Shakespeare in the Theatre: Yukio Ninagawa

Yukio Ninagawa (1935–2016) was Japan's foremost director of Shakespeare whose productions were acclaimed around the world. His work was lauded for its spectacular imagery, its inventive use of Japanese iconography and its striking fusion of Eastern and Western theatre traditions. Over a career spanning six decades, Ninagawa directed 31 of Shakespeare's plays, many of them, including Hamlet, on multiple occasions. His landmark productions of Macbeth, The Tempest, Hamlet, Pericles, Twelfth Night and Cymbeline became seminal events in world Shakespeare production during the last 30 years. This is the first English-language book dedicated exclusively to his work. Featuring an overview of the extraordinary number of Shakespeare plays he directed, this study considers both his Shakespearean work and his productions of Greek tragedy, including Oedipus The King and his landmark production of Medea in 1978. His productions of Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Macbeth and the eight productions of Hamlet which he directed all receive close attention. The volume closes with a detailed analysis of the Sai-no-Kuni Shakespeare Series - in which he set out to stage all of Shakespeare’s plays in his hometown of Saitama, north of Tokyo. Written by Conor Hanratty, who studied with Ninagawa for over a year, it offers a unique and unprecedented glimpse into the work and approach of one of the world’s great theatre directors.