Pressure Interview / Shakedown

A performance by O,1,2nine, who were invited to perform in the comedy-sketch section of a dance and performance festival held in Aoyama and the surrounding area.

This was by far the largest venue O,1,2nine had ever performed in. After struggling to figure out how to incorporate such a large space into a comedy sketch, they hit upon the idea: “If there's distance, why not make use of it and conduct a high-pressure interview from far away?” And so they put the idea into practice. The premise was that the interview was for a company that makes ventriloquist dummies.

They also performed Katsuage (Shakedown), a sketch first performed at blanClass in 2013. In this piece, the performers switch lines and physical movements with each other while enacting the roles of “mugger and victim.” Put that way, it might sound like a difficult sketch to perform, but when you actually try it, it turns out to be surprisingly doable. These sketches can also be considered from various angles: the voice and the body that produces it, the objects the body haunts, and the theatricality of interviews and shakedowns.

The performance was presented as a double bill with asunoah, the unit led by Shigeto Ohkita, and was followed by a talk with the performers. Having run out of energy immediately after the performance, TARKY Toshima is rather spaced out at first, but gradually recovers. Be sure to read the record via the links below.