Kuroko (sometimes called Japanese Invisible Man in theatre)

They are dressed in total black and help things necessary on stage e.g. moving a puppet across the stage while the puppet master her/himself controls other particular parts of the puppet itself, or in other occasions they bring props back and forth.
The audience does see them moving around the stage but as a Japanese traditional theatre code, Kuroko are supposed not to be seen as existing on stage. And of course they are silent in every way.

In the past, many times I wanted to be like them.
No credits for their activities but without them the whole thing does not go on.
After giving a chance to make a homemade Kuroko costume in my DasArts study, Kuroko has become a popular character which appears (though invisible) in theatres and other events.
 

Kuroko’s dreams 07 / 2006

is a solo performance about the fantasy of a Kuroko who attempts to make his own show out of his dreams to visualise his invisibility.
As he is invisible and silent the Kuroko had to relay on things such as small objects to visualize his fantasy that sometimes slips away from his hands…

Idea, text, translation, sound collage and performance: Kuroko (aka Tashi)
Duration: approx 35min
Sound: bits of music from Kohei Matsunaga, Kronos Quartet, Office Building, Ultra Violence, General Patton vs The X-ecutioners, DJ Shadow, Chris Watson, Toshimaru Nakamura, Hawk & Co., Michael Jackson, Narimichi Kawabata, maher shalal hash baz, Nick Cave, Glen Miller, Spiridon Shishigin, Music in the world of Islam, Mulholland Drive sound track, Ghost in the Shell sound track, Jaws sound track mp3, General sound effects and more..

 

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Kuroko’s memories [director’s 1st assistant’s cut] / 2007

is the second performance of Kuroko. It is about the Kuroko’s attempt to fill the emptiness created by the loss of his beloved objects.
This piece was made after the fact that I forgot all the props for Kuroko’s dreams 07 in Finland when I had the Kuroko performance in Amsterdam. Kuroko (= I) had to create a new performance without his beloved objects, and it became a piece about loss and longing while getting on with whatever comes.
This piece was created for Colour Dance Festival in Muiderpoorttheater, Amsterdam. To fit the busy festival programme the shorter version was presented for that occasion. Due to this circumstance [the director’s cut] (full length version) is yet to be shown, though it already exists.

Idea, texts, sound collage and performance: Kuroko (aka Tashi)
Text advice: Noha Ramadan
Duration: approx 30 min (full version: approx 50min)
Sound: bits of music from Basil Kerchin, David Sylvian/Ryuichi Sakamoto, Delia Derbyshire, Dirty Fan Male, DJ Shadow, Free sound effects, Ginger does’em all, Johnny Holshuysen, Julie Ruin, Marilyn Manson, Marc Wilkinson, Mike Sammes, Rajio Taisou, Squarepusher, Stan Getz, Sven Libaek, Wisby, X-files and Akira sound track

 

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Kuroko was also seen (though invisible) in:

'A Way of the Dragon [a frame for waking new clear balance]' at Muiderpoorttheater, Amsterdam

'significant collision', a DasArts' event at AHK, Amsterdam

the opening of 'Japan, New&Old, In&Out' as part of Gastarbeider at Mediamatic, Amsterdam

the opening of 'No strings Attached' by Nir Nadler and Chaja Hertog at CBK Amsterdam

'La La Land' by Doron Hirsch at AHK, Amsterdam

'Land Edscape (the musicle)' by Ben Büchenbacher and Einat Ganz at Muiderpoorttheater, Amsterdam