chelfitsch & Teppei Kaneuji “Eraser Mountain” in Tokyo (2024)

Eraser Mountain was first staged in 2019, as part of the official program in Kyoto Experiment 2019 held by Kyoto Experiment. This is a re-performance of one of chelfitsch’s signature new works that innovated the company’s previous methodology. Thereafter, chelfitsch not only toured Japan and other countries with Eraser Mountain but also developed several projects with the same concept. For chelfitsch, the Setagaya Public Theater was the biggest theater at which it had ever performed, and precog co., LTD. did the planning and production for the show.

For this re-performance, precog took several new measures. Besides retaining the high level of viewer accessibility which has continued from the first performance of Eraser Mountain by chelfitsch without raising ticket prices, it took up the challenge of crowdfunding for the first time as a means of raising funds. In addition, it revised the scenography with consideration of environmental burden. More specifically, in order to lighten the environmental burden imposed by the scrapping of scenographic items, it substituted other scenographic items for the ones it had used in the first performance, issued a call for assistance with scenography, and rented scenographic items.

Similarly, besides striving to design accessibility by drawing on the knowledge it had accumulated to date, precog took steps to further deepen thought and enhance the viewing experience. These may be exemplified by commentary on the play before the start of the performance, sales of related books, placement of a bulletin board in the lobby for audience members to jot down comments, invitations to youth who are going to lead the performing arts of the next generation, “touch tours” for visually impaired people before the start of the performance, and gatherings for exchange of views after the performance.

Outline of the activities

In 2017, Toshiki Okada visited the city of Rikuzentakata in Iwate Prefecture and saw how the landscape was being artificially altered at an amazing pace in order to lay the groundwork for raising the elevation of seaside districts, in order to prevent damage from tsunami. His misgivings about the “human yardstick” that arose then led to the conception of Eraser Mountain. With the collaboration of the artist Teppei Kaneuji, he depicted landscapes that could be born after the breakaway from anthropocentrism, while also incorporating EIZO-Theater, with which chelfitsch began working in 2018.

The society surrounding us has changed greatly since the first performance. The audiences of 2024 had already seen the menace of Covid-19, a new virus that could not be fully contained by human agency, and experienced enormous changes in the global situation. How will this play, which is grounded in the concept of doubting human yardsticks, appear in their eyes?

• chelfitsch
  chelfitsch
• Toshiki Okada
  Toshiki Okada

• Planning and production of a new work for online distribution

  “Eraser Fields” by chelfitsch & Teppei Kaneuji
• Planning and production of a theatrical exhibition and performance at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa

  “Eraser Forest” by chelfitsch & Teppei Kaneuji
• Planning and production of a theatrical work as part of the official program for Kyoto Experiment 2019

  “Eraser Mountain” by chelfitsch & Teppei Kaneuji
• Planning and production of a new theatrical experience creating a diverse audience

  chelfitsch & Teppei Kaneuji “Eraser Mountain” in Tokyo

Playwright / Director: Toshiki Okada
Scenography: Teppei Kaneuji
Cast: Izumi Aoyagi, Mari Ando, Yuri Itabashi, Takuya Harada, Makoto Yazawa, Leon Koh Yonekawa

Costume: Kyoko Fujitani (FAIFAI)
Lighting Director: Masayoshi Takada (RYU)
Sound Planner: Raku Nakahara
Video Director: Shimpei Yamada
Technical Director: Koro Suzuki
Stage Manager: Chikage Yuyama
Assistant Director: Nagara Wada
English Translation: Aya Ogawa
Producer: Megumi Mizuno (precog) , Tamiko Ouki (precog)
Publicity / Production Manager: Nanami Endo
Ticketing coordinator: Asami Hori
Planning and Production Management by precog co., LTD.

Publicity Design: Yuki Arisa
Photo (Mainvisual) : Yuki Moriya
Publicity Writing (Crowdfunding) : Kenta Yamazaki
Special Website Design: HAUS

Production: chelfitsch
Co-produced by
[Eraser Mountain] Kyoto Experiment, Wiener Festwochen, Festival d’Automne à Paris, Künstlerhaus Mousonturm Frankfurt
[Eraser Forest] 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
This project consists of two versions, Eraser Mountain (premiere: October 2019 / Kyoto Experiment) and Eraser Forest (premiere: February 2020 / 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa)

Presented by chelfitsch
Partnership: Setagaya Cultural Foundation / Setagaya Public Theater
Sponsorship: Setagaya-city
Supported byJapan Arts Council, Arts Council Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture, National Tax Accountant Kyoeikai Cultural Foundation
In co-operation with: CONNELING STUDY/YAMABUKI FACTORY, Steep Slope Studio, Kyoto City University of Arts,
Kyoto Art Center Artists-in-Studios program