SHIBAHAMA

シバハマ

SHIBAHAMA!

Shibawhat? Shibahama: A Japanese Rakugo 落語 Rakugo! (wiki) piece, released from its traditional boundaries and re-territorialized into the space of contemporary theatre, in an attempt to explore the weaknesses that lie at the very core of human existence. Wham! Through performances all over the globe, we try to merge our own style of theater with indigenous cultural practices (a.k.a. stuff you guys do but we don´t), to generate a pandemonic mouth-gaping kick-ass spectacle that tears down the borders of art and life.

We prefer incompleteness over completeness. That´s why Shibahama is not a ready-made show to be carried around like a turtleshell. Only the bone-structure remains, as it follows the story of Nami-chan and her husband Kuma-chan. However, the idea behind Shibahama is not to retell a story told manifold and many times, but to open a space for encounter and communication that unites all of us on common ground and turns the formula of "cultural exchange" into more than a mere catchphrase. In order to realize this, we need to come to your country and dig around in your backyard!

The original story of Shibahama

Shibahama is the story of a drunkard fishmonger called Kuma-chan, who never goes to work. One day, he finds a wallet on the seashore with a fortune inside. Filled with joy, he returns home and sets up a feast together with his wife, after which he falls asleep. The next morning, his wife tells him that he only dreamed about finding the money and that all they have left now are the debts from the previous night's party. His first thought is to commit double-suicide, but giving in to his wife's pressure, he finally decides to quit drinking and changes into a hard-working man. Three years later on New Year's Eve, his wife admits that the money was real - frightened by the large sum, she had taken it to the police, but as the original owner was not found, the money came back to her soon. Kuma gets angry at first, but soon realizes that he must be grateful towards his wife. The couple decides to celebrate with a glass of wine. But as the man lifts the glass, his final words are: Better not! Or it will all become a dream again.

FAIFAI´s Shibahama

FAIFAI´s Shibahama re-mixes this story in many different ways: as a Robotic Dance, a Gameshow, a Boxing fight and also real Rakugo. We even do theater! During the show, the stage will be partly interactive and filled with light-effects, electronic toys and other bling-bling stuff we grabbed from your local fleamarket. Gambling, drinking or just wasting the day - everything we do, everyone we meet will turn into a significant component of the play - if we rediscover a contemporary form of Shibahama. Local guest performers (musicians, actors, radio hosts etc.) are also invited to play the idle main-character "Kuma-chan" and give their personal contribution to international and cross-temporal good-for-nothingness! Finally, the shape of the performance will be different from time to time and from place to place, as Shibahama is the only loop that never repeats itself.