THE FOUNDING OF FESTE

Towards the end of 1981, two former members of R.U.E.D.G. expressed to GB an interest in performing more dramas in English outside Reitaku University. Their love of drama was so great that they wished to continue performing plays after graduation, and they also wished to produce dramas of wider range than was possible in RUEDG and, if possible, of higher quality. So early in 1982 they founded the Feste English Speaking TheatrE (the final capital E completing the anagrammatic title).

THE NAME & THE LOGO

FESTE (named after the Clown in Shakespeare's "Twelfth NIght") was founded on 6th January, 1982 (Twelfth Night!). Its motto was "Let Me Play the Fool!" (from "The Merchant of Venice" I.i.79), and the FESTE logo (photo below centre) represents a clown standing on his head. The purpose of FESTE was for mainly Japanese amateurs to present professional-quality dramas in English. Some non-Japanese and professionals were also members. During the 12 years of FESTE's existence, about 80 people participated.

MANAGEMENT & VENUES

Apart from GB, the two founding members were TOSHIRO MIYAMA (who had acted King Lear in R.U.E.D.G. in 1975 and Cassius in R.U.E.D.G.'s "Julius Caesar" in 1976) and HISATAKA NAGAMORI (Kent in 1975 & Mark Antony in 1976). Miyama became the General Manager of FESTE, Nagamori the Music Director and GB the Artistic Director. From 1984, Nakamasa So (King Lear in RUEDG in 1982) took over from Miyama as General Manager.

In the first year, two modern plays (See FESTE photo page) were presented in Theatre Green, (Ikebukuro, Tokyo), which was used once a year thereafter till 1985. In 1986 & 1987, FESTE performed in the Small Theatre of Reitaku University (Photo above right), again in Ikebukuro in 1988, & thereafter in the Toho-Seimei Hall (Shibuya, Tokyo; also used by RUEDG from 1979 to 2002). One extra production was again performed in Reitaku in 1991. FESTE' s last production was in May, 1993.