My First Time Watching a Play at Shinjuku Ryozanpaku

June 16, 2025 Shinjuku Ryozanpaku Performance

The Atmosphere of a Tent Performance

I went to my first-ever tent performance!
I took the afternoon off, hopped on a plane, and headed to Hanazono Shrine... By the time I arrived, the performers were already starting to line up.
What I felt when going to the tent performance was that all the performers were so full of life.
A unique feature of tent performances is that the performers handle everything themselves, from day-of tasks like lining up and selling merchandise to the costumes and even assembling the tent, and it really came across how they were all giving it their all, having fun, and truly loving the stage.
Also, the gap between the performers before the show and during the performance was very charming.
It was a performance that made me really grow fond of the people at Shinjuku Ryozanpaku.

Thoughts on the Tent Performance

In short, the impact and sense of immersion were incredible! In the extraordinary space of the tent, watching the actors perform at a distance where I could almost reach out and touch them, I felt like I was truly being drawn into the world of the play. This is something unique to a tent.
And of course, the final 'yatai-kuzushi' (collapsing of the stage set) was a masterpiece.
Just a moment before, I had been overwhelmed by the world of the story, but then,
the back of the tent suddenly opened up to reveal the streets of Shinjuku and the passersby, and I was pulled back into reality all at once, leaving me with an indescribable, strange feeling...

Hanazono Shrine after the performance was darker than before the show, creating a very fantastical atmosphere.

Even after the show ended, I felt like I was floating, as if I weren't in reality. That’s how much I felt I had been bathed in an incredible story and incredible power.
If I have the chance, I definitely want to see another tent performance!

Thoughts on the Play - Alibaba, Beggar of Love

This was my second time watching a Juro Kara work, following 'Calling from the Girl City,' and it really boils down to the feeling of 'It's so difficult!!!' It felt like I had wandered into another world and had my heart grabbed. But even in the parts I didn't understand, there were moments I could empathize with or parts I liked, and I felt once again that this is what makes it interesting.
I'm so glad I was able to watch it at a distance where I could reach out and touch Yasu-kun!
(I plan to write more detailed thoughts in a separate notebook.)

I hope I can see another tent performance featuring Yasu-kun!