Sumidagawa

Motomosa

(adapted by Orpha Phelan)

Aldeburgh Productions

Britten Festival

2001

Director - Orpha Phelan

Composer - Karen Wimhurst

Designer - Kimie Nakano

Lighting Designer - Adam Crosthwaite

Madwoman and boy

(Tokyo production)

Having completed training at the Noh Training Project, USA, Orpha Phelan went on to direct a noh inspired production of the classic noh play, Sumidagawa. She worked with students from Suffolk College in Ipswich to devise a work which drew on several elements of noh theatre, including chant, ritual and stylised movement in a minimalist setting. It was performed as part of a double bill with Curlew River, in Orford, as part of the 2001 Britten Festival.

Following her production of Sumidagawa, Orpha remains very interested in noh Theatre and continues to train in the USA and Japan. She offers workshops in noh throughout the UK and Europe and has recently collaborated with Hideki Noda on his contemporary noh play The Diver for The Soho Theatre, London and The Setagaya Public Theatre, Tokyo.

Madwoman

(Tokyo production)

Madwoman mask