LA MAMA PRESENTS Antipodes Theatre Company's 月を見る夜 MOONGAZING in February
There’s a search bar at your fingertips. But does it have the answers you need?
月を見る夜 Moongazing will kick off LA MAMA PRESENTS in February 2026 at La Mama HQ. Performances run 4-22 Feb 2026.
Playwright Maki Morita is interested in how language informs our relationships and understanding of ourselves in the digital age. Her linguistic inquiry spans beyond her proficiency in Japanese and English, extending into the ways we now communicate online
and in 'real life'. She is curious about the impacts of tech-dependency on our mental health, like chatting with AI in search of practical, emotional, and spiritual guidance.
Inspired by the Japanese folktale 'Ubasute-yama' and its Nōh rendition, 月を見る夜 Moongazing is a poetic exploration of loneliness in our increasingly atomised and technology-driven society. A tender, budding intergenerational relationship anchors the play to ask where the future and past meet, where they clash, and where they blur together.
Maki Morita, Playwright, said, "This play is inspired by ghost stories, folktales, Noh, endless doomscrolling and astrology obsessions, among other things. It's really for anyone who has grieved or felt lonely or a little out of place, anyone who wants to switch their phone off but doesn't because you need it to participate in today's world."
Brandon Pape, Antipodes Theatre Company Artistic Director, said, "This piece touches on the fragility of self-esteem and self-image in our modern digital landscape, where human connection can be both meaningful and vacuous. There are so many incredible facets to Maki's storytelling style that feel visceral and impactful."
Written by Maki Morita
Directed by Ari Angkasa
Performers: Anna Fujihara and Yumi Umiumare
Dramaturg: Roshelle Fong
Vision & Systems Designer: d duàn 段耀钦
Costume Designer: Kiara Brown
Composer and Sound Designer: Jack Whu
Stage Manager: Jade Hibbert
Creative Producers: Brandon Pape & Cameron Steens
Image: Darren Gill
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