Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre presented the world premiere of Tetsuro Shigematsu’s Kuroko on November 7th at The Cultch. The acclaimed creator of behind Empire of the Son and 1 Hour Photo, Shigematsu says this was his biggest challenge to date. Kuroko is not a solo show and Shigematsu is not personally taking the stage, as he usually does. This time he’s only the playwright and he’s telling one of his most personal stories yet – a dark comedy that earned a standing ovation from a captivated audience on opening night.
The story is of a man, Hiroshi, who has lost his job and worries about how he’s going to provide for his family. In particular, Hiroshi struggles to find a way to help his daughter Maya, who is an extreme recluse and has spent the last six years in her bedroom exploring virtual reality. The play explores human relationships and how they’re affected by our increasingly digital world. It also delves into the idea of sacrifice, bringing to light the different cultural and moral attitudes towards the topic in Japan and Canada. Shigematsu provides an interesting commentary on the intersection of these cultures as well as making a loud statement about family and how to truly take care of one another.
Kuroko is so popular that the first week is already sold out. An extra performance has been added on November 16th – get your tickets before they’re gone. Visit The Cultch for online purchase.
By Contributing Writer Nicole Alivojvodic
ILiveInEastVan.com 
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