Empire of the Son

March 27 - April 10, 2019

A Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre Production
Written and Performed by Tetsuro Shigematsu

Produced by Donna Yamamoto

Biographical Drama

A story of two generations of broadcasters and the radio silence between them

As father and son, Akira and Tetsuro Shigematsu shared the same profession as public radio broadcasters. Each of them reveled in communicating with millions of their listeners, but they never spoke with each other. When Akira’s health begins to falter in his old age, Tetsuro bridges the gap between them with the only object they both understand: a microphone.

Through visually striking live, cinematic vignettes, Shigematsu re-enacts moments from his father’s incredible personal history, from the ashes of Hiroshima to swinging 1960s London, and paints an intimate portrait of their evolving connection and the deep-seated love for each other that they both struggle to express.

”a celebration of the extraordinary in the ordinary.” - Ottawa Citizen