The theater unit Shiroyagi no Kai performs pieces written and directed by YAMAUCHI Kenji. Their first piece “Budo to Mikkai (Grapes and Clandestine Meetings)” premiered as a production of “CM Director Yamauchi Kenji’s Theater”, welcoming FUKAURA Kanako as the lead actor. In 2006, Yamauchi launched “Shiroyagi no Kai” with producer JOSHIMA Wakano. The company has since performed pieces regularly. Yamauchi’s work extends across genres from TV commercials to film and theater. In 2015, his play “Trois Grotesques” won the 59th Kishida Kunio Playwriting Award.
“The Self-Introduction Manual” takes place around a bench in the park. Around sunset, as Misao is waiting for a friend, a stranger approaches and suddenly introduces himself. Misao tries to brush him off with vague responses, but when her friend Yuki arrives with her boyfriend, the man introduces himself to them as well. Other strangers then jump casually into the conversation as well. People are offended when assumptions are made for how they look; they don’t want their privacy violated but don’t want to be misunderstood either. Is an invitation to dinner out of kindness or curiosity? The misunderstandings and emotional gaps among the seven characters become entangled in a complex and hilarious web.

2016
Shimokitazawa Small Theatre B1

Presented by: The Japan Foundation (JF) (https://www.jpf.go.jp/e/)
In cooperation with EPAD (https://epad.terrada.co.jp/)

＜Performance Credits＞
Written and Directed by: YAMAUCHI Kenji
Performers: TOMITA Maki, OKABE Takashi, MATSUZAWA Takumi, HATSUNE Eriko, ASAI Kousuke, IWAYA Kenji, IWAMOTO Eri
Stage Managers: MORISHITA Norihiko, KAMINAGA Yuuka
Scenic Design by: SUGIYAMA Itaru
Lighting Design by: SATO Kei, MIZOGUCHI Yuriko
Sound Design by: HUJIHIRA Mihoko(Yamakita Butai Onkyo)
Promotional Art by: KEI-KO TOKYO INC. ＋DESIGN BOY inc.
Illustration by: KOROKI Kyoko
Costume Design by: KATO Kazue
Associate Director: OKABE Takashi
Video Documentation and Editing: TESHIROGI Azusa(TOKYO style), Mucho MURAMATSU(TOKYO style)
Executive Producer: JOSHIMA Wakano(E-Pin Kikaku)
Associate Producer: WATANABE Miho(E-Pin Kikaku)
Organized and Produced by: Shiroyagi no Kai
Supported by: Geijutsu Bunka Shinkou Kikin

＜Subtitling Credits＞
Chinese Translation (Simplified): Guiyu MEI
Chinese Translation (Traditional): Muju TSAN
English Translation: Hisako IMAI
French Translation: Satoko FUJIMOTO
Russian Translation: TARASOVA Ekaterina
Spanish Translation: David TARANCO

＜Promotional Text＞
YONEYA Naoko

End date of distribution: 19/12/2022