Parco Production 2026 "Richard III": A rich Shakespearean performance brought to life by 10 actors!

Photography: Yukihiro Kato

Richard III opened on May 10, 2026, at the PARCO Theatre in Tokyo.
PARCO presents a series of Shakespearean plays directed by Shintaro Mori and starring Yo Yoshida. In 2021, they staged "Julius Caesar" with an all-female cast, and in 2024, "Hamlet Q1," a play considered to be the prototype for "Hamlet." Both productions were well-received for their careful portrayal of the characters' delicate psychology while maintaining the grand scale of the stories. This third installment, "Richard III," tells the story of Richard III, who seizes the throne by systematically eliminating his brother and nobles through cunning, but whose tyrannical rule in order to protect his blood-stained throne leads to ruin. In this production, the various characters from "Richard III" are portrayed by Yo Yoshida as Richard III and nine other cast members. A tragedy born from power struggles and political ambitions that have been repeated throughout human history. This story, which resonates even today, as depicted by Shakespeare, will be presented with Yo Yoshida and nine other cast members under the direction of Shintaro Mori, who will deeply captivate the audience.
I had the opportunity to cover the pre-opening press conference and open dress rehearsal held on May 9th, prior to the opening day.

Words and emotions race through 'Richard III' - Pre-opening press conference -

Yo Yoshida: I will be playing the title role (Richard III) in this production. We have been rehearsing for a little over a month, and I have mixed feelings of excitement and a bit of nervousness about finally being able to perform for the audience. It's hard to believe that we are performing such a cruel story, as the cast and crew are incredibly friendly and the rehearsals were filled with laughter. I will do my best to convey that fun, as well as the humor of this production, which portrays Shakespeare's tragedy as a comedy. We hope you will all come and see it. Thank you.

Reika Aiki: I will mainly be playing the roles of Anne and Ratcliffe. There have been some challenging times so far, but it has been a very enjoyable and fulfilling rehearsal period. From here on, I will do my best not only for myself but also to ensure that the audience can enjoy the show, so I would appreciate your support.

Noriko Nakagoshi: For the past month or so, I've spent time with the director, staff, and cast, and all I've focused on this time has been to "give it my all." Starting tomorrow, I will put my heart and soul into my performance, so please come and see "Richard III." Thank you.

Ryotaro Akazawa: The opening night is just around the corner, and the past month or so of rehearsals has been intense, fun, and fulfilling. There are some funny and hilarious scenes, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how we'll create them together with the audience. It's a long run of performances, so I hope to enjoy it and do my best without getting injured.

Masuko Shizue: In this production, there is absolutely no one who is taking it easy. You may not be able to see it, but the staff are working like crazy. Please, everyone, take a look. Thank you.

Masahiro Asano: I'm playing multiple roles, and I'm finally starting to get a feel for what the next scene will be like (laughs). I hope you'll enjoy it with that in mind. Thank you very much.

Tomoya Hoshi: It turns out I'll be playing more than 10 roles (laughs). For the sake of this wonderful cast, staff, and the audience who will come to see the show, I hope that everyone will support us so that we can reach the final performance safely and without anyone getting injured.

Tomohiko Kiyota: I'm also playing nine roles. We're a really great team, so I want to bring that teamwork to the fullest and do my best.

Eisuke Shinoi: In this genderless era, Yo Yoshida will be playing Richard III. This is sure to be a sight to behold. I hope you will come and see it with that as your main focus. Against Yo Yoshida's Richard III, I will be playing the stunningly beautiful Margaret (laughs). Asano will be playing 12 roles, so everyone is playing multiple roles. Trying to figure out "Who is playing this role next!" will be one of the fun parts, so I think it would be good to watch it like a puzzle. There are few sets on stage, and it should be a stylish and cool stage that looks great in the PARCO Theatre.

Ikkei Watanabe: When you've been an actor for many years, sometimes a job becomes "something more than just a job." This play is probably one of those jobs. I'm already sad that it's ending. The rehearsals were that intense and fulfilling. I can't wait to stand in front of the audience. Everyone plays various roles, but Yo Yoshida only plays one role (laughs). That's one of the highlights (laughs). Please look forward to it.

Photography: Yukihiro Kato

Q. What were some of the difficult and enjoyable aspects of acting?

Yoshida: The most challenging aspect of acting is the physical shaping. We're creating the character faithfully to the script, so during the play, I have to bend my body into a V-shape and act at about half my normal size. This requires constant care for my lower back, which is very difficult. On the other hand, what's enjoyable is being able to release negative emotions that I would normally want to hide, through the filter of the character of Richard. I found this to be more enjoyable than I expected. Director Shintaro Mori has even told me, "You don't have to go that far," so I'm having a lot of fun with it.

Q. What are the highlights of the work?

Watanabe: It's not often that I get to play multiple roles, so it's something I never expected, but it allows me to experience this story from multiple perspectives. Normally, you interpret Shakespeare's works through the lens of a single role, but in this production, I'm playing multiple roles, so even when I'm playing a different character, there's gossip about the character I'm playing. The world of this play gradually seeps into my body and I start to synchronize with it, so I think we're all able to create one world together.

Shinoi: Shakespeare's works are honestly a bit complicated. Unlike in Japan, one person has many names, so some people might think they'll get confused about who's who, but please don't be intimidated and just come and see it. We will do our best to portray the joys, sorrows, anger, and happiness that are timeless, so you should be able to directly feel the drama. There may be many words that you don't understand, but please don't worry too much about that. I think everyone has a lot of imagination, so I hope you will watch and feel. Please trust in the power of theater performed by real people. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Kiyota: There are so many highlights in this play, but my personal favorite is the opening. (Yoshida) Yo's opening is so cool that Akazawa and I always get excited backstage. Please look forward to it.

Hoshi: As Shinoi-san mentioned, the difficult aspects of Shakespeare's works are the phrasing, the words, the somewhat long sentences, and the large number of characters. I think this is also Mori-san's intention, but by having 10 cast members play various roles, the relationships between the characters are simplified, making it easier to watch. I think it's designed so that if you watch us, you'll be able to immerse yourself in the world. These 10 actors are desperately trying to pass the baton, so I hope you enjoy it.

Asano: From the simple stage design, you wouldn't imagine how much the production relies on the incredible work of the staff backstage and in the wings. It's built on trust, so I hope that viewers will keep that in mind and appreciate that theater is a comprehensive art form.

Masuko: It is certainly a difficult play, but Mr. Mori has come up with various tricks, so there are scenes that can only be described as comedic. I really like that part, so I hope you will enjoy it.

Akazawa: I also love the scene that Shizue Masuko mentioned, so I hope you'll enjoy that part. At first, I thought Shakespeare's works were difficult, but I realized that what's important isn't the lines themselves, but the emotions behind the lines and the exchange of feelings between people. Thinking this way, I've come to understand the characters' emotions and their positions, so I hope you'll come and see it without hesitation. Mr. Mori's direction is cool and has realistic elements, so I hope you'll enjoy that as well.

Nakagoshi: At first, I was filled with fear and anxiety about performing in such a long, narrow space with the curtain slightly lowered, but as we continued rehearsing day by day, a story of just under three hours gradually took shape. When I watch from the wings, even the parts I'm not in are so moving that they make my heart ache and bring me to tears. I think the whole thing is a highlight, but everyone really enjoys the scene that Shizue Masuko mentioned earlier. In other scenes, I'm always in a state where my heart feels like it's going to break, but in that scene, I can relax and enjoy myself.

Aiki: Everything is a highlight, but my favorite part is when things go the way Yō Yoshida's Richard wants, he looks so happy and excited, like he's saying "I did it!" It's irresistible. Richard does some really terrible things, but the play is such that the audience gets drawn in from the very beginning, so I think the audience will be drawn in by his expressions and end up having fun too.

Yoshida: As everyone has been saying, one of the biggest reasons why this tragedy is a comedy is Richard's grand performance as he hides his schemes and cleverly manipulates words to play the role of a conscientious person in order to become king. It's very refreshing and entertaining to see how the people around him, who you would think would never be swayed, change their minds one after another. And at first, the audience and Richard are in a complicit relationship, knowing "this is a lie" and "this is the truth," but halfway through, the audience gets carried away by Richard's passion and starts to wonder "which is it?" I think one of the interesting aspects is how the line between truth and falsehood becomes blurred.

Q. What are the differences between this role and the roles you've played before, and what is the appeal of playing a villain?

Yoshida: It's incredibly fun to be able to release the negative emotions I inherently possess, such as jealousy, envy, and low self-esteem—emotions I would normally want to hide—through the filter of the role. There are also moments when I realize, "I'm such a terrible person!" (laughs). I think that it's precisely because these ugly emotions are involved that the sadness and poignancy of Richard that comes afterward comes alive as a contrast, so I want to fully embrace that aspect of the role.

Q. I think there are some actors who say they "can't shake off their roles." How about you, Mr. Yoshida?

Yoshida: It was the same when we performed "Julius Caesar" and "Hamlet Q1" before, but with Shakespeare's works in particular, I find it hard to shake off the roles even after I've finished acting.
I had the opportunity to be interviewed by a women's magazine, and I thought I was smiling cheerfully, but my manager came running over and told me, "Yoshida-san, you're acting like Richard!" (laughs) But actually, now I feel like I don't want to let go of the role even in my everyday life.

Q. Ms. Yoshida, could you please give a message to our customers who are looking forward to your work?

Yoshida: This will be the final installment of the "Shakespeare x Shintaro Mori x Yo Yoshida PARCO Theatre Series." I play a villain, the complete opposite of the roles in the previous two works, but if you watch it while considering the thoughts and feelings behind each character, you will be able to enjoy it very deeply. This time, there will be a total of 57 roles, including Richard. I will be playing only Richard, so the remaining 56 roles will be played by these nine people. It is a theatrical and challenging endeavor, so I hope you will enjoy it. And we intend to deliver a Shakespeare with the exhilarating speed that is characteristic of Shintaro Mori's direction. For those of you who think, "I don't like Shakespeare, it's long, it's boring, it's heavy, it's noisy," I especially hope you will come to the theatre and enjoy it, thinking, "That went by surprisingly quickly. 2 hours and 40 minutes? It felt like only an hour." We look forward to seeing you at the theatre.

Photography: Yukihiro Kato

A stage performance that engulfs you in words and passion ~A student's theater review~

In this production of "Richard III," I was immediately drawn into the world of the story thanks to the overwhelming acting skills of the cast. Each actor played multiple roles, but I wouldn't have noticed unless I was told; each character came alive on stage, weaving the story with such vividness that it left me with an indescribable feeling.
Furthermore, the lighting and stage sets were simple yet used very effectively, allowing me to visualize the scenes as if I were actually there.
Throughout this play, Richard III consistently embodied the role of "evil," but his greedy pursuit of the throne seemed like the right portrayal, so I felt that Mr. Yoshida's performance as Richard III was very impactful.
Personally, I was very impressed by Eisuke Shinoi's performance as Margaret; his acting conveyed not just "frightening" but also a sense of "eerieness" and "seductiveness."
This film created a suffocating sense of tension, with every passing moment leaving you wondering what would be said or what would happen next!
Nina Ishikawa, 2nd year student at Sophia University

It was a time when I was completely captivated by the depth of each word, which is unique to Shakespeare's works, and by the overwhelming expressive power of the actors.
Yoshida Yo's portrayal of Richard left a lasting impression. Her presence transcended gender boundaries, making you feel as if she truly existed as that character. Her portrayal of Richard, harboring ruthlessness, loneliness, and ambition, was so vivid that I couldn't take my eyes off her from beginning to end.
Also, Shakespeare's works often have long monologues and unique expressions, which can give the impression that they are difficult to understand. However, the actors' expressive abilities in this production were truly wonderful, and the words flowed naturally into my ears.
Furthermore, I think the simple stage design with minimal props allowed the energy emanating from the actors themselves to stand out even more.
Furthermore, the film conveys a sense of emptiness throughout, exploring the question of "what remains after relentlessly pursuing power," and while Richard's actions of trampling on and betraying others are terrifying, they also reveal human weakness and loneliness.
The play was a whirlwind of emotions such as suffering, sadness, jealousy, and madness, deeply shaking the emotions of the audience as well.
Yurie Watanabe, second-year student at Josai International University

<Overview of the performance>

Student Newspaper Online, May 10, 2026 Interview with Yurie Watanabe, 3rd year student at Josai International University / Nina Ishikawa, 2nd year student at Sophia University