Sai-no-kuni Shakespeare Series
"Henry VIII"

Henry VIII, the most scandalous king in British royal history. For the sake of absolute authority, he mercilessly cuts off his subordinates and replaces the queen. The scandal surrounding the king, the intermingling desires and intrigues behind the scandal, and the fierce battle for position are repeated.

The Sai-No-Kuni Shakespeare Series (SSS) was launched in 1998 with the aim of fully staging all 37 Shakespeare plays. Under the direction and supervision of Yukio Ninagawa, it has been 23 years since the first production, “Romeo and Juliet”, and in October 2016, Kotaro Yoshida took over as the second director, completing the 37th production in May 2021, “All’s Well that Ends Well”.

In February 2020, the 35th production of the series, “Henry VIII,” suffered the cancellation of its final performances in the aftereffects of the worldwide outbreak of the new coronavirus infection. A regrettable end to the series–. 2 and a half years have passed since then. The cast and crew who vowed to revive the show have come together once again, and it will be back this September! 

【Comment】

◆Director and Performer : Kotaro Yoshida

About 2 years ago, in the middle of a performance, the show was canceled due to Corona, I couldn’t find any way to calm down and was sipping coffee in the dressing room when one by one, the actors who felt the same way gathered around me and said, “It’s so frustrating. I heard that all the regional performances are also cancelled.” “Can’t anything be done?” While I was crying, Abe-chan came over, and I asked Abe-chan, who was very busy, “Abe-chan, let’s do it again,” and he surprisingly seemed to say, “Let’s do it.”

When I later confirmed this, he said he would still do it. I asked all the performers if they would be willing to perform again, and they all said they would. In other words, this re-staging was not decided after much trial and error, but rather was a project that began to take shape almost as soon as the cancellation of the show was decided. The cast is 99% the same as in the first performance, and everyone has long-awaited. Starting with Hiroshi Abe’s King, please look forward to “Henry VIII” becoming even more powerful and more deeper

◆Starring : Hiroshi Abe

I am now excited to be back in that blood curdling Shakespearean world. When the event was canceled 2 years ago with Corona, I was frustrated, but at the same time I thought this was another chance. Sure enough, on the same day, Kotaro approached me about doing the show again. Of course, I said, “Let’s do it.”

Ever since that day, the Henry VIII inside me has been continuing. And I am grateful that almost all of us can do it with the same cast. This time Henry will evolve even further. I am looking forward to it.

Summary

It takes place in 16th century English royal palace. Favored by Henry VIII, the haughty Cardinal Wolsey, who schemes his way to ascend the throne, is the target of the royalists’ condemnation. One night at a banquet hosted by Wolsey, the king falls in love with Anne Brynn, a courtesan in the service of Queen Catherine. The King files a divorce suit to annul his marriage to the Queen, but religious and complex international issues become intertwined, and the case evolves into a historical problem.

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