identity publicly. I followed that unwritten rule. But here in the UK, especially theatre world, sharing your pronouns is totally common. I’ve felt much freer to represent and support the queer community since I came out as non-binary last year (I know, but a big step for someone from Japan). It feels amazing.
I’ve been lucky to play a few drag roles in the UK—and I realised that my drag could actually inspire people and make them laugh. And drag lives in theatre, in cabaret, on the scratch night. That opened up a whole new world for me. Could I expand my creativity through drag? Could I find a persona that blends theatre, gender, and thoughts in my own way?
I’m currently applying for a drag scratch night, produced by Matti and Bard the Beholder. Which means—it’s time to drag my drag name. Wouldn’t be the most exciting?
So… what kind of queen am I?
My Werk Room entrance line would definitely be: “I AM the DRAMA QUEEN!” Obviously. Theatre references are a must. But I don’t wanna too niche because I am already niche. So, what else? Something shoutable. Some name ideas I’m playing with…
My Fair Neki
“Neki” is Japanese net slang for “sister,”. I’m in London, I’ve got a massive accent (not Cockney, sorry)—it seemed perfect. But “Neki” is pretty minor, and might not clearly link back to Japanese culture for people here. Still, I will perform as My Fair Neki at some point, I promise.
Showgirl
My real name is Shogo, and people often struggle to pronounce or remember it. I tell them like “Just think SHOW must GO on.” or, “Call me Showgirl!” but it’s a just me, not a separate persona. Although, for my disclaimer, RuPaul is RuPaul.
Something with ‘Amor’?
My family name is Amo (天羽), which means angel wings or sky wing but I’ve been crawling through a grounded life. Not winged anymore. Sound-wise, it’s close to amor, but I’m not that familiar with Spanish or Italian culture, so I’m still hesitating. Also, I’m not romantic.
I should’ve brought my red heels and wigs from Japan. I want to avoid buying mass-produced dresses, but I’m also not great at sewing… So there will be challenges. But yeah, even if I walk on stage in jeans and a white t-shirt, I can just say “This is a Jamie Lloyd–style drag queen.” Conceptual. Theatre darling.
イギリスは、とにかくワークショップをしたり、プレゼンをしたり、リーディングをしたり、その過程で助成金に応募したりと、R&D（研究と開発）や、選定を繰り返して作られるから、劇場でフル尺の公演はより一握り。特にミュージカルは、脚本と音楽の力を合わせるのが肝でもあるので、破壊と創造を繰り返す方法は合っている気がする。日本に新しく出来たMusical Next Seedsも応援している。創作過程から興味を持ってもらえる環境を作れたらいいよね。だって、推しの成長過程を楽しみ、応援する土壌はあるし。
そう。ラッキーなのだ。この仕事を決めたときの面接で、あなたの人生を聞かせてと言われ、振り返ってみたら、ダンスを始めて、ミュージカルに出演して、バレエを本格的に習って、今度は演劇に出演して、高校ではミュージカルを創って、かと思えば振付師のアシスタントをやって、卒業と同時に2.5次元舞台に出演できるようになって、ブロードウェイミュージカルをやったと思えば、パンデミック以降はドラマやCMに出演しつつ、自分の創作を始め、今はイギリスで「I have tried to shift my career from actor to director（俳優から演出家にキャリアを移行しようと考えていて）」と、何度言ったかわからない。統一感はないが、色んな現場を観ることが出来て、すごい良い経験になったし、お金を貰って芝居をしてこれた。色んな特権や人々の助けがあったからこそ。
It’s such a scary and weird novel. I was suffering from nightmares while reading without drugs and alcohol. First off, this novel might be well-written with its tricky word choices and British cultural sarcasm (e.g. Londoners looking down on Newcastle), but of course, I didn’t understand it 100%, maybe just 34% or 19% as an English Beginner. Still, the story’s range, shifting from a bitchy artist’s ramblings to a nose-candy-fueled night, to pure romantic love from Tesco, to BRITISH PSYCHO, was incredible.
We should have detached emotionally from a novel like this, but the self-destructive lifestyle kept reminding us of our cringy youth. This intentional attempt to evoke our empathy was skillfully written, as I didn’t realize it until the very end. However, My reaction to the story was like, “Go straight to therapy,” but when someone starts to dislike themselves (even if they say they love themselves), who the hell can care?
The mentally fragile narrator’s storytelling was very uncomfortable. My feminist spirit tried to feel compassion for her when she got sexually assaulted or when she felt underestimated in the male-dominated art world, but the reality of her violence and the way she hid her paedophilic work (it’s mentioned from the beginning) just broke me. Yes, she’s just another slightly racist mom’s kid, funded by gay men who want to hang photos of young, slim boys or “artistic gore” in their homes. The world is sick. MAKE GREAT BRITAIN AGAIN.
When emerging artists think about gender, they often try to flip the script on their social position. But if you don’t add anything new, it’s just a mass-produced cliché. Unfortunately, her visual impact was easily absorbed by a bunch of lechs. Does that mean she’s just as bad as Johnny Kitagawa (the notorious producer who exploited young boys) or Abercrombie & Fitch with its exclusionary, problematic marketing? Her art teacher clearly said “You’re not making art here you’re making porn … The world doesn’t need more nasty, voyeuristic photography, does it?” Agreed, but not enough words to stop her.
I don’t want to read any more books narrated by dull narcissists, but she completely inhabited my world while I read. If she were in front of me, she’d roll her eyes at my accent and I’d probably need subtitles to understand what she was saying.
My working visa is set to expire next August, and the question of whether to apply for a Global Talent Visa is looming large. But I can’t help wondering—will staying here, even as a struggling director, be worth the sacrifice?
I moved to the UK from Japan in September 2023, and when people ask, “What brings you to London?” my answer is simple: to explore and immerse myself in the British theatre scene. I began my acting career right after high school—attending drama school is a less common path for actors in Japan. Since then, I’ve had standout roles on stage and appeared as a main guest in a TV drama. In 2020, I started reflecting on my career and transitioning into directing -a long- held ambition.
While creating the musical ‘NOW LOADING‘, I realized I wanted to learn more even if I stopped building my career. I have learned a lot through reading, seeing theatres, taking the course in NEW EARTH and living in London. And I started thinking about staying here.
This is a self-tape for the NEW EARTH
MONEY & VISA: To stay in the UK, I have two options: enrol in an MA program for a graduate visa (costing over £18k plus nearly £5k for the visa) or be recognized by Arts Council England (about £6k, but no guarantee of work), of course, while paying living expenses and tax. I can’t help but admire how clever this system is. Perhaps Japan should consider adopting a similar model. But here’s the problem: I don’t have that kind of money. Working 65 hours a week to afford it isn’t feasible either. I want to dedicate my time to research and, just as importantly, stay healthy.
CAREER: I’ve finally connected with a few organizations and performed my original musical in front of theatre producers, which I’m proud of. But I can’t ignore the significant gap between me and the British in the industry. I strongly believe that language plays a crucial role in the theatre industry—beyond just definitions in a dictionary. However, I only started using English last year, and I face the reality of how much I still struggle with it every day. I can communicate with friends, but it requires extra effort from them to understand me. But who will hire me for paid theatre work? And I also think that East Asians raised in the UK should be given more recognition than I am, as they face a great deal of underestimation and discrimination. I came here by choice – my responsibility.
I want to immerse myself in British theatre culture. It’s been inspiring, even though I’ve encountered more mediocrity than expected. I love the development process here. In Japan, there’s a preference for “finished works” even in the fringe scene. Long runs and reviews by critics are rare, and musicals there are created quickly and often only run once, like fast fashion. Well then, how can I satisfy the expectations of a British audience, especially when the industry is so steeped in its own national identity? I love Operation Mincemeat but also why does no one point out its nationalism? Is it because it’s a ‘British Musical’? I’m not claiming one system is better than the other—I only wish I could draw from both, depending on what I want to create. I know that’s a lot to expect.
Oh, London, what are you looking for? Are you only looking for an ASIAN-looking native speaker? Is there even a place where I can scrape a living in theatre? Why wasn’t I selected for the ensemble in My Neighbor Totoro? Why was the commercial in which I was in a lead role cancelled?
I also fear working in the theatre industry in Japan, where there is little openness to the queer perspectives. When I suggested a queer reading of The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde, a younger person told me, “That’s not the general interpretation.” But I also recognize that the UK theatre industry has been shaped by the ongoing efforts of many people, so perhaps it would be better for me to find my own path and contribute to those efforts in Japan. Also simply, I’m frightened of earthquakes and abnormal weather too.
‘And You Don’t Even Know it‘なんて、擦り切れるほど聴いていたので楽しみにしていたのだけど、ほんとに過去のミュージカルに触れて育った人が作った作品か？と思うくらい、映像演出や、曲の導入、そしてジェイミーが学園内で権力を手にして人を傷つけるために使ってしまうストーリーが残念だった。ディーンがかわいそうすぎる。
この芝居を観るためだけに飛行機に乗り、スコットランドのGlasgowへ。手話使用者で認知症になった男を描く。パントマイムや鏡を使った舞台でしか味わえない演出が素晴らしくて、緊張感、慈しみ、エキサイトメントのバランスが上品、ストーリー自体はややオールドスクール。そして、この劇団がKAATと共同制作する『品川猿の告白 Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey』が11月に神奈川で上演。イギリスで観るためにはもう一度グラスゴーに行かなくちゃいけないのか…。
