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Japanese theatre enthrals local children

KARACHI: The famous Japanese Children theatre Kaze-No-Ko held four captivating performances for local children, including special kids for two consecutive days, here at the Aga Khan University Hospital gymnasium.

The Kaze-No-Ko, Kyushu consisting of six members has been sent to Pakistan by the Japan Foundation (a subsidiary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, (Government of Japan) with an objective to enhance mutual cultural friendship between the people of Japan and Pakistan.

In Karachi, the performances and workshop organised by the Japan Culture Centre of the Consulate General of Japan in Karachi.

The members of Kaze-No-Ko theatre specially learnt Urdu in Japan to hold these performances in Karachi. Out of their four performances and four workshops, one of the performances and workshops was held exclusively for the underprivileged children of Edhi Homes, ABSA School for Deaf & Dumb, and the Rehabilitation Centre for Mentally Handicapped Children.

The most amazing part of their performance and workshop was the use of very ordinary and common materials and stuff, which are easily available even in Pakistan. In workshop the children were explained as how by using simple materials and techniques they (children) can create very interesting games for themselves and have lots of fun.

The theatre Kaze-No-Ko established in 1950 has been developing plays of children for five decades. They are one of the best children theatre companies in Japan.

The world acclaimed group has been invited to International Children's Theatre Festivals throughout the world and have been overwhelmingly received by both children and adults as well.

In their present tour, they have performed in Jakarta (Indonesia), Guanzhou (China) and finally in Karachi. In Pakistan, they only performed in Karachi.

Basically, the Kaze-No-Ko theatre is divided into seven teams Ñ Kyushu, Hookaido, Tohoku, Hachioji (Tokyo), Shimo-Kitazawa (Tokyo), Kyoto and Hiroshima.

The theatre Kaze-No-Ko is enjoyed by some 700,000 children in Japan every year.ÑAPP