Kara, Leader of Japan's Underground Theater, Dies at 84
Tokyo, May 5 (Jiji Press)--Playwright Juro Kara, a leading figure in Japan's underground theater movement, died of acute subdural hematoma at a Tokyo hospital Saturday night. He was 84.
A native of Tokyo, Kara, who also directed and acted, took the helm of the predecessor of the now-defunct theatrical company Jokyo Gekijo (Situation Theater) in 1963 after graduating from Meiji University.
In 1967, Kara, whose real name was Yoshihide Otsuru, staged his first "aka tent" performance in a temporary stage in a red tent set up within the precincts of Hanazono Shrine in Tokyo's Shinjuku district, challenging the norms of traditional theater.
After establishing a new troupe, called Karagumi, in 1989, he continued outdoor performances in a unique style across Japan.
Tent performances became a byword for the country's underground theater movement, not only for his own avant-garde theatrical endeavors.
(2024/05/05-15:49)
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