Artists of Uzume Theater (Japan) in the play "Peace"
On the evening of November 25, at Pham Thi Tran Theater (Ninh Binh), the play "Peace" by Uzume Theater (Japan) left a special echo in the hearts of the audience when watching the 6th International Experimental Theater Festival - 2025. The play is an art performance that opens a space for deep contemplation on war, peace and human fate - something that is never old, even though it has gone through more than two millennia of history.
Uzume Theatre and the Works of Aristophanes: The Journey of a Human Desire
The play is adapted from the classic work "Peace" by the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes, through the version of Peter Hacks and directed by German director Peter Goessner. This is an ancient comedy with a strong anti-war spirit, but in the approach of Uzume Theater, the comedy is only "surface", while underneath is a quiet flow of human tragedy.
Using many techniques, artists from Uzume Theater (Japan) told the story "Peace" in a very unique experimental style.
The story revolves around the peasant Trygaios – representing the voice of the people, an ordinary man with extraordinary aspirations. When the war lasted so long that no one remembered the reason for its origin, Trygaios rode a scarab beetle, flew to Mount Olympus to rescue the imprisoned goddess of Peace. But ironically, not everyone wanted her freedom. Some benefited from the war, some feared change, some were used to living in chaos…
There the modern tragedy is revealed: Peace is not only prevented by metaphysical forces, but also by human selfishness, fear and habit of suffering.
Uzume Theater, founded in 1996 in Kitakyushu, is one of the oldest combined theater groups in Japan. They won the Toga National Director's Competition in 2000, participated in the construction of the Sengawa Theater in Tokyo, and regularly appear at many international festivals.
All of these elements take Uzume beyond the concept of a "guest group", to become a creative entity with its own voice on the world's experimental theater map.
Uzume Theatre and the fusion of European philosophy with Japanese theatrical spirit
The special thing about "Peace" is not only the script but also the staging, which has a spirit of East-West fusion. Director Peter Goessner, with a background in German theater, has combined classical European theater thinking with the restraint, minimalism and inner depth typical of Japanese theater.
The character design is very impressive.
Without overusing modern stage techniques, the play uses the actors' bodies, the rhythm of the dialogue, and expressive movements to create an imaginary space that is both conventional and familiar.
The dung beetle – a strange symbol in the original – appears not as a mere humorous element, but as a metaphor for transcending thinking: when people want to find peace, they must dare to overcome the very things they consider "inferior" and "absurd".
Multi-generational cast – a continuation of tradition and future
One of the highlights of "Peace" is the combination of veteran actors who have won national awards and young faces who were Peter Goessner's students at TOHO Gakuen College of Drama and Music. It is this resonance that makes the play a space of intersection between experience and youth, between past and present.
Leaders of the Vietnam Stage Artists Association congratulate artists of Uzume Theater (Japan)
The fact that "Peace" was performed in Ninh Binh - a land rich in history and cultural depth, further enhances the meaning of the work.
In the context of the current world where there are still many hot spots of conflict, war, violence and instability, the play is a work of art that reminds humanity of the fundamental value of life: peace is not something obvious, but the result of struggle, of courage to overcome selfishness.
"Peace" does not directly condemn or call for slogans, but quietly sows a message in the hearts of the audience: Let's cherish the value of peace with the love of humanity.
And perhaps, it is thanks to that message that the play has transcended the boundaries of a performance, to become a spiritual experience – where the audience dialogues with themselves.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/vo-hoa-binh-va-cach-ke-chuyen-rat-rieng-cua-nha-hat-uzume-nhat-ban-196251127055914714.htm
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