Time-traveling samurai spectacle 'Alata' opens at Yurakucho’s Alternative Theatre

A brand new stage show has arrived on the Tokyo entertainment scene that’s as bold, dazzling and fantastically unpredictable as the city itself.

Fusing epic sword fights, the bad ass dance moves of an office lady, synth sounds and state-of-the-art projection mapping — this is the kind of jaw-dropping theatre experience where the cliche “you’ve never seen anything like it” actually rings true.

"Alata" is the ambitious inaugural show at a pioneering new venue in Yurakucho, dubbed Alternative Theatre, that aims to offer a completely different kind of entertainment experience to international visitors to Tokyo. Entirely nonverbal, the 70-minute performance is specifically designed to be enjoyed by non-Japanese speaking audiences who can follow the story through impressive acrobatics, dance, sword-fighting and immersive visuals on the walls and ceiling.

And, what a story it is. Without giving too much away, expect to see a dashing samurai fall through time to modern-day Tokyo where he meets a cute, disillusioned office worker (who’s also able to pop and lock with the best of them). Cue car chases, casinos, confusion about washlets, romance, death, and life-saving drums. Epic doesn’t even come close.

Spearheaded by entertainment and production company Studio Alta (if you’ve ever been to Shinjuku, you’ll recognize their giant TV screen as the area’s most popular meeting point), the project called on playwright Kensuke Yokouchi and director Shunichi Okamura to produce a wordless action drama that, while rooted in Japanese culture and tradition, would have universal appeal. Dancer Elina and stage actor Yuki Saotome play the leads, supported by music from electro-classical group Mili.

Speaking at the press preview before the Alternative Theatre venue’s official opening on July 7, Studio Alta CEO Kazutoshi Tanuma said: “The concept behind Alternative Theatre is to create a new type of entertainment; something that crosses boundaries, overcomes language, and to create something brand new that a lot of people haven’t experienced yet.”

"Alata" is exactly that — an audiovisual mishmash that is unashamedly, and brilliantly, unique. How does that saying go...? “Only in Japan.”

• Venue: Alternative Theatre, Yurakucho Mullion (Yurakucho Center Building)
• Address: Yurakucho Centre Bldg 7F, 2-5-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
• Date: Twice daily for at least six months
• Time: Performance times vary
• Price: 8,000 yen for all tickets
• Map: Google map

• Link: https://www.alternative-theatre.jp/en/

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