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- Mar 1, 2014
After the first two days of "Love and Information" performances at the KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre in Yokohama, there are already many fan reports and analyses, expressing admiration at how well Dai-chan is doing within this unfamiliar and challenging territory. And according to the performers themselves, this is indeed an unusual challenge—even for veteran actors. Therefore, I once again take my hat off to Dai, as a newcomer to the theater, for apparently blending in so well with the experienced cast. 
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Press conference after the dress rehearsal on the 15th:
prtimes.jp
* [Ryo Sato is Takuro Ohno's wife]
高橋大輔さんが最終リハーサル 朗読劇『Love and Information』報道陣に公開、16日から横浜で - フィギュアスケート専門情報サイトDeep Edge Plus 最新ニュース・充実のコラムをお届け
フィギュアスケート男子の元世界王者の高橋大輔さん出演の朗読劇『Love and Information』の最終リハーサルが15日、横浜市のKAAT神奈川芸術劇場の大スタジオで行われ、報道陣に公開された。昨年、俳優として […]
deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp
Daisuke Takahashi in final rehearsal: Reading play ‘Love and Information’ open to the press, opens in Yokohama on the 16th
The final rehearsal for the reading play ‘Love and Information’, starring former men’s figure skating world champion Daisuke Takahashi, took place on the 15th at the Grand Studio of KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre in Yokohama City and was open to the press. This marks the first time Takahashi, who made his film debut as an actor last year, has taken on a straight play. Speaking to reporters after rehearsals, Takahashi said, ‘This is my first time with a play. At first, I didn’t know how to approach it. It’s a new challenge, and that’s what made it interesting.’ The performances run from the 16th to the 24th.
The play was written by Caryl Churchill, one of Britain’s leading playwrights, and premiered in 2012.
The cast comprises eight members, including Takahashi. Set in Britain, the play explores themes such as religion, climate, science and technology, the human spirit and love, as conversations between lovers, married couples, patients and medical staff, and what appear to be wedding guests appear and disappear, with a diverse array of characters intersecting. The production features over 50 scenes, with the cast portraying countless characters, revealing the complexities of modern society—which are difficult to articulate simply—almost entirely through dialogue. Takahashi played roles including a patient, a man who hears the voice of God, and a man believed to be a father.
The cast includes actors Takuro Ohno and Eliana, who co-starred with him in the ice shows ‘Hyoen 2024 – The Miracle of the Cross Star’ and ‘The MELT’, as well as actors who usually perform in musicals. Director Tomoya Kiriyama explained the casting rationale, saying, “This is a production featuring a diverse range of characters. I wanted a diverse cast to perform in it.”
Tickets are all reserved seating: S seats: 8,000 yen, A seats: 6,500 yen, B seats: 5,000 yen. In addition to the ‘KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre’, performances will take place at the ‘Hono-no-Kuni Toyohashi Arts Theatre PLAT Art Space’ in Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture (Friday 5 June to Sunday 7 June 2026).
About ‘Love and Information’
‘Love and Information’ is a play written by Caryl Churchill, one of Britain’s leading playwrights, and first published in 2012.
This will be the first time the play has been staged for the general public in Japan.
Caryl Churchill is a playwright who has brought innovation to the theatre world through her exploration of feminism, politics and linguistic experimentation in works such as ‘A Number’, ‘Cloud Nine’ and ‘What If If Only’, and this challenging perspective is strongly reflected in this production.
As the characters in ‘Love and Information’ have no fixed backstories, the play holds infinite possibilities. It is structured as a series of short scenes dealing with science, religion, memory, loneliness, secrets and technology, with each theme serving as a symbol of contemporary society.
Press conference after the dress rehearsal on the 15th:
日本初一般上演！キャリル・チャーチル『Love and Information』
株式会社R Plays Companyのプレスリリース（2026年5月15日 21時36分）日本初一般上演！キャリル・チャーチル『Love and Information』
prtimes.jp
Japan’s First Public Performance! Caryl Churchill’s ‘Love and Information’
Report on the dress rehearsal and press conference featuring director Tomoya Kiriyama and cast members including Takuro Ohno and Daisuke Takahashi
R Plays Company Ltd
15 May 2026, 21:36
The play ‘Love and Information’, written by the leading British playwright Caryl Churchill and first published in 2012, will have its Japanese premiere today, Saturday 16 May 2026, at the KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre Grand Studio, presented by R Plays Company.
Directed by Tomoya Kiriyama, this production—which layers fragmented scenes symbolising modern society—such as science, religion, memory, loneliness, secrets and technology—will be presented as a staged reading.
■ Dress Rehearsal Report
On Friday 15 May 2026, a public dress rehearsal for the staged reading of *Love and Information*, a collaborative production by R Plays Company and the Kanagawa Arts Theatre, took place at the KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre Grand Studio.
On stage, there is nothing but a curtain of beautiful intertwined threads and a row of chairs behind it. From this simple space, stripped of all but the bare minimum of decoration, only the actors’ ‘voices’ reach the audience.
Are they brothers? Lovers? Or perhaps some unexpected relationship?
As one listens intently, characters in various circumstances emerge one after another through brief exchanges. Combined with the lighting and sound effects, I found myself becoming completely absorbed.
The play is composed of a succession of short scenes, with no specific characters or fixed storyline. Although each scene has a title, the fact that the content does not always seem to match it is one of the play’s charms. It may appear complex at first glance, but the actual dialogue is extremely simple, with a pleasant flow of humorous exchanges. The structure, in which fragments of modern society—such as science, religion, memory, loneliness and technology—pile up before converging on the themes of ‘love’ and ‘information’, meshes perfectly with the format of a ‘reading performance’, in which the actors weave the narrative with an iPad in hand… or rather, a script.
Alongside regular theatre performers such as Takuro Ohno and Keita Oishi, Daisuke Takahashi—an Olympic figure skater making his theatrical debut—shines with his unique style of expression. The way they create countless characters and relationships using only their voices is surely one of the unique delights of this staged reading.
Ryo Sato*, an actress and producer, has staged the first public performance in Japan of this play, written over a decade ago by 87-year-old playwright Caryl Churchill, who is often referred to as the ‘Picasso of the theatre world’. Sato, who also appears in the Emmy Award-winning global drama series *Shogun: Season 2*, has brought this ambitious project to fruition just three years after founding R Plays Company. Furthermore, she has shown a keen eye for the next generation by establishing a ‘Next Team’ comprising ten young actors selected from over 100 applicants through auditions. Sato, who is herself only 33, embodies the very spirit of this production through her approach.
With a strong creative team led by director Tomoya Kiriyama, translator Yoko Takada and set designer Masako Ito, the production achieves a high standard of quality as a staged reading. We eagerly await the day when this production—with its carefully crafted dialogue and meticulous construction—transcends the confines of a reading and is staged in a new form.
■ Press Conference – Takuro Ohno and Daisuke Takahashi, making his theatre debut, share their enthusiasm –
Following the dress rehearsal, the eight cast members of the main team and director Tomoya Kiriyama took part in a press conference in a warm and friendly atmosphere, all smiling.
Keita Oishi, who led the cast as a veteran member, commented: ‘I feel that today, amidst a healthy sense of tension, the cast came together as one to deliver the performance. Although the scenes themselves are very short, I truly feel this is a wonderful piece. The eight main cast members, the ten supporting cast members, and all the staff have spent our time laughing together. I hope you will come and immerse yourselves in the words we have woven.’
Atsuko Anan, appearing on stage for the second time following R Plays Company’s *The Sea and the Parasol*, said, “As this is a staged reading, I’m actually surprised at how nervous I am, even though I’m holding the script. I want to keep taking on new challenges right to the very end and continue to evolve.”
Eliana, who celebrated her 40th birthday at the rehearsal studio on 14 May, said: ‘When I first read the script, I thought, “What on earth! This is such an interesting play!” With its succession of diverse characters and situations, the process of unravelling it together felt like solving a mystery. I imagine there must be tens of thousands of different interpretations depending on the person.’
Hazuki Shimizu, a highly accomplished actress trusted by numerous directors, shared her thoughts on the opening night: “Whilst the audience will experience this work through our voices, we read it from the script and were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information contained in the written words. During rehearsals, just as we were on the verge of breaking down, I suddenly remembered the title and it struck me. I hope everyone will enjoy this discovery too.”
Toru Tanaka, who has firmly established himself as a talented young actor, spoke about Mr Kiriyama’s approach to production, saying,
“This is the second time I’ve worked with Mr Kiriyama, and just like last time, I feel he is a director who gives actors the freedom to do their own thing. Because he puts the actors first, the rehearsal room is a lot of fun, and I’m delighted that I can feel at ease trying out all sorts of possibilities.”
For Momoko Mizue, this is her second stage appearance following her major casting in *Les Misérables*. “The main cast and the next generation have been exchanging ideas and carefully considering every single word together,” she said with a smile. “Running through the performance in front of an audience for the first time today brought new discoveries, and I even found myself chuckling. I’m very curious to hear the reactions of the audience members who come to see us. I’d love to hear how they received it.”
Takuro Ohno, who is also credited as an assistant producer on this production, said: “I feel that the fact we were able to exchange opinions freely with both the main and next casts, and rehearse together, was only possible because of Mr Kiriyama. Under Mr Kiriyama’s leadership, our ‘Love and Information’ has taken shape within each team, so I want to present this production to the audience with the utmost care. “I’m also very keen to hear your thoughts, so please share them on social media or via the post-performance questionnaires, and let’s enjoy this production to the full together!” he added.
Daisuke Takahashi
And the figure who is attracting particular attention in this production is figure skating legend Daisuke Takahashi. For Takahashi, who is making his stage debut in this production, said, “I was incredibly nervous about conveying everything through my voice alone. For someone like me who has spent my life moving my body on the ice, rehearsing for long periods at a desk without moving was a completely new experience. When I first read the script, I didn’t really understand the story at all, but during rehearsals I experienced the joy of creating something together with everyone. Seeing my fellow cast members’ dedication up close has been a learning experience every day, and the process of creating this together—not just with the cast but with the entire crew—has been truly wonderful. ‘Now that I’ve discovered just how much fun theatre can be, I’d like to continue working on stage whenever the opportunity arises,’ he said, expressing his enthusiasm for stepping into this new creative arena.
Director Tomoya Kiriyama
Kiriyama, the director of this production, commented: ‘(As a playwright, Caryl Churchill) struck me as an author whose style and subject matter change depending on the period. I feel that taking on this play is a test from the playwright herself. I feel as though I am being challenged in various areas—my perception of the world, my approach to theatre, and so on. In this reading format, where we rely solely on the actors’ words, I am overwhelmed by the high bar set by her questions as I try to answer them, yet I believe that very height is what makes it interesting. It is fascinating that even during this dress rehearsal, we have made fresh discoveries regarding the structure of the piece. As we explore various possibilities, I intend to build the production without relying too heavily on the actors’ physicality or overacting, so as to convey the playwright’s ‘words’ effectively. As for the actors in the main team, I have complete confidence in their individual expressions. The Next team, meanwhile, will be taking on the challenge with a new line-up of ten cast members, and their drive and energy are truly captivating. Although the Next team were incredibly nervous and fidgety during their early rehearsals with the main team, they are now actively exchanging ideas with them both in the rehearsal room and at the theatre, and I am looking forward to seeing that energy on the night.”
* [Ryo Sato is Takuro Ohno's wife]
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Interestingly, the director and Dai had already met before during a workshop!
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)— and commended Shizuka for maintaining her skating skills at such a high level over such a long period. 
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The second installment of the #Kurasuya documentary will be released this Friday!
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