TORAFU ARCHITECTS

We designed the set for the Miwa Yanagi Performance Project's latest production: "Zero Hour" –Tokyo Rose's Last Tape– to which contemporary art artist Miwa Yanagi contributed script, direction and artwork.

The Zero Hour was a radio program broadcast during World War II by the Japanese Imperial Army to Allied troops serving in the Pacific theater. The play revolves around the character of "Tokyo Rose", the name given to the female announcers appearing on the program. We were tasked with creating the announcer desks used for the production.

The opening scene shows a ring-shaped counter which is then split into five parts and rearranged to become individual desks, radio booths or court benches according to the developments in the narrative in subsequent scenes. Moreover, each counter houses a seat that can be pulled out when in use. Since the curtain never falls during the play, we paid close attention to minute portions of the desk, such as the handles, to allow actresses to move the counters and seats effortlessly while preserving the feminine demeanor of a broadcaster.

The counters appear as abstract art objects intended to be aesthetically pleasant, which along with layout, lighting and performance, serve as tools suggesting various settings to the spectator beyond what is actually perceived by the eye.