Ijima Island, Matsushima Bay,  where Basho landed in 1699
HANA
NO KAGE
SHADOW OF A FLOWER

[performance options from
40 min to 1 ½ hrs]
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. The book has been published
by City Chameleon, Bristol and is
also available on Amazon UK.
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 declamatory performance
piece. The performance version is a film-based narrative and performance piece
written, directed, produced and presented by Ralph Hoyte (by 'performance' is
meant a declamatory poetic reading). 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').

Hana no Kage had a rapturous reception at its premiere at the Bristol Poetry
Festival at the Arnolfini, Bristol.  An excerpt from Hana no Kage was broadcast by
BBC R4
Hometruths. Hana no Kage is available as an installation.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

  • Length: 40 min (no break) or up to1 ½
    hours (30+20 break+30min.)
  • 2 versions: audio version or performed film
    narrative version
  • audio: PA system & + 2 microphones
  • film narrative: as 'audio' plus digital
    projector, screen etc
  • Lighting: spotlights on performer and
    lectern lamps
  • Staging: the performance is adaptable for
    any size or conformation of stage, given
    that screen must be visible to audience
  • One or two lecterns depending on
    conformation
Haguro-san (Mountain of Birth) Main Temple roof
Part of the Choson-ji temple complex, Hiraizumi
BBC HOME TRUTHS
EXTRACT (audio)