PROFILE

HIDEKI NODAHIDEKI NODA

In 1955, Hideki Noda was born in Nagasaki, Japan. Noda is a playwright, director and actor. Noda launched his first theatre company, Yume no Yuminsha and creating many works to much acclaim. After disbanding the company in 1992, he went to study in London. In 1993, he established a theatre production company called Noda Map. Since then, presented a succession of major hits, including Kill, Pandora no kane (Pandora’s Bell), Oil, Akaoni (Red Demon), The Bee, The Diver, The Character, and South. He has collaborated with the Kabuki actor Nakamura Kanzaburo XVIII, and he has adapted Kabuki plays and directed productions such as Tragedy of Togitatsu, and Nezumikozo, his original versions of the classical Kabuki piece at Kabuki Theatre. Noda is also actively involved in international productions, working with Thai and British actors. He became the artistic director of Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre as of July 2009. He has won most of the major drama awards in Japan, and was awarded the 2009 Asahi Prize. He was appointed an Honorary Officer of the British Empire (OBE) in October 2009 and the Medal with Purple Ribbon (for contributions to education and culture) in June 2011.