Japanese myth heads to Unity

Puppetry and physical theatre will combine when London theatre company Rouge 28 brings its latest production Urashima Taro to the Unity Theatre as part of a UK tour. Described as a story of lust, betrayal and loss, its mix of actors and puppetry, video projection, and shadow play create a contemporary vision of an ancient Japanese myth.

 The audience is invited to step into the realms of the legend of Urashima Taro - a poor young fisherman, who after saving a turtle is invited by the beautiful and captivating Otohime to stay in her palace deep in the ocean. Seduced by promises of a life of eternal pleasure, he abandons duty and home, but the dream slowly turns into an unceasing nightmare as Urashima Taro’s fate unfolds. Followng its UK tour, the production has been selected to be part of the World Festival of Puppet Theatres at Charleville-Mézières in France in September. The biennial event is described as 'the biggest gathering of puppets on the planet’ and attracts around 150,000 people. Urishima Taro can be seen on Wednesday, February 23.