HANA
NO KAGE
SHADOW OF A FLOWER

[book the  1 ½ hr live
performance now!]
premiered on 6 September 2007 at
ARNOLFINI BRISTOL
to launch the
BRISTOL POETRY FESTIVAL
(audience 85, books sold 68 - most
books sold in Festival)
HANA NO KAGE [Shadow Of A Flower] is a Zen-poetic
travelogue of Bristol-based poet and writer Ralph Hoyte’s
travels in Northern Japan in the footsteps of the 17th century
wandering Haiku Master Matsuo Basho. It is newly published
by City Chameleon, Bristol.

In the spring of 1689, Basho set off from present day Tokyo
on a 6-month tour of the places in Northern Japan made
famous by Japan’s most revered poets.
His travels resulted in one of Japan’s best known works of literature, oku-no-hosomichi
(The Narrow Road to the Deep North). This is the work on which Ralph Hoyte based his Arts Council-
funded five week solo-trip to Japan in the autumn of 2005.

Hana no Kage was conceived to be both a book and a performance piece. The performance version
is a film-based narrative and performance piece written, directed, produced and presented by Ralph
Hoyte (with Haruka Furuka and Stephen Ives). It is based on the Japanese literary form of a ‘haibun’
(traditionally prose set with haiku), updated for the 21st century with audio and video ('a techno-
haibun'). The book is sold on the back of the performance.

Hana no Kage had a rapturous reception at its premiere at the Bristol Poetry Festival to an audience
of 85 at the Arnolfini, Bristol in September 2007.  An excerpt from the ms was broadcast by BBC R4
Hometruths, or you can see more about the trip and book HERE
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

  • Length:1 ½ hours (30+20 break+30min.)
  • Digital (DVD) projector & screen suitable
    to size of venue
  • PA system & + 2 microphones
  • Lighting: spotlights on performers and/or
    lectern lamps
  • Staging: the performance is adaptable for
    any size or conformation of stage, given
    that screen must be visible to audience
  • Two lecterns



Contact:
Ralph Hoyte
ralph@hoyte.org.uk
078540 333 75