Yamamoto Koyo

Yamamoto Koyo’s concept of pantomime is totally free, challenging our fixed ideas about what it should be. The base is pantomime, yet his world has an ethereal inventiveness. In one piece, he moves nimbly as a dancer, and in another, he personifies an insect, an animal and its food. His range of expression is unique and grows ever wider. He cuts round a scene of life and lifts it out, allowing a gap of logic to appear. He plays on this gap with humour and pathos, and sometimes with dark laughter. He draws us into his magical world that, apart from “Charlie Yamamoto”*,exists without words.

Charlie Yamamoto is a marionette character who makes comic dialogue with the 2 people who manipulate him. But we never see these 2people. 

Koyo has opened the door to a new type of performance, stepping out of pantomime and moving beyond.

Personal career

He learned the theatre play and RAkugo (traditional comedy story telling) when he was in the university. After the university, he went to New York, USA and learned Pantomime at Moni Yakim Pantomime Thatre-Polish Mime School for 3 years. After he came back to Japan, he learned Buto from Min Tanaka.

Since 1989, he started “ Koyo Mime Live “at various small size theatre around Tokyo.

Since 1991, join to “ Image Cine Circus ” by Mugongeki Company. At the same time, started to perform on the street and join to many festivals and events.

In 1997, he presented 2 weeks performance at Edinburgh Festival Fringe and got 4 stars from local news paper.

Since 1999, he formed pantomime pantomime unit “ TORIO ” with Mansuke Kojimaya and Aiya Hoda. This unit has been performing at the schools and local theatre in Japan.

At present time, Koyo’s activity became wider. He has been invited by opera company, dance company, theatre play company, cabaret style show and making unique collaborateon with various type of art.

Since 2005 till now, he has started to present “ To be a Scarecrow ” at PlanB (Tokyo) every 3 month.

Learn the basics of Mime for three years in New York. Mime's new work was announced at 1.2 pace after returning home. On the other hand, he has created his own world with expressive power, sharp movement and perspective cultivated from various experiences by expanding the place of activity in collaboration with street performers, opera, theater and dance.

Street Performance