It has been announced that a total of eight productions, both new and old, from four theatre companies and theatrical units that have attracted attention in small theatres and for which tickets are hard to get, will be broadcast and streamed exclusively on WOWOW on March 7th and 8th.
The theatre companies and performance units appearing include Zetsuai Binbou, led by Yamada Yuri, which is known for its style of work that brings to light the problems facing modern Japanese society in a pop and light-hearted way; Gekidan Ampersand, led by Ando Kei, which is known for its unique storytelling that makes developments unpredictable; Tamada Kikaku, led by Tamada Shinya, which recreates the ``strange atmosphere'' that exists in everyday life in a precise and realistic colloquial style; and Shiroyamahi no Kai, a theatre production unit written and directed by Yamauchi Kenji, which depicts human instincts and desires with exquisite humor.
The lineup of works and broadcast/streaming schedule are as follows:
Zettai Binbou "I Think I Understand, But..." (broadcast and streaming March 7th, 1:00 PM): This is the theater company's masterpiece, which was also performed in Paris in 2022 and praised as "an easy introduction to feminism through theater." Teru and Ko-chan are an ordinary couple like any other. One day, Teru becomes pregnant, and the atmosphere begins to change, dragging her friends and, for some reason, the maids in the house into the mix. What lies beyond "trying to understand" the inability of "women" and "men" to understand each other? Recorded on November 13th, 2025, at Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Theater East (Toshima-ku, Tokyo).
Ampersand Theatre Company's "Dangerous Door" (broadcast and streaming March 7th, 2:15 PM): This shocking production, which garnered a great response at its premiere, returns in a new look. Ampersand Theatre Company presents an office horror story. An office door closes by itself, even though no one has touched it. What starts out as a slight sense of discomfort soon changes the atmosphere in the workplace. By the time everyone begins to sense that "something is wrong," an irreversible situation has already begun. The door is being closed by someone's will... Recorded on October 28th, 2025 at The Suzunari (Setagaya Ward, Tokyo).
Tamada Kikaku's "Not on the Map" (broadcast and streaming March 7th, 3:45 PM): Tamada Kikaku's latest work, which focuses on the subtleties of human relationships and skillfully depicts awkward atmospheres and awkward silences. It depicts the joys and sorrows of a local inn and the human relationships at the inn, and is a dialogue drama about the inn's renovation. Nishi, a woman who returns to her hometown, is planning to hold a sea exposition there, and plans are made to renovate the inn where Nishi is staying. However, a conflict arises over the renovation plan... Recorded on March 30th, 2025, at the Small Theater B1 (Setagaya Ward, Tokyo).
Shiroyamayō no Kai "The Sweetness That Makes You Salivate" (broadcast and streamed March 7th, 5:55 PM): A play written and directed by Kenji Yamauchi, this humorous portrayal of human instincts and desires is the latest production from KAAT x Shiroyamayō no Kai, launched by actor Marika Matsumoto and Jiro of the comedy duo "Sisonne." Matsumoto, Jiro, and veteran and talented members of Shiroyamayō no Kai, Takashi Okabe and Kenji Iwatani, create a unique worldview where raw emotions glimpse within matter-of-fact conversations. This comedy of despair unfolds in the decadent atmosphere of a time when Japan longed for Western culture. Recorded on November 26th, 2025, at the KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre Middle Studio (Naka Ward, Yokohama).
Luxury Binbo "Waiting for the End" (broadcast and streaming March 8, 1:00 PM): Writer and director Yuri Yamada presents a heartfelt yet comical "depression comedy" based on her own experience of illness. Mari, a temporary worker, lives with Yo, an office worker. Mari is currently on leave due to depression. Yo then decides to go on a month-long business trip overseas. Yo invites Mari to join him, saying it will be a change of pace and may even help with her depression. However, the hotel where she is staying turns out to be a little strange. A woman in the room next door keeps searching for her cat, a cleaning lady who never seems to clean, and an old friend she can't remember appear. While Mari is troubled by these issues, she notices a gaping hole in her room... Recorded on December 12, 2024, at Setagaya Public Theater Theater Tram (Setagaya Ward, Tokyo).
Ampersand Theatre Company's "Even if you don't walk, you'll find a stick" (broadcast and streamed March 8, 2026, 2:45 PM): An Ampersand thriller that won the 69th Kishida Kunio Drama Award. The discrepancies hidden in the quiet of everyday life bring unexpected laughter and pain. The garbage dump in an apartment building. After the death of a woman who strictly enforced the rules for garbage disposal, the residents begin to become lax again. At 8:00 AM, when they go to put out the garbage just before collection time, they find the dump empty. Perhaps the garbage truck has already left... Recorded on August 9, 2024, at Theater Tops (Shinjuku, Tokyo).
Tamada Kikaku's "Now is the All-Time Best" (broadcast and streamed March 8th, 4:15 PM): This is a re-run of Tamada Kikaku's production, which unearths painful memories and transforms them into laughter through a bird's-eye view. It depicts a turbulent night for guests staying at a villa. Matsunaga and his friends are staying at a cottage in a summer resort in Nagano. They've arrived early because Matsunaga is getting married. This is Matsunaga's second marriage, and his new wife, Megumi, is worried about something ahead of the wedding. Only Matsunaga's son, Yuta, is sulking for some reason, refusing to socialize with the others and retreating to his room... Recorded on March 23, 2020, at Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Theater East (Toshima Ward, Tokyo).
Shiroyahi no Kai's "For the Guilt of Peace" (broadcast and streamed March 8th, 6:20 PM): A man and a woman meet in an autumn park and, in a conversation about infidelity and desire, come face to face with their own guilt about living peacefully. A man and a woman meet by chance to meet their ex-girlfriend's lover, who turns out to be the father of the man's current girlfriend. What kind of relationship is this? Several men and women engage in a conversation about infidelity and desire in an autumn park. To top it off, they are caught in an obscene scene in a ridiculous situation, and both the perpetrators and the victimized lose their sanity... Recorded on December 11th, 2024, at the Small Theater B1 (Setagaya Ward, Tokyo).
