Heaven by Mieko Kawakami: Live
Witness an immersive reading like no other at a world exclusive performance of Mieko Kawakami's new novel, Heaven, with music from Hatis Noit.
Described by Japan Times as 'one of Japan's brightest stars', Kawakami is the author of the international bestseller Breasts and Eggs, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and one of TIME's Best 10 Books of 2020.
Known for her sharply observed, poetic explorations of gender dynamics and power relations in modern society, Kawakami's most recently translated novel, Heaven, is a moving and original tale of teenage friendship.
'"We should be friends." That's all it said. Thin letters that looked like little fish bones, written in mechanical pencil,' Kawakami's story begins. From this, an unlikely bond is formed between two misfits caught up in a relentless onslaught of bullying.
Staged by Jack McNamara, Artistic Director of Live Theatre Newcastle, this unique onstage reading between two actors and musician Hatis Noit transports the audience to Japan and delves into the pleasures and perils of adolescent friendship.
Heaven by Mieko Kawakami is translated from the Japanese by David Boyd and Sam Bett.
Tipped by The Guardian as one to watch in 2020, Japanese vocal performer Hatis Noit's accomplished range is astonishingly self-taught and inspired by everything from Gagaku – Japanese classical music – and operatic styles, Bulgarian and Gregorian chanting, to avant-garde and pop vocalists. Hatis Noit has performed across Europe, including a sold-out London show with the London Contemporary Orchestra here at the Southbank Centre. She is currently finishing a full-length studio album.
Trained at the Giles Foreman Centre For Acting, Nino Furuhata’s theatre credits include After Life at the National Theatre and Kafka on the Shore at La Colline, Paris. His TV and film credits include People Just Do Nothing, Doctors and The Limit of Sleeping Beauty; and he appeared in Thousand Cranes for BBC Radio 3.
Grace Akatsu is a Japanese-American actor and biologist living in Oxford, UK. Their recent acting credits include Oxford Playhouse's Orestes as Pylades in 2021; Alight Theatre Guild's The Elm Tree as Child/Disease in 2019; and the MIT Shakespeare Ensemble's Twelfth Night as Feste, also in 2019.
Need to know
For ages 18+
Contains references to topics that some may find disturbing. CW: violence, suicide.
Dates & times
Price
- Standard entryFrom £15*
- Concessions25%**
* Excludes £3.50 booking fee.
Book as early as you can to ensure the best choice of tickets. Ticket prices may be adjusted without notice to reflect demand.
** Limited availability. Read about concessions.
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Venue
Purcell Room
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An accessible toilet is located in the foyer.
A Changing Places toilet is located on Level 1 Royal Festival Hall next to the JCB Glass Lift, for the exclusive use of disabled people who need personal assistance to use the toilet.
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Purcell Room is located in Queen Elizabeth Hall. For step-free access please use Royal Festival Hall JCB glass lift to Level 2 and enter via Riverside Terrace.
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Please bear with us while we update our access map to reflect the refurbishment of the Royal Festival Hall’s Level 2 foyer spaces. The step-free routes remain the same.