Theatre Conversation: Shirotama Hitsujiya on 10 February, Birkbeck

Birkbeck Centre for Contemporary Theatre  welcomes Japanese artist Shirotama Hitsujiya on Friday 10 February, 5.30-6.30pm, in the Keynes Library, Birkbeck, University of London.

Japanese pop culture is filled with images of girls, from kawaii (“cute”) Hello Kitty to fighting girls in anime, and to eroticised girls in products targeting male consumers. In this talk, Shirotama Hitsujiya will discuss her company YUBIWA Hotel’s portrayals of girls, in relation to these girls in pop culture, and contextualise her work in the contemporary Japanese performing arts scene.

Based in Tokyo, Shirotama Hitsujiya is a female playwright, director, performer, and Artistic Director of a company, YUBIWA Hotel, known for its “girlie” performance. In 2006, she was chosen as one of the “100 Japanese Women Acclaimed by the World” by Newsweek Japan. She has also recently presented her works in art festivals nationally and internationally, where she has been developing her interests in site-specific performance and community arts. She is also one of the founding members of the Asian Women’s Performing Arts Collective.

Link to Birkbeck Centre for Contemporary Theatre, website