Message from Waewdao as Draupadi, Yama, Citrasena and Deer.

The day when we reached the end of the last scene and Hiroshi called for black out, my heart dropped. I know that this is going to happen, I know that we will reach this point, I just not prepared for this…….. what can I said?? Everything is so sudden. We’ve been working on this for so long and it seemed to me like a never endless process. But here we are, in Jakarta, counting the day down to the last two performances and go back to our own countries, travel to another countries and continued our profession, until the next time comes. However, after every performances I still feel like I would like to get into the timemachine and go back to the previous one, and make it better, one will ever think that they are completely did such a perfect job for each of their performance, I am one of that. I just hope that we will have time and chance to develop this piece together again in the future. With a lot of love, heart, care, and ambitious from all colleagues, we are able to succeed the Mahabharata II project, thank you to all of you who I couldn’t name, all who work on this, families and friends who always their to support us, we will see again, when our path cross, I promise.

ไม่สามารถรอได้! = Can not wait!

Waewdao, yours Draupadi and so on.

The piece I admire - by Moon Moon Singh

Once I looked at the piece of Shiva and Arjuna  . I was then rehearsing outside yet, I was keen on seeing what was  happening inside the black box I saw how two dancers ( ‘Sachiko ‘ as ‘Shiva’ and ‘Smesh’ as ‘Arjuna’ )were creatively working on movements . Hiroshi San sees  the’Satvik Bhava’ of the scene and through this I learnt that it is the intention and the emotion behind the scene that counts more as opposed to the movement per say. The music was just as I pictured in my mind this drives further interest and curiosity of what is to be revealed .As I saw Sachiko and Smesh  go through the movements Hiroshi san asked to incorporate sounds with it and this to my surprise gave a tremendous colour to the scene .Especially after Sachiko says ‘Come!!’ It is not easy as it seems yet such choreographies are tricky and so enjoyable for the viewer. I watched this scene grow from Movement to the colour of ‘Shiva ‘. As a director, I could witness the calmness with which one attacks the pulse of the scene and as dancers one needs to colour in its own understanding inclusive of the demand from the creator , this made the task look challenging yet these dancers through rehearsals have proved the true power of the scene. On asking Sachiko San  I was keen on knowing that How difficult it is with the mask to do the lifts and other movements  with Smesh and she said its indeed difficult   but I carry on…” So ladies and Gentlemen !!  It’s the will that counts and not your impossibilities.Its a mind game! Its simple Physics and these two performers have proved it. I now wait for my ‘ God scene’ which is just after this one.I must confess I feel restless and impatient to watch it with keen interest.Neverthless, this scene would continue to permit me to paint the colours of ‘Shiva’ even after the show has ended…this is truly a new beginning of learning and gathering That quintessence of ‘aesthetic sense’.

message from Lee Swee Keong

It's became an automatic reaction connecting to WiFi ( fb , e mail etc , an illusive world yet

' connecting ' to the world) once step in to where we stay .

The director Hiroshi said his aim of this project is about awareness and behevious of human being, environment. ...

through this iDea I rather start from small ' area ' - myself behevious,  existence, 

this is about the living in India ( I love get away from home ), the peoples passing by , the hawkers,  the food , watching performances , the houses n building , how peoples dressing, the cleaner at the guest house , the local organization,  the rehearsal space, the team members ( from different cultures , background ), the working progress, 

the emotional and phisical cablebelity among members ( 6.30 am to 3 pm rehearsal time is a big challenge ).

Cultural ecology is interesting issue ,  human adaption refers to both biological and cultural processes that enable a population to survive and repose within a given or changing environment. 

Seems everyone having great satisfaction n fun for the progress,  Yes ! Thank you Hiroshi having such a Great idea of doing MAHABHARATA , and it's great in the land and artists of the blood of Mahabharata this year.

Swee keong

Rediscovering the expressive abilities and power of human body. by Sreejith Ramanan

First I must say what a privilege it is to take part in Hiroshi Koike Bridge project, Mahabharatha II. His rehearsal is a process of leading someone out from one space to another space. It's a maturity process, a growing process . It means we have one place we come from and we go to another place. It means we have a sense of direction. I hope i improved lot of area like intercultural competence, sensitivity, interaction skills in a multicultural environment. Opportunity to combine theoretical knowledge with practical skills. Opportunity to experience in an intercultural, multilingual and interdisciplinary group. It's a dance world. All the cast members have  incredible dancing skill except me :). I am stepping in to unknown world with known Mahabharatha. Really exciting and challenging. 

"And mile to go before i sleep...."

Mahabharata Chapter 2 official web site now open!!

いよいよマハーバーラタ第２章、公式ウェブサイトがオープンになりました！

というわけで、今年も昨年に引き続き、このブログ上でリハーサルの様子等アップしていくので、よろしくお願いします。

Mahabharata Chapter 2 official web site now open!!

We're going to show you the rehearsal progress through this blog page.

今年は南インドのケララ州、ケララの文化の中心地と言われているトリチュールでリハーサル。すでに4週間が過ぎました。

キャストは去年に引き続き日本から白井さち子、小谷野哲郎の2名、マレーシアからスイキョン、それに加え、今年はタイからワエウダウ、インドからはスリージッ、デニー、スメッシュ、ムーンムーンの4名、合計8名のキャストに、小池さんと演出助手の荒木さんで稽古を進めています。

It already 4 weeks passed since we started rehearsal here, Thrissur - Kerala - South India, the cultural capital of Kerala.

We proceed our rehearsal with 8 casts and Mr. Koike Hiroshi as a director and Ms. Araki Ayako as a assistant director. 8 casts includes Shirai Sachiko and Koyano Tetsuro from Japan and Lee Swee Keong from Malaysia as last year. And we have new casts from Thai, Waewdao Sirisook, and India, Sreejith, Denny, Sumesh and Moonmoon.

休日にはみんなで観光名所の滝に行ったり、リハーサルはとても良い雰囲気で進み、すでに70分が形になってきました。今回の第２章は90分の予定。

Rehearsal progress is very smooth with great relationship between us all. We went to the famous waterfall as a off day too. We have already done 70 minutes from the scenes, this chapter 2 might be 90 minutes long.

公演は1月12日にここトリチュールで、14日はムンバイ、17日18日クアラルンプール、23日24日にジャカルタです。どうぞお楽しみに！

We're going to have performances on January 12th in Thrissur, 14th in Mumbai, 17th and 18th in Kuala Lumpur, 23rd and 24th in Jakarta. Don't miss it!!!

photos by Koike Hiroshi

Mahabharata Chapter 2 has started! マハーバーラタ第二部始動！

We Started the rehearsal of Mahabharata Chapter 2 in India from November 2014.
You can check this blog for the latest news from Thrissur, south India. Don't miss it!

2014年11月からインドにてマハーバーラタ第二部の稽古がスタートしました！
このブログでは稽古の様子など最新情報を更新していきます。お楽しみに！

（※さかのぼると2013年マハーバーラタ第一部のブログもご覧になれます。そちらもお楽しみください。）

プノンペン公演終わりました

劇場入りしてから、本番まで本当にあっという間でした。2ヶ月近くリハーサルをしてきて2回公演とは何ともさみしい。まあ、そんなものではあるけれども。

公演はおかげさまで大成功といえると思います。昨日は開演前にものすごいスコール。客足落ちるかな？と不安でしたが、開場前なのに雨降ってるからとドヤドヤ入ってきてしまうあたりは何ともカンボジア。(まあ、外で待たせるわけにもいかないけどね。)

終演後にカンボジア人のお客様とお話しをしていて「私のクメール語わかった？」と聞いてみたら、「わかるところとわからないところとあったけど、そんな事は問題じゃない。貴方の仕草や声のトーン、リズムが言葉の意味以上に語りかけてくるので聴き入ってしまった。素晴らしいパフォーマンスだった」と言っていただいた。何だか言われた私の方が心が動いた。

今回の作品はクメール語、英語、日本語、中国語と飛び交う。言葉というのはその言葉そのものに意味があるのではなく、使う人の心によって意味が変わるものだ。分かってはいたけど、「ちゃんと伝わるんだ！」と嬉しい気持ちにさせていただいた。「ありがとうございます」

さて、一夜明けて今日はハノイへ移動します。ハノイは1回公演のみ。

ゆるゆると、楽しんでまいりましょう。

(写真 kok Man)