Tango at the End of Winter

Sei is a middle-aged actor reluctant to face growing old

His wife arranges a fake love affair to revive his acting genius

But instead, he withdraws into a world of fantasy and memories of his youth

This English adaptation of Shimuzu's play by Peter Barnes charmingly encapsulates a Pirandellian world of reality and illusion

Tango at the End of Winter received its London premiere at the Piccadilly Theatre in August 1991 in the first major theatrical collaboration between the UK and Japan

It starred Alan Rickman and Suzanne Bertish, and was directed by Yukio Ninagawa

REVIEWS

"...an exciting theatrical experience..." ~ Milton Shulman, Evening Standard

"...Shimizu's play is a piece of symbolism which unfolds with tremendous theatricality..." ~ John Peter, Sunday Times

"Shimizu may make the familiar point that life itself is a form of theatre but he does it with a kaleidoscopic visual boldness that is specifically Japanese and that makes full use of the extensive vocabulary of theatre" ~ Michael Billington, The Guardian

"It takes place in a derelict cinema ... with a crowning surprise in store giving the piece a lightning-stroke of theatre" ~ Shaun Usher, Daily Mail