Sunday, April 16, 2006

'Taming of the Shrew' performance in Kobe:
The International Theatre Company London is giving a free performance of a Shakespeare comedy at 6 p.m. May 19 at Kobe Women's University's gymnasium in Suma Ward.

ITCL, founded in 1980 in Britain, has regularly visited Japan since 1992, playing at schools and theaters. This time, the company will perform "The Taming of the Shrew" in English, directed by Paul Stebbings.

On May 12, there will be an introductory lecture on the play by Minoru Fujita, a Shakespeare scholar and adjunct lecturer at the university. The lecture will be conducted in Japanese and will run 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. It also is free of charge.

For reservations for the lecture and performance, and for more details, call the organizer at (078) 737-2452 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays or e-mail yutani@suma.kobe-wu.ac.jp

Tea ceremony seminar for non-Japanese:
Osaka Sister City Network is organizing an interactive seminar on the tea ceremony for non-Japanese residents from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. May 13 at International House, Osaka, in Tennoji Ward.

The manners and spirit of the tea ceremony will be introduced by instructors, followed by participants joining the elegantly simple ritual that offers practitioners an opportunity to escape from their busy life and experience inner tranquillity.

Participation is 1,000 yen. Thirty people will be accepted. Reservations must be made by May 8.

For more information and reservations, call the organizer at (06) 6772-9670, fax (06) 6772-9790, or e-mail cir@sisterc.net

Vietnamese culture and products fair in Osaka:
An event to promote the culture and products of Vietnam is being held until April 23 in the 40th-floor observatory of Umeda Sky Building in Kita Ward, Osaka.

Such products as coffee, beer, ceramics and fabrics will be on sale. There will be a photo exhibition and displays on the current state of the country and its attractions, including popular sightseeing spots.

Various stage performances will be held on weekends. For example, on April 22, at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., there will be a fashion show of "ao dai," a traditional women's dress known for its graceful long tunic open on the sides from the bottom. Others include a traditional music performance and a cooking class.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day. The event is free, but it costs 700 yen to enter the observatory.

For more information, call the organizer at (06) 6440-3901.

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