Hiroshi Nagano’s fruity connection with his new stage play
V6′s Hiroshi Nagano (37) and the world’s first organic apple grower Akinori Kimura talked about the connections they shared with one another prior to their stage collaboration at a press conference in Tokyo on September 16, reports The Television and Ticket Pia.
“りんご 木村秋則物語 (Ringo - Akinori Kimura Monogatari)” is a stage play based on Mr Kimura’s life as the first organic apple grower, giving birth to the “miracle apple”. It follows the conflict and struggles he had faced with his family and those around him who had said that what he was trying to do was impossible.
At the press conference, Nagano had said he had been eating Mr Kimura’s for the past four, five years, and talked about his visit to the grower’s orchard in Hirosaki, Aomori prefecture.
“There were so many varieties of grass there, it covered the entire area like a carpet and it felt very soft.
“Kimura-san’s apples are not only delicious, but you can feel a kind of raw power seep into your body as you eat it.
“When I met Kimura-san, I was moved by his warm personality. I hope I can portray the feelings he had felt with each challenge he has faced to its best,” he said.
The popstar said there were a lot of things growing fruit can teach people about life.
“In the same way a fruit won’t grow unless you feed it water, soil, and sunshine, a person is only able to live life because there are others around you supporting you. I want to get this feeling across to the audience using this play,” he said.
Mr Kimura talked about his personal link with V6.
“When I first heard that Nagano-san would be playing me I was surprised. A while ago, I had appeared on TV with Ken-chan (Ken Miyake) so I think I must have some connection with V6,” he said.
The apple grower also gave his first impression of the V6 star.
“He’s really good at mowing the lawn, and he asked me very professional questions about orchard growing. But I couldn’t help but wonder why on earth a popstar was standing in the middle of my orchard,” he said.
Mr Kimura continued to say he was slightly embarrassed his life story was being turned into a stage play, but hoped it would send a message to farmers across the country that farming can bring happiness into their lives.
The play will begin performances in Tokyo on November 5 - 14 before touring around Hyogo, Aichi, Fukuoka, and Miyazaki.
“りんご 木村秋則物語 (Ringo - Akinori Kimura Monogatari)” is being directed by Tamiya Kuriyama, and the script was written by Kiyomi Fujii.
source: TOKYOHIVE