Travis Japanโs Noel Kawashima (30) will take on his first-ever solo leading role in the stage play The Man Who Had All the Luck, running from November 14 to December 2 at the Tokyo Globe Theatre.
Written by world-renowned playwright Arthur Miller and first performed in New York in 1944, the play is celebrated as one of Millerโs finest early works, exploring how fate and human will intertwine.
Noel will play David Beeves, a man whose life becomes filled with one stroke of good fortune after anotherโso much so that he begins to fear what lies ahead. While those around him face challenges, Davidโs success continues without fail, leaving him uneasy about the future and questioning the nature of his own achievements.
The production will be directed by Lindsay Posner, a leading figure in British theatre whose work on Death and the Maiden won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play.
In a small Midwestern town in America, David Beeves (Noel Kawashima) is a self-taught mechanic running a small auto repair shop out of his familyโs barn. His older brother dreams of becoming a baseball player and trains relentlessly, but never gets his break. Their father, however, continues to pin his hopes on him. David has been dating Hester for seven years, but her father strongly opposes their relationship, preventing them from marrying.
Then, from one night onward, Davidโs life begins to be colored with good fortuneโobstacles vanish one by one, and he finally marries Hester. While those around him face hardship, Davidโs success continues. Yet, because he feels he has achieved nothing through his own efforts, a growing unease about the future begins to gnaw at him. When Hester becomes pregnant, that unease solidifies into a single, unshakable conviction.
For Noel, this role marks several milestones. It is his first major straight play, following his double lead with groupmate Kaito Matsukura in last yearโs A BETTER TOMORROW. He first stepped onto the stage as a teenager, playing Young Simba in Shiki Theatre Companyโs The Lion King, and has since built a multifaceted careerโgraduating from Aoyama Gakuin University, becoming fluent in multiple languages, appearing on quiz shows, his own YouTube channel, and earning multiple professional certifications, including a real estate brokerโs license. In 2024, he published his first original essay collection.
As a member of Travis Japan, Noel has experienced both hard-fought struggles and sweeping successes. The group, which debuted in 2022, ranked No. 1 on last yearโs Breakthrough Talent list and is currently on a world tour. But his own journey included debuting at nearly 28โthe oldest debut in the agency at the timeโafter a long trainee period, as well as a hiatus in late 2024 due to health issues before returning in May 2025.
Perhaps that is why The Man Who Had All the Luck resonates so deeply: a story of fortune, perseverance, and the quiet unease that can accompany success. As Noel steps into David Beevesโ shoes, he carries with him both the sweetness and the weight of his own experiences.
Noel Kawashima (as David Beeves) โ Comment
When I received the offer, I truly felt like I had โseized all the luck.โ Along with my happiness, I strongly felt the desire to work hard so as not to let go of this good fortune. As this is my first solo starring role on stage, I am nervous, but I want to work together with my co-stars so that everyone feels like they are the protagonist of this piece and we can all bring it to life together. In true Travis Japan fashion, I want us to aim for the spirit of โthe whole team as the lead.โ
This will be my first challenge in delivering a work solely through acting on stage, and to move the audienceโs hearts in that way. I hope my members will say, โYou really shine on stage!โ and I want to bring back a new level of depthโtwofold, threefoldโto Travis Japan as well. Iโm looking forward to seeing everyoneโs faces from the stage, and I hope youโll enjoy seeing a Noel Kawashima who has grown as an actor through this production. I want to share the same space and the same time with you. Please โseizeโ your ticket and come to the theaterโIโd be so happy if you did! Please come see it!
Lindsay Posner (Director) โ Comment
This will be my third time directing in Tokyo, and I am truly looking forward to it. I know Japanese audiences have a deep interest in Arthur Millerโs works, which makes me all the more excited. The Man Who Had All the Luck is one of Millerโs early plays, but even here, you can already sense the seeds of the great works to comeโin the way he portrays the dynamics within families and the moral dilemmas the characters face. And, as in all his works, Miller turns his gaze not only to personal issues, but also to the state of society and politics.
Meeting Noel-san, who is already an outstandingly talented performer, and beginning work on this play has also been a stroke of luck. The fact that we immediately connected from our first meeting makes me certain that this collaboration will be fruitful and enjoyable. I expect that for Japanese theatergoers, The Man Who Had All the Luck will be a thrilling, captivating theatrical experienceโone that deeply resonates with their own lives.
Performance Details
Venue: Tokyo Globe Theatre (3-1-2 Hyakunin-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo)
Dates: November 14 (Fri) โ December 2 (Tue), 2025