Faifai is a well-known company on the contemporary theatre scene in Japan. The group was founded in 2004 in Tokyo by Yon Kitagawa, who had become frustrated with repeating stale theatre standards and norms set by others. Faifai views the world with sarcasm and sensitivity, and presents its stories with humour and sympathy. Their performances are about human relationships (mostly about love), based on their own personal experiences, and take a final shape through improvisations, revealing the ups and downs of the actors’ lives. At the same time, they portray contemporary Japanese society in a critical, but non-hostile way. Their popularity is rising in Tokyo, they have received several awards in the near past. Now they are going to perform in Budapest, Ljubljana and Berlin on a short tour, too.

’We are members of a generation that likes the drama of imagination and the reality of art as well as cinema, TV, gossip, pop music and anime. In a megalopolis called Tokyo, which is filled with office workers, crows and vomit, Faifai dances and performs under the motto: ’We are global, we think and we feel responsible for those who are close to us.’’
(Yon Kitagawa)

The Freeloader is about Momoka and Ichiko, two girls sharing a flat, but Ichiko is jobless and freeloading off Momoka. One day they get into a serious quarrel.
The way the actors stage the story is very unusual: the real story is told by an actress, while an actor presents it in an abstract way, responding to the girl. They also exchange roles, leaving much to the interpretation and association of the audience in order to fill the gaps in the story.

performers: Rino Daidouji, Koji Yamazaki
image: Ayami Sasaki
animation: Shiro Amano
written by: Yon Kitagawa
original story and directed by: Chiharu Shinoda

In Japanese, with English subtitles.

Supporter: Japan Foundation

www.faifai.tv