[KineJapan] Benshi performance advice

Gerow Aaron aaron.gerow at yale.edu
Mon Feb 4 10:31:08 EST 2019


Dear Eija,

Others can speak of their experiences, but we have had benshi performances at Yale a couple of times. The next one in fact is at the Kinema Club conference at the end of this month!

When we have had Kataoka Ichiro, for instance, we show an English subtitled print or Kataoka-san uses a subtitled DVD he has of the film. It is not an exact translation of his speech, but given that he can and will change his talk from screening to screening, a translation is somewhat impossible. Simultaneous translation, as we all know, is rarely simultaneous. I think audiences still get a lot out of the voice acting and the kowairo.

Kataoka-san performs all around the world, especially in Europe, so he will not break your budget, especially if you supply musical performance on your end (he does have an ensemble he tries to travel with). We’re having Makia Matsumura play the piano because she’s in NYC much of the time and has worked with Kataoka-san many times.

Aaron

> 2019/02/04 午前1:54、Eija Niskanen via KineJapan <kinejapan at mailman.yale.edu>のメール:
> 
> I would like to get some advice re arranging a benshi performance outside of Japan. 
> How to do with the fact that benshi performs in Japanese, which the audience does not understand? Simultaneous video translation or how?
> Costs? Support for event i.e. Japan Foundation?
> 
> Best,
> Eija
> 
> -- 
> Eija Niskanen
> 
> 
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