The event opens an opportunity to experience a uniquely Japanese yet very accessible art form. It incorporates a screening of one of Japanese classic silent films with both live narration in the 'Katsudo-Benshi' style and improvised piano accompaniment provided by the world renowned silent pianist Mie Yanashita.
Silent Film Live Show
Katsudo-Benshi Narration + Piano accompaniment
Silent Film Pianist:
Mie Yanashita
Mie is one of the great professional silent film pianist in the world. Mie has performed alongside more than 600 silent films throughout the world, including Britain, Germany, Italy and France.
Katsudo-Benshi Narrator: Hideyuki Yamashiro
Hideyuki is an established narrator in the Katsudo-Benshi style. He currently works with Matsuda Film Productions which specializes in silent films.
Dartford Grammer School ( School Visit by Hideyuki Yamashiro )
23/06/2017 11.00 am - 15:30 Dartford, UK
The year 8 and 9 students who study Japanese language got together. They are studying TANABATA story with Picture-Story Show (KAMISHIBAI).
It was so nice to see how the students in UK learn about Japanese traditional culture like this.
They have never seen the real Kamishibai at all. So Hideyuki performed Kamishibai “Ogon Bat (Golden Bat)” in Japanese for them.
The students enjoyed so much of real Kamishibai and so inspired!
Hideyuki let some of them try perform “Ogon Bat”. It was wonderful to see the students pick up a bit of Kamisibai performer’s skill by using little drum!
Foyles Bookshop ( Admission Free )
23/06/2017 6.00pm London, UK
Here’s the photos and great episodes of Silent Film Live Show related in June 2017 we would like to share.
Friday 23rd June 2017, evening - Workshop
Hideyuki came back to London and met Mie who was enjoying half day off at Foyles Bookshop to carry out the workshop.
Short lecture regarding What is Katsudo-Benshi presented by Pamela Hutchinson which was followed by short screening of one of famous Japanese silent films “Orochi” with live narration by Hideyuki in Japanese and piano accompaniment by Mie. The film already has English subtitles on it. So the audience can understand what’s the story even if Hideyuki performed in Japanese.
Discussion with Pamera Hutchinson, Hideyuki and Mie regarding Benshi as a contemporary occupation, what is the future of Benshi as an art form.
Demonstration with short extract of clip with live narration by Hideyuki around 5mins followed by tutorial.
Then audience got an opportunity to try live narration themselves in English. We had English scripts for the audience to read out.
At the beginning, people were so shy to raise their hands. However, eventually, there were brave 3 audience tried it out and all of them did very well. Great job.
People attended this event seemed to be so excited and happy, After the event, there’re quite a few people approached to performers to ask questions.
However, we had to rush to the airport to go back to Dublin straight way.
It was very hectic.
Chester Beatty Library
24/06/2017 Dublin, Ireland
Irish Premiere
In the morning, Hideyuki performed Picture-Story Show (Paper Theatre) - Kamishibai for kids and families. He started carrying out animal quiz. Children got into it straight way because they could get a Origami if they named the correct animal!
It was very relaxed and nice time with children for Hideyuki.
After the Kamishibai, we rehearsed “Orochi” screening. Originally we were planning to add some sound effect by using kitchen utensils. However, it was not good at all. Therefore, that idea was dismissed.
After the rehearsal, we had a chance to have lunch together at Silk Road Cafe. The food was very nice and Mie and Hideyuki were enjoying.
On the “Orochi” screening with Hideyuki’s Katsudo-Benshi narration and Mie’s piano accompaniment, there are full of people in the lecture room!
Mary from Chester Beatty Library and Mr. Yuichi Yamada from Embassy of Japan in Ireland gave a speech. Then Hideyuki provided the audience with his lecture what is Benshi for about 20 mins.
Hideyuki’s brilliant narration let the audience into the story deeply straight way.
Mie’s amazing piano plays added more atmosphere and emotion.
74 min passed in a blink of an eye. The feedback from the audience was so good, everyone stayed there for a while even though long enough after the event finished.
There were 2 types scripts of subtitles existed for this film on DVD (We played DVD for this screening).
One of them is written by Syunsui Matsuda and the other is by Midori Sawato. Hideyuki used Midori Sabato version of it.
When we carried out the demonstration of Katsudo-Benshi narration at Folyes Bookshop in London, the scripts by Syunsui Matsuda was used. Of course, Mie’s play were different each time, too.
Therefore, each screening is different and unique - once-off in a life time.
The things to be improved / to be taken in account of are:-
- The seats for audience could have been bleacher seats so that all the audience can see the subtitles well. There’s a bit of feedback about it.
- English speaking Benshi could have made easier for the audience to understand story precisely.
Barbican Centre Cinema1
25/06/2017 London, UK
Here’s the photos and great episodes of Silent Film Live Show related in June 2017 we would like to share.
Sunday 25th June 2017
We were planning to fly back to London early morning on that day. The booked original flight was 8:50 from Dublin Airport.
However, there’s disruption and our flight was cancelled with short notice. Had to book flight later than that. It eventually cost us much expensive:-(
We departed 11:40 and arrived at London City Airport 12:40. It was actually quite handy to have arrived at London City Airport as Barbican is not so far from there.
We straight to the venue from the airport. Met with the team from the Barbican. Tamara who is the film curator of Barbican brought us to the cinema 1 where we were going to perform. The cinema 1 was so huge. The capacity is 258. Wondered how many people would come to our event…
Anyhow, we carries out sound check and everything with Barbican staff. I was so moved to watch Yasujiro Ozu’s “I Was Born, But..” in the 35mm screen. The quality of the film was fantastic. It’s so rare to be able to see this type of silent film with 35 mm version of it on a big screen. I felt so privileged.
Hideyuki told me that he added some extra lines for the narration on this film.
There’s no subtitles for those additional ones. So I was a bit worried how the audience will react to it.
Luckily, I got a chance to give a speech prior to the screening. So I mentioned about it to the audience in advance. Therefore, no surprise about it.
All the additional lines were straightforward and obvious with the visual. So people watching that should know what Hideyuki was speaking even if that’s spoken in Japanese…
His improvised / additional lines were so great and effective. Then audience seemed to fully understood and enjoyed. Tamara from Barbican told me that she also really enjoyed experiencing along with audience by hearing laughing along with the film, and clapping loudly at the end… :-) :-)
I was told that booking was 163 or so initially. Then it ended up with 173 audience in total on that day.
Tamara mentioned that it was well over their targeted attendance for specialised screenings (their target was 110), and it was highest figure for all of the films in the season complementing The Japanese House Exhibition in the Barbican Gallery.
We were really happy with the outcome on that day.
Thank you so much for your great performance Mie and Hideyuki, also thank you for your wonderful support Tamara and your team from Barbican Centre!
