Tomorrow I am embarking on a new journey to Japan.  After I began to practice Noh theatre I went back to Japan almost every spring in order to undertake training with Udaka Michishige in Kyoto. For someone like me, coming from a non-Japanese studies background, it is rather hard to find opportunities to go to Japan and study there. So far I always managed with travel grants and research funding. This year will be my first experience as ‘official’ exchange student at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. Among the choices were Waseda and Keio – with all due respect, the exchange programme committee was a bit surprised to see that my first choice was Rits. However Kyoto is the city I love and the headquarters of Udaka-sensei’s International Noh Institute. I am going to stay there until September, entering then my 4th and final PhD year at Royal Holloway.

This time in Kyoto is going to be very special. On 12 June 2010 I will take my first role as actor in a full Noh theatre performance, Makiginu, as companion of the main actor, or shite-tsure. The shite role will be taken by Monique Arnaud, advanced student of Udaka Michishige and licensed instructor of Noh (shihan). While this tsure is a rather static role, its function is primarily centred on the chant. As he opens the performance singing a rather long chant section, his responsibility is setting the mood of the play. I will post more information about this event as my training progresses.

The other reason that makes this performance particularly special for me is being on stage with Monique Arnaud, who has taught me Noh theatre while I was living in Italy. If I have a chance to be performing on a Noh stage today, I owe it to Monique-sensei. I will write more about her later on.

As for now, wish me good luck.