This October, you can experience the magic of Japanese physical theatre when tarinainanika breathe life into the extraordinary paintings of cult artist Rey Camoy on our Northcott stage using their unique Corporeal Mime style.
We’re inviting you to get to know tarinainanika a little better, and discover a world where movement transcends words, and the body becomes the storyteller.
Watch the mesmerising trailer for Rey Camoy, or scroll down to dive into the creative process behind the show in our exclusive interview with tarinainanika Co-Artistic Director, Tania Coke.
Book NowRead our exclusive interview with tarinainanika Co-Artistic Director Tania Coke
Tania explains what makes Corporeal Mime so special, what inspired them to re-imagine the paintings of cult Japanese artist Rey Camoy on our stage, and what they enjoy most about performing in the UK.
Who are tarinainanika?
Tania: tarinainanika is a physical theatre company specialising in Corporeal Mime. tarinainanika Co-Director Kentaro Suyama and I trained and began our careers in the UK with Steven Wasson and Corinne Soum (last assistants of the founder of Corporeal Mime, Etienne Decroux). In 2010, we moved to Kens’s native Japan and set up tarinainanika. We are based at the Flying Carpet Factory, an old carpet warehouse in Osaka. ‘tarinainanika’ means “the missing something”. Every show we create is a search for that missing something.
What is corporeal mime?
Tania: Corporeal Mime is a theatrical art based on the body. It has a very specific technique which we use to create drama out of action. Corporeal Mime also has its own repertoire, vocabulary, teaching methods and creative processes, making it a complete and independent artform. It’s beautiful and uplifting and we can’t wait to share it with you when we visit Exeter in October!
What do you enjoy about performing this form of physical theatre?
Tania: The sheer joy of using your whole being (body, intellect, imagination, intuition…) to search for and express what you care about.
Who is Rey Camoy?
Tania: Rey Camoy (1928-1985) was a Japanese painter. During his career he painted hundreds of self-portraits, as if constantly searching for his true self. He took his own life at the age of 57.
What inspired you to create a show about their work?
Tania: We were moved by Camoy’s longing to know himself and his obsessive search for beauty. We were also inspired by his ability to express states of mind through the human form – something we seek to do on stage.
How are you reimagining their paintings on our stage?
Tania: When we first began working on this show, we asked each actor to create a solo inspired by one of the characters in Camoy’s paintings. Then we combined these solos, adding transitions and new elements to produce a poetic collage of the passion and anguish we sensed in Camoy’s life and work.
What can people expect to experience and take away from your performance Rey Camoy?
Tania: We hope our show will resonate with your deepest longings, and that you come away feeling re-inspired in your own life and work.
This is your third UK tour. What do you enjoy about performing in the UK?
Tania: Sharing our work in the UK is always a reminder of the power of art to connect people beyond differences of language, culture and geography. It’s a life-affirming experience!
Where can people learn more about corporeal mime?
Tania: We teach regular online classes and would be thrilled to welcome friends of the Northcott. You can find details on our Patreon page here. And Osaka is only a plane-ride away! We run a school at the Flying Carpet Factory, offering full-time professional training as well as ad hoc classes and workshops.
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