I want to convey the thoughts of supporters in the corona misfortune!
It has become difficult to watch J-League games and cheer them on like before due to the corona crisis. What kind of thoughts do you support teams and soccer? We spoke with Mr. Asahi Ueda, who will be performing at Shinjuku Kinokuniya Southern Theater on Monday, March 29.
Koike Kikuchi
|
2021/03/28
--Long time no see. It's been about a year since the corona crisis, but what changes or discoveries have you made to football?
Ueda: A lot of things have changed due to the corona disaster, haven't they? And you've seen a lot of different things. In terms of soccer fields, there are various regulations such as no spectators, restrictions on the number of people, and no singing.
Due to the corona crisis, I was able to see things that I had not been able to see before, hidden behind the sounds of drums and songs in the stands.
――What did you see?
Ueda: For example, I noticed that there are parts where the audience doesn't see soccer very well. When I went to the stadium to watch the game, there were scenes where I thought, "Oh!"
What I hadn't felt before at the stadium was when the noise of the supporters' voices and cheering disappeared, and I thought, "What is soccer like in this country?"
――Meanwhile, you've been focusing on theater companies lately, haven't you?
Ueda: Due to COVID-19, I have more free time, so I'm focusing on Gekidan Corazon. Recently, tickets are sold out in an hour after they go on sale, so things are going well.
If I can't do something at the stadium for Japanese soccer or my favorite FC Tokyo, I thought I could contribute on the stage.
Nowadays, the number of people who openly visit fans and stadiums is decreasing. I thought it would be a chance for people who are interested in my theater company to know about FC Tokyo.
People who didn't know me until now came to see me and said, "The theater company that Asahi-kun leads is interesting." They are here.
――So you are getting interested in FC Tokyo and soccer through the stage?
Ueda：Also, the lineup of celebrities who like FC Tokyo hasn't changed since 5 years ago. If I'm not good at it, it hasn't changed in about 10 years.
For some reason, the number of celebrities and celebrities who like Tokyo hasn't increased even though the team has achieved good results. I thought it was because we weren't actively trying to attract new fans or approaching them.
Up until now, I've done stage performances to excite the feelings of FC Tokyo fans, but the target for the stage that will be held on March 29th, "Sleepless Town," is completely different. I would like to increase the number of new fans.
――The stage on March 29th (Monday) will be held in a wonderful place called Shinjuku Kinokuniya Southern Theater.
Ueda: It has been 15 years since I started the theater company Corazon, but I had never been to the Southern Theater.
In a hurry, two weeks ago, I received a call saying "I can use it" and said "I'll do it!" Normally, it would take months to prepare, but we decided to do it two weeks in advance, and tickets go on sale ten days in advance. The preparation time is short, but the teamwork of the cast this time is very good, and they have a lot of concentration, so I will make a good one.
――It would be wonderful if new soccer fans and FC Tokyo fans could increase through the stage.
Ueda: Of course, there is the situation of corona misfortune, but the reason why the number of fans in the stadium is decreasing is because the support that played a passionate part of the sport called soccer is gone.
The fun at stadiums and live sports is halved, isn't it?
When I say to people who have experienced it, "It's fun to watch a soccer game at a stadium!" , If you can support like before, you will find soccer even more interesting. It's a plus to increase new fans at this timing.
――Please tell us about the contents of this stage as much as you can.
Ueda: The theme is the feelings of supporters in the midst of the corona disaster.
I was very happy to win the Levain Cup, but I didn't win the championship because of the support I've had so far, so I was disappointed and frustrated.
My friends who have been cheering for me for many years refrained from going to the stadium.
The story is about the mixed feelings of the supporters who watched the game on TV, thinking that they should not cause trouble for their favorite club, fans, or the football world when they accidentally shouted in joy.
――This time, Mr. Naohiro Ishikawa will also be appearing, right?
Ueda:yes. As a club communicator at FC Tokyo, we plan to ask him to express his own feelings and what he thinks about the feelings of such supporters.
ーーI think it's something that has never happened before, not being able to go to practice observations and not being able to communicate with the players for the past year.
Ueda: This is the first time that the team is so far away. I used to go to the training grounds and meet everyone, but now that I can't meet my specific friends, there are parts where I keep in touch more closely than before.
――Supporters can't meet each other at the stadium more than before.
Ueda: In the final of the Levain Cup on January 4 (FC Tokyo VS Kashiwa Reysol), there were a lot of cases where the supporters who had been cheering for me for a long time couldn't go to see it even though it was the final due to the start of work. Some of my colleagues are told not to go out at work or in the company.
However, people who were watching the news would probably think that the event was held on January 4th because it was held on a different date, and Tokyo won the championship. I'm sure I'm happy to win when my friends who have been with me can't come for various reasons, but I have a lot of feelings.
I didn't dare to convey that kind of thing, and I think that there is a part that can be conveyed to people who are not soccer fans by performing on a stage like this.
When I saw the stage, I thought, "Ah, that's what I'm watching", and if the cast I'm supporting came to see me, I would say, "If they were in the same situation", I would empathize with FC Tokyo. It's an approach that I wish I could get to know and soccer.
Theater Company Corazon's 74th Performance "Sleepless City" Performance Information (*Updated 3.24) | GEKIDAN CORAZON
Gekidan Corazon (@gekidan_corazon) / Twitter
Ueda: A lot of things have changed due to the corona disaster, haven't they? And you've seen a lot of different things. In terms of soccer fields, there are various regulations such as no spectators, restrictions on the number of people, and no singing.
Due to the corona crisis, I was able to see things that I had not been able to see before, hidden behind the sounds of drums and songs in the stands.
――What did you see?
Ueda: For example, I noticed that there are parts where the audience doesn't see soccer very well. When I went to the stadium to watch the game, there were scenes where I thought, "Oh!"
What I hadn't felt before at the stadium was when the noise of the supporters' voices and cheering disappeared, and I thought, "What is soccer like in this country?"
――Meanwhile, you've been focusing on theater companies lately, haven't you?
Ueda: Due to COVID-19, I have more free time, so I'm focusing on Gekidan Corazon. Recently, tickets are sold out in an hour after they go on sale, so things are going well.
If I can't do something at the stadium for Japanese soccer or my favorite FC Tokyo, I thought I could contribute on the stage.
Nowadays, the number of people who openly visit fans and stadiums is decreasing. I thought it would be a chance for people who are interested in my theater company to know about FC Tokyo.
People who didn't know me until now came to see me and said, "The theater company that Asahi-kun leads is interesting." They are here.
――So you are getting interested in FC Tokyo and soccer through the stage?
Ueda：Also, the lineup of celebrities who like FC Tokyo hasn't changed since 5 years ago. If I'm not good at it, it hasn't changed in about 10 years.
For some reason, the number of celebrities and celebrities who like Tokyo hasn't increased even though the team has achieved good results. I thought it was because we weren't actively trying to attract new fans or approaching them.
Up until now, I've done stage performances to excite the feelings of FC Tokyo fans, but the target for the stage that will be held on March 29th, "Sleepless Town," is completely different. I would like to increase the number of new fans.
――The stage on March 29th (Monday) will be held in a wonderful place called Shinjuku Kinokuniya Southern Theater.
Ueda: It has been 15 years since I started the theater company Corazon, but I had never been to the Southern Theater.
In a hurry, two weeks ago, I received a call saying "I can use it" and said "I'll do it!" Normally, it would take months to prepare, but we decided to do it two weeks in advance, and tickets go on sale ten days in advance. The preparation time is short, but the teamwork of the cast this time is very good, and they have a lot of concentration, so I will make a good one.
――It would be wonderful if new soccer fans and FC Tokyo fans could increase through the stage.
Ueda: Of course, there is the situation of corona misfortune, but the reason why the number of fans in the stadium is decreasing is because the support that played a passionate part of the sport called soccer is gone.
The fun at stadiums and live sports is halved, isn't it?
When I say to people who have experienced it, "It's fun to watch a soccer game at a stadium!" , If you can support like before, you will find soccer even more interesting. It's a plus to increase new fans at this timing.
――Please tell us about the contents of this stage as much as you can.
Ueda: The theme is the feelings of supporters in the midst of the corona disaster.
I was very happy to win the Levain Cup, but I didn't win the championship because of the support I've had so far, so I was disappointed and frustrated.
My friends who have been cheering for me for many years refrained from going to the stadium.
The story is about the mixed feelings of the supporters who watched the game on TV, thinking that they should not cause trouble for their favorite club, fans, or the football world when they accidentally shouted in joy.
――This time, Mr. Naohiro Ishikawa will also be appearing, right?
Ueda:yes. As a club communicator at FC Tokyo, we plan to ask him to express his own feelings and what he thinks about the feelings of such supporters.
ーーI think it's something that has never happened before, not being able to go to practice observations and not being able to communicate with the players for the past year.
Ueda: This is the first time that the team is so far away. I used to go to the training grounds and meet everyone, but now that I can't meet my specific friends, there are parts where I keep in touch more closely than before.
――Supporters can't meet each other at the stadium more than before.
Ueda: In the final of the Levain Cup on January 4 (FC Tokyo VS Kashiwa Reysol), there were a lot of cases where the supporters who had been cheering for me for a long time couldn't go to see it even though it was the final due to the start of work. Some of my colleagues are told not to go out at work or in the company.
However, people who were watching the news would probably think that the event was held on January 4th because it was held on a different date, and Tokyo won the championship. I'm sure I'm happy to win when my friends who have been with me can't come for various reasons, but I have a lot of feelings.
I didn't dare to convey that kind of thing, and I think that there is a part that can be conveyed to people who are not soccer fans by performing on a stage like this.
When I saw the stage, I thought, "Ah, that's what I'm watching", and if the cast I'm supporting came to see me, I would say, "If they were in the same situation", I would empathize with FC Tokyo. It's an approach that I wish I could get to know and soccer.
Theater Company Corazon's 74th Performance "Sleepless City" Performance Information (*Updated 3.24) | GEKIDAN CORAZON
Gekidan Corazon (@gekidan_corazon) / Twitter
