Shota Yasuda tackles Ibaraki dialect in new stage play

Shota Yasuda, a member of the group SUPER EIGHT, held a press conference on September 27 at the National Theatre of Japan for his upcoming stage production, ‘Kamiyui no Teishu’ (The Hairdresser’s Husband). The play, directed by Mai Ishiguro, is a Japanese adaptation of a classic French film, reimagined to take place in a small barbershop in Ibaraki Prefecture during the 1950s.

Yasuda, who is originally from Hyogo Prefecture and typically speaks the Kansai dialect, noted the unique challenge of performing entirely in the Ibaraki dialect. He described the dialect as a “mysterious language” that felt like an “unidentified object,” comparing its phonetic qualities to French due to its specific intonations and nasal sounds.

The production is scheduled to run through October 25 in Tokyo, with additional performances planned for Hiroshima and Osaka in November. During the event, Yasuda also offered words of encouragement to fellow group member Ryuhei Maruyama, who is currently starring in a separate production.