This July, the third installment of the fantasy reading play THE MOST DISTANT DAY FROM YOU was held at the National Noh Theatre in Tokyo. Alongside Tetsuya Bessho, Kii Kitano, and Traditional Kyogen performer Nomura Manojo was one of our favourite faces: B&ZAI’s Rinne Sugeta. Rinne portrayed the lead character on July 4th, a character that has been rotating with Rintaro Hachimura (WATWINGS) and Sota Nakajima (FANTASTICS) over three days.
As a West End’s musicals aficionada, this was my first time attending a reading play, and the venue itself was absolutely stunning, constructed entirely from beautifully aged Japanese cypress. Part of the musicians were also the legendary duo Yoshida Brothers, so I was excited to finally see them perform during the play.
THE MOST DISTANT DAY FROM YOU is a fantasy reading play written by Akishin, the CEO, woven from a wish for peace. Combining music with traditional instruments like taiko drum and shamisen, dance, acting, recitation, and Kyogen (traditional Japanese comic theater), the narration is mostly done sitting in different points of the stage, with the characters never really looking at each other. Each movement is poised, solemn and intentional, bringing a sense of reverence to the audience.
The story follows the adventures of a young man traveling in a post-apocalyptic world where language has disappeared. None of the characters really have names, and we follow the journey of a Young man and a beautiful Maiden picking up words that have literally fallen to the ground. Words they are trying to understand, and that empowers them to go on a journey to find the answer to why words have actually disappeared from the world.
Because the style of the play is calling for a softer and more contained performance, this brought a very different light to Rinne’s skill, as I am way more used to seeing the goofy airhead on YouTube or the sexy idol on stage. This time around, we witnessed a more reserved yet powerful side of him, putting the focus on his storytelling abilities.
Throughout the story, three words will guide our lead characters: Soi, Koi, Ai. More than a reflection of their relationship, these are what remains from humanity in this muted world
- Soi (そい ) Companionship
- Koi (こい ) Longing
- Ai (あい ) Love
The play is structured as a continuous, two-part single-act production. While they are narratively linked, each part covers a distinct phase of the world and the characters’ emotional journey.
The second part of the script reveals that the world didn’t lose language because of physical destruction. It lost language because humanity itself had lost empathy. Since this universe is a result of World War III, by declaring “Ai” as the final word, the protagonist targets the core emotion that is needed to protect world peace and ensure humanity never destroys itself again. Supporting Rinne’s words are three female dancers, draped in long white sleeves, floating fabric moving constantly around him, their emotions being a mirror of his surroundings. They are the physical reflection of his journey. Their performance starts from an uneasy, disjointed contemporary dance with severe expressions, portraying the panic of a society that has suddenly lost the ability to speak in the first part, to an uplifting, powerful, and strong routine at the very end, bringing joy and smiles back into the world.
Speaking of this work, and what particular words he would like to convey if he were in the character’s shoes, Rinne says he would like to convey “thank you.“:
Whether I am happy or sad, I am who I am today because of the support of others
“Thank you” might be a word that’s hard to say because it’s embarrassing. But I think it’s a magical word that can convey your feelings clearly in just one word. If this were truly the last time, I would want to say “thank you” to everyone I’ve met and to my family who raised me.
I believe that I was given this opportunity thanks to everyone who always supports me.
I am grateful to be able to perform on such a historic and special stage, and I am looking forward to spending time with all of you.
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More Rinne content on Dumpling Box
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