The European premiere of a unique performance installation by Peru-born Japanese playwright and director Yudai Kamisato will be open 28 – 29 June 2024 at The Storey Lancaster.

Also featuring Jerusalem-born stand-up comedian, former human rights lawyer and journalist Daphna Baram, ‘Dear Potential Foreigners’ is a performance installation focusing on the themes of movement, migration and tourism inspired by stories heard in South America and Asia - as well as locally where the installation is presented.

Following presentations in Japan, Brazil and Peru, the European premiere is brought to the UK by Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA) and its Cultures Research Centre.

Born in Peru to Japanese parents and now based in Japan, Kamisato’s works deal with the theme of crossing borders, based on the stories he collects while visiting various places in South America and Asia. Kamisato will be in Lancaster for a two-week residency working on the theme of ‘movement’, ‘migrants’ and ‘tourists’ with Daphna Baram and visual designer Chengyi Zhou. Their collaboration will culminate in a unique experience within the gallery space of The Storey in Lancaster. The installation will be open for six hours with performances approximately every two hours.

Yudai Kamisato said: “This work has been inspired by my own travels and stories collected in South America and Asia. I am hoping to collect more stories in Lancaster. My work raises many questions: can tourists really remain carefree and easy? What is the difference between immigrants and tourists? I am hoping to have enriching conversations about identity, migration, tourists and the current situation in the world with Jerusalem-born stand-up comedian Daphna. I invite audiences to join us on this journey.”

Prior to the performance installation, there will be a series of talks and workshops as part of the Japan-Britain Contemporary Theatre Exchange on 14 and 15 June 2024 in Lancaster, 19 June in Salford and 22 June in London during PSi #29 Assemble! conference in association with LIFT Festival.

The creative team also includes as producer and for artistic research support Beri Juraic and stage manager Anja Bryan-Smith. The project is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council through the North-West Doctoral Training Partnership, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, the Daiwa-Anglo Foundation, The Japan Foundation and Lancaster University’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences through its Postgraduate Research Funds.

Yudai Kamisato’s works on the theme of crossing borders have been presented at prestigious international theatre festival such as the Autumn Festival in Paris, Kunsten Festival des Arts in Brussels and Sydney Festival. He won the first prize in the Toga Directors Competition (2006) and the prestigious Kishida Kunio Prize for Drama for The Story of Descending the Long Slopes of Valparaíso (2018).

VENUE The Storey (gallery space), Meeting House Lane Lancaster, LA1 1TH

BOOKING TICKETS Tickets can be purchased via Ticketsource here https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/jbctex/e-qljgjk

All tickets are timed with 1-hour slots and you must enter within 15 minutes of your slot. At busy times, we reserve the right to restrict access and you might have to wait to enter. Once you enter, you can enjoy the installation as long as you want. TICKET PRICES Full price: £8. We are also operating pay what you can tickets.