SPAC's Outdoor Theatre Performance of "Mahabharata -- Nalacharitam" to Be Staged as Part of Tokyo Festival 2023 on October 19-23 on Special Stage in Front of Tokyo Station

TOKYO, Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tokyo Festival Executive Committee has announced details of the Shizuoka Performing Arts Center's (SPAC) Outdoor Theatre Performance of "Mahabharata -- Nalacharitam." The production is being staged as part of Tokyo Festival 2023. The play is shifting its stage to Gyoko-dori Street, which boasts city landmark Tokyo Station as its backdrop. This legendary work will be performed as the Tokyo Festival 2023 version, a celestial celebration of theater fusing live music with movements and narrative by actors.

Image1: https://cdn.kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M105782/202309220014/_prw_PI15fl_49j2t9n9.jpg 

"Mahabharata -- Nalacharitam" is the masterpiece of Satoshi Miyagi, General Director of Tokyo Festival. Miyagi has taken the story of King Nala -- said to be the most beautiful romance among the great national epics of ancient India -- back to Japan's ancient Heian period and elevated it into a ravishing production resembling a picture scroll.

Image2: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/202309220014?p=images 

The work premiered in 2003 and has since been staged all over the world. In 2014, it was performed by invitation of Festival d'Avignon at The Carriere de Boulbon, which was first used by Peter Brook. Ever since this spectacular and innovative production has garnered worldwide attention and acclaim, with global theater fans clamoring for a revival.

Performance outline

- Date/time: Thursday, October 19 - Monday, October 23/All 5 performances from 12:00 (JST)
- Venue: Special stage on Gyoko-dori Street (2-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
- Tickets going on sale: 10:00, Saturday, September 30 (JST)
- Ticket prices: Regular seat 5,500 yen / Balcony seats free (Reservation required)
- URL: https://tokyo-festival.jp/2023/en/ 

About Tokyo Festival
Tokyo Festival is a comprehensive urban arts festival held every fall around Tokyo's Toshima-ku, centering on the Ikebukuro area, which aims to connect with the world through Tokyo's rich and diverse arts and culture scenes.

Tokyo Festival 2023 outline
- Date: Friday, September 1-Sunday, October 29, 2023
- Sites: Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, Rosa Kaikan, Metropolitan Plaza Building Free Passage, Ikebukuro and surrounding areas in Tokyo's Toshima-ku, etc.
- Organizers: Tokyo Festival Executive Committee (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture <Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre & Arts Council Tokyo>, Tokyo Metropolitan Government)
- Sponsor: Asahi Group Japan, Ltd.