Myrtle Arts Pantomime 'Children of the Sea 2026: I Won't Forget' (Written and Directed by Chong Wishing) to Depict Children Sacrificed in War, Staged at Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre

Myrtle Arts' pantomime 'Children of the Sea 2026: I Won't Forget' will be performed from July 10 (Friday) to July 12 (Sunday), 2026, at Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Theatre West (1-8-1 B1F, Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo).

Tickets are currently on sale through Confetti (operated by Longrun Planning Inc., Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Taigo Kurematsu).

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Myrtle Arts' philosophy is to listen to events and social issues that society tends to overlook and forget, giving voice to the voiceless through theatrical expression, and has created many thought-provoking works.

This work, 'Children of the Sea,' is a project that playwright Chong Wishing, who has served as a director since Myrtle Arts' inception, and constituent member and mime artist Fusayo Hashimoto, among others, have long wished to develop and expand, representing a new challenge for the organization.

The play first premiered in Okinawa in 2017, set against the backdrop of the Battle of Okinawa, and has since been performed in Tokyo and Taiwan. Production was taken over by the current organization in 2020, and preparations for performances in Korea and China were underway but were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the concept of staging a new version of this work, which carries the universal theme of a world where children can live in peace, has been continuously nurtured. This year, with the schedules of the main cast and staff aligned, its realization has finally come to fruition.

'Children of the Sea 2026' will not be set in Okinawa but will enhance its universality, depicting children who continue to be sacrificed due to ongoing wars around the world. It expresses solace for these sacrificed children and thoughts for children living today and adults who were once children. Bullying, a familiar social issue, is also taken up as a theme, aiming to share with the audience the value of accepting others and coexistence where no one is left behind.

The stage expression is based on a pantomime format that does not rely on dialogue, utilizing live music, sound, and lighting to convey silent messages sensually. Fusayo Hashimoto, who has appeared as the boy character since the initial performance, excels in unique expressions imbued with both humor and pathos, while Hideki Suzuki's soft and comical mime expressions are also highly regarded. This time, dancer Shinpei Horinouchi, taking on a new challenge, will express himself fully, utilizing the characteristics of contemporary dance and Gagaku (ancient Japanese court music) that he has cultivated.

Musician Eiichi Terada will participate with live guitar and other instruments.

Leading staff members in the theater world, including Stage Manager Hitoshi Yoshiki, Art Director Hiroyuki Ikeda, Lighting Designer Takayoshi Masuda, Sound Designer Akame Fujita, Choreographer Uran Hirosaki, and Costume Designer Masakimi Ota, have also endorsed and joined this production.

Reflecting the ever-changing global situation since its premiere, this new production of 'Children of the Sea 2026: I Won't Forget' aims to deliver new value and experience to the audience.

Message from Chong Wishing

We have returned to that sea again.

How are you? It's been a long time since I last wrote to you. Eight years have passed since the Taiwan performance in 2018, haven't they? But we have been able to return to that sea, our sea, again.

Bitter memories and sweet recollections, pain and joy, anger and sorrow, love and friendship, dreams and hopes... all these things, so many things, are buried on the shore of that sea. But there are no words. Yet, there are many words.

How happy we are to be able to see that sea with you again. If you have children, please bring them to see it with us. And please tell them:

"DON'T FORGET THAT SEA."

Performance Outline

Myrtle Arts Performance
Pantomime 'Children of the Sea 2026: I Won't Forget'

Written and Directed by: Chong Wishing

Dates: July 10-12, 2026
July 10 (Fri) 19:00
July 11 (Sat) 14:00, 19:00
July 12 (Sun) 14:00

Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Theatre West

[Cast]
Fusayo Hashimoto / Hideki Suzuki / Shinpei Horinouchi
Music / Live Performance: Eiichi Terada

[Staff]
Writer/Director: Chong Wishing, Music: Eiichi Terada, Stage Art: Tomoyuki Ikeda
Lighting Plan: Takayoshi Masuda, Lighting Operation: Brighton, Sound Plan: Akame Fujita
Costume: Masakimi Ota, Choreography: Uran Hirosaki, Fight Choreography: Manabu Kato, Assistant Director: Jiro Shibata
Stage Manager: Hitoshi Yoshiki, Assistant Stage Manager: Tokuan Cho, Production: Keiko Akimoto / Nobuko Miura (General Incorporated Association Myrtle Arts)

Organizer: General Incorporated Association Myrtle Arts

[Synopsis]
The stage is a sea somewhere in the world.
Three children crawl out from the waves. A playful game of make-believe family begins, and their imagination expands to even space travel. Mime and dance intertwine, with laughter, dance, music, and then a sudden moment of...