Rumble Productions

after the quake

a Rumble Productions/pi theatre co-production
presented by The Cultch

Based on “Honey Pie” and Superfrog Saves Tokyo” from the novel after the quake by Haruki Murakami.
Adapted for the stage by Frank Galati.

October 13–23
The Historic Theatre at The Cultch

Performance schedule:
Oct 13 – 16 & 19 – 23: 8pm
Oct 16, 23: 2pm
Oct 17: 4pm

Last season’s hit returns to the stage this fall! Don’t miss the show that wowed critics and audiences alike!!!

“Wildly original and warm without ever lapsing into sentimentality, after the quake is both a great ride and a testament to the healing powers of imagination…It’s the stuff of dreams.” – Georgia Straight

“…after the quake isn't just good live theatre—it's excellent, delicate, surreal, hilarious, and thought-provoking. It makes me want to go see more plays in this city.” - Beyond Robson

"I've never seen anything like it. And I loved every minute of it." - The Vancouver Courier

"The show is a must-see for anyone feeling that need to reach out, looking for a connection with someone. And fans of Murakami will feel like they’re experiencing his work for the first time while watching after the quake. Which is quite the treat, indeed." – The Ubyssey

Haruki Murakami is the West's favorite Japanese novelist. His work has been translated into forty different languages, so perhaps it is unsurprising that he has spent much of his adult life away from his homeland. In 1995 two disasters struck Japan: the lethal earthquake in Kobe and the deadly poison gas attacks on the Tokyo subway. Spurred by these tragic events, Murakami abandoned his life abroad and returned home to confront his country's grief. After the Quake is a collection of short stories set in the months that fell between the earthquake and the subway attack presenting a world marked by despair, hope, and a kind of human instinct for transformation.

Renowned American Writer/Director Frank Galati's adaptation of After the Quake takes its audience on a journey where magic and realism collide, in an exploration of disrupted realities. Junpei, a gentle, caring writer, loses the love of his life, Sayoko, when his aggressive best friend, Takatsuki, marries her. They have a child, Sala. He remains close friends with them and becomes even closer after they divorce, but still cannot bring himself to declare his love for Sayoko. Sala is traumatized by the quake and Junpei concocts a wonderful allegorical tale to ease her hurt. To give himself courage he crafts a tale of a bank loan officer's struggle to distinguish between what is real and what is not, when six foot tall Frog asks for help to fight off giant Worm for the future of Tokyo. Together, these stories explore the emotional aftershocks of disaster, and offer a message of hope and healing.

Directed by Craig Hall and Richard Wolfe

Cast:
Sayoko/Nurse: Manami Hara
Narrator/Frog: Alessandro Juliani
Takatsuki/Katagiri: Hiro Kanagawa
Junpei: Tetsuro Shigematsu
Sala: Leina Dueck

Production Team:
Set Design: Yvan Morissette
Lighting Design: Itai Erdal
Costume Design: Sheila White
Sound Design: Yota Kobayashi
Stage Management: David (DK) Kerr
Production Management: James Foy
Illustration: Edward Kwong
Photography: Ken Bryant

Tickets on sale on August 1st at The Cultch Box Office
In-person: 1895 Venables St, Vancouver
Phone: 604.251.1363
Online: tickets.thecultch.com

2-for-1 Tickets: Oct 14
Post-show talkbacks: Oct 16 (matinee), 17 & 19

**SPECIAL EVENT: On September 26 at 12:40pm Richard Wolfe, Artistic Director of Pi Theatre and Craig Hall, Artistic Producer of Rumble Productions will be reading from the book after the quake by Haruki Murakami at Vancouver's Word on the Street festival. The reading will take place in the The Canada Writes tent and is FREE to the public.**

**SPECIAL EVENT: On September 28 at 7pm, enjoy an evening of Japanese Anime! The award-winning film Paprika will be screened in the Vancity Culture Lab at The Cultch. Admission by donation.**

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