Final writer's meeting in Tokyo Saturday 31st May

The moment of truth.... had we achieved what we wanted during our two weeks...could we pull anything clear from the mass of ideas generated, and had we got a play? We had aimed to have the heart of our play at this point...perhaps the story,. certainly the title...and the ticking clock was in the corner of the Asibina Office, as we sat down for the final three hours of our time together.

Here are the notes from the meeting.....

Notes from writer’s meeting…Saturday 31st May in Tokyo
Key decisions from the two weeks workshop…

The play is set in the near future in a modern city, at and around a major building site, fenced off and hidden from view.

There are three principle characters, all of them children - Norang [Korean], Aka, [Japanese] and Blue [English]
Norang is an innocent, she has been the victim of some bullying, but does not appear a victim. She is afraid of the dark. Her only real friend is a stray cat called Yoghurt.

Blue is guarded, quiet and odd. He believes that in the building site, hidden, he will be safe from monsters. He is uncommunicative [perhaps to an extent autistic?] but determined, and practical.

Aka is adventurous, rebellious, and political. His parents worry about him, because he questions too much, and fantasises…he has dreams. He believes that what is being built behind the fences is wrong. He is not ultimately as brave as he appears.

There is little language, and the convention as the play unfolds is that the actors speak in their own languages but understand each other. There will be enough repetition to enable the play to be performed in the same form in all countries.

The style is physical, with a set which is symbolic . There is a musician, outside the action, providing a live soundtrack to the piece.

Outline of the action of the play…

Norang is looking for Yoghurt. The fence around the building site is hard to get through or over, but she does. She believes Yoghurt must be inside. It is dark, and she is frightened.

She looks for Yoghurt, exploring the site as she does so.

Aka breaks in. They are scared of each other.

They begin to communicate a little.

Norang goes back to looking for Yoghurt. Aka watches without helping.

While she is looking for Yoghurt, Norang finds Blue, hiding…. He has been to the building site before. It is his escape.

Stand off. They cannot communicate… Fear

They take little steps towards each other. Is Aka looking for Yoghurt too? No, he is on a mission, he says… How about Blue? We do not know, but it does not seem to be his first time there.

There is a noise. Blue believes a monster is coming. He is preparing, and thinks the only safe place to be is there, because the monster is coming. The sound must mean it is close.

Aka thinks a machine in the site is a monster, but Blue shows that it is just a machine. Aka’s pride is injured. The monster is invisible. The monster is outside the site. They are safer inside.

Norang is worried that the monster will eat Yoghurt.

Norang is sad….Aka tries to make her feel better. They play a little…

Norang tells her grandmother’s story, of what was on the ground before the building site. The story is the myth of a boy who may have buried something important. She enacts it.

Aka interprets the story as meaning they must dig, to get to another world.

Yoghurt may be in the other world. Norang and Aka want to dig.

Blue has listened to the story. He gets digging equipment. It is his first real acknowledgement of being on the same side.

They dig. They find another world in their fantasy. They imagine what it is like…what would the world be like if we were in charge?

Ultimately, the digging does not work. There is no magic…treasure… They are sad.

They play again. Now they are really making contact.

The game in the middle of the building site gets dangerous. Norang is in trouble. Aka is frightened. Blue saves her.

The monster is heard again. What is it?

Norang looks for Yoghurt again. Both boys join this time.

They hear Yoghurt high on the crane in the centre of the site.

They climb up the crane

At the top, it is dangerous and frightening. But they can see the world. Yoghurt is not there, but the darkness is coming.

Norang says, ‘I am not frightened of the darkness, the darkness is beautiful, I am only afraid of being alone in the darkness….’


So that is where we are after two exhilerating weeks....we will have to see how we feel about it after a passage of time, but right now it feels like a good strong core for our play, and where it has come from is the real excitement. The way the writers have sparked off each other, and the way the actors invented have both been remarkable.

...and we have a title... Looking for Yoghurt, or 요거트를 찾아라! or 「ヨーグルトを探して.

It has been a lonelier process than I expected, writing this blog. I had hoped that there may be a few comments from others involved...so please...whoever you are...feel free.......