Dramaturg
2017 R&D, Tokyo 2018 (world premiere), Tokyo 2019 (revised premiere), London 2019 (UK premiere)
Alexandra is a director and producer of Anglo-Japanese collaborative theatre, and an ambassador for inter-cultural productions based on Japanese source material. Alexandra founded and has been director of UK Theatre company, Whole Hog Theatre since 2012 and is currently a Resident Director and Producer at Nelke Planning: a leading Japanese producer of “2.5 Dimensional Musicals” (theatre based on Japanese animation, comics and video games such as: Sailor Moon, Naruto, Touken Ranbu and Black Butler.) Whole Hog Theatre specialises in creating Anglo-Japanese collaborative theatre with emerging artists that aims to challenge stereotypes, champion diversity and encourage new audiences.
Her most notable work includes: Creative Director on Magia Record (Madoka Magica Franchise) starring idol group Keyakizaka46, and Director of the world’s first stage production of a Hayao Miyazaki film Princess Mononoke (with the kind permission of Studio Ghibli). The latter won a Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation Award, sold out in 4.5 hours in London and transferred to Tokyo playing to over 10,000 people. Alex’s next project will be the world’s first stage adaptation of The Garden of Words, based on the Anime by Makoto Shinkai and CoMix Wave films. Alex was also a Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Scholar 2015-2017 and an Asiatic Society of Japan Young Scholar 2018 and as the latter gave a talk in front of Her Imperial Highness, Princess Takamado. Alex also designs and directs puppets and is a member of Butoh dance research group: Perspectives On Hijikata Research Collective.
Comments
“Working on “THE鍵KEY” and with Francesca and her wonderfully talented team was a great privilege. The staging and adaptation provided great creative and dramaturgical challenges to explore and it is an honour to work not only with such a wonderful work by Tanizaki, but also to work on it within the context of such a stimulating and clever adaptation of his work. This project has been imbued with great passion and talent and is a real testament to the power of true Anglo-Japanese collaboration. It has so much potential going forward and I feel blessed to have been a part of it thus far.”