Keiko (pronounced Kayko) was born in Japan where her interest in art, especially music, opera and theatre, grew. This lead her to travel to England to study theatre direction. Keiko's musical background lead her to focus her attention on visual theatre in combination with sound.
Keiko's performaces are inspired by a personal response to the cultural ambience of places she has visited.
DIRECTING
"The Rock Garden", devised by Keiko Sumida
This performance is the result of ten weeks' rehearsal, based on proxemics and the Japanese concept of 'ma'. Proxemics is the study of people's behaviour in public spaces, and ma is the concept of a spacial or temporal 'gap'. This came from Keiko's personal fascination for public transportation in London and the mixure of the Japanese zen garden, 'ryoanji'.
This performance is part of Keiko's continuing quest to make theatre that doesn't rely on verbal language.
"The New World Order", by Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter's ten-minute piece full of silence. When two children start to play with LEGO, this is the beginning of their torturing game, and Pinter's 'silence' becomes something else.
"How to Walk in Barcelona", devised by Keiko Sumida
Barcelona is a city full of strangely-shaped paving stones. How can we make theatre from those stones? The Flamenco dance is the clue for this performance.
PERFORMING
"Face to the Wall", by Martin Crimp
In this performance Keiko played 'Voice 4', and played the piano.