Earth 2 Air

Kumiko welcomes and interviews Ailin Conant our new Artistic Director and Co-CEO. You’ll learn about Ailin’s journey into the industry and how her heritage has informed her work as a director. Music by Nicola T. Chang. Edited by Yuino Tokumaru.

Our Executive Director and Co-CEO discusses with Kumiko the UK theatre landscape and the changes that have taken place during New Earth Theatre’s 28 years. Music by Nicola T. Chang. Edited by Yuino Tokumaru.

Our Marketing and Digital Content Manager talks with Kumiko about the rebrand and name change of the company that took place in 2020. She explains what her role as Artistic Director involves. Music by Nicola T. Chang. Edited by Yuino Tokumaru.

Our Associate Producer speaks with Kumiko about the productions and initiatives she has programmed during her tenure as Artistic Director. Music by Nicola T. Chang. Edited by Yuino Tokumaru.

Our Creative Engagement Manager chats with Kumiko about how she got into theatre, the formation of New Earth Theatre, then called Yellow Earth, and the journey our training programme, New Earth Academy, has made over the years. Music by Nicola T. Chang. Edited by Yuino Tokumaru.

We continue with New Earth Artistic Director Kumiko Mendl and Dr Lucienne Loh from the University of Liverpool and co- curator of the Chinese & British exhibition. Kumiko talks about the genesis of the play and its significance for BESEA theatre as they continue to explore the themes of WORTH.

Earth 2 Air lands again! Join New Earth Artistic Director Kumiko Mendl and Dr Lucienne Loh, historian and curator of the British Chinese exhibition at the British Library, as they open the new podcast season with the way in which the ambitions of New Earth Theatre and WORTH coalesce with the exhibition, and shared themes by both play and the exhibition.

Writer Joanne Lau and Director Mingyu Lin take over Earth 2 Air in a honest reveal as they discuss immigrant family dynamics within the play and draw inspiration from their own lives.

Hear how Linbury Award winning designer TK Hay realised his true calling when he made his first design whilst enrolling on an architecture course. A dramatic drop out and some encouragement steered him onto his path, leading to his recent work with New Earth today!

Ria Parry directs Kyo Choi's The Apology at Arcola Theatre this autumn. In our penultimate episode, she shares some juicy nuggets on the directing process, with valuable insights in to how to facilitate all the different creative elements of a piece, working with new writing and her journey from National Youth Theatre, via box office and project management to director and producer. 

Actor Minhee Yeo plays the character of Yuna in The Apology. Minhee was finishing off her thesis in a pub-like building when her afternoon turned into an accidental audition for drama school. Fast-forward multiple TV and theatre roles, including Eastenders (BBC) and White Pearl (Royal Court), she is thrilled to now be part of a full length Korean play in the UK. She dives straight into living with no regrets, preparing for the role, sharing nuggets of wisdom and being a fan of Kyo’s work!

Earth 2 Air is back with a new series! South Korean playwright Kyo Choi chats with New Earth Artistic Director, Kumiko Mendl, about her upcoming production of The Apology that is set to make its UK premiere this month. She shares her 'process of chaos' to creation, discusses how she took up the challenge of delving into difficult but essential historical stories, and reflects upon her own writing journey.

Mariko Hayashi reveals how her work retains her connection to her roots, which in turn, is rooted within her initial desire to do something different with her life and see and experience life outside of Japan. Today, she is executive director of the Southeast and East Asian Centre, SEAC - a London based organisation providing community support to migrants, refugees, and people seeking asylum as well as citizens of Southeast and East Asian backgrounds.

Musician Haruna Komatsu had always been determined to live out her teenage dream. So, she formed her own band, No Cars, which consists of three Japanese women and a raccoon. Joining the podcast from Japan, she shares her journey from childhood in Nagano by the mountains, how David Bowie persuaded her to travel to the UK and coming full circle back to her home country and now working at the famous Snow Monkey Park.

At an early age, Houmi made the life-changing choice to remain in the UK with English guardians whilst her family returned to Japan. Having joined initially as an interviewer for Tsunagu/Connect, she tells her own story and the impact from such a decision. Now, as a Japanese-British female actor, writer and theatre maker based in Manchester, her interest in culture and history has led to the discovery of historical empowering female figures and a solo show.

Growing up with dual nationality was not easy. Coming to live in semi-rural Huddersfield wasn’t either. Japanese-Korean Ryoko Akama discusses identity and the curiosity and conflict of who you are alongside the ever-changing racial trends and attitudes; how that has influenced her music and her way of thinking towards creativity as a sound artist and composer.

heat, heat, gravity by Ryoko Akama, Anne-F Jacques and Tim Shaw

One of the first Japanese women to come to Britain post-war, Lola Isako Okazaki-Ward, recalls her treacherous journey to Britain on the Empire Windrush in 1954, love at first sight and adopting English culture.

Keiko Itoh, a Japanese born writer and interpreter who lives in London, features in today’s episode to delve into the historical context of her unusually international family. The lesser-known life of the Japanese community in pre-war Britain will be uncovered, with some surprising links to the North East of England. But the Second World War left the community with an ultimatum: to return to Japan or stay in the UK to face the unknown…

Series host and co-host, Artistic Director Kumiko Mendl and artist/theatre-maker Kazuko Hohki reveal the motivation behind Tsunagu/Connect.
Find out how ‘The Borrowers’ were involved and what growing up as the ‘child of the enemy’ was like. They share details on their own arrival and experience in the UK, drawing parallels with present affairs and the future generation.

Music excerpt: We Are Ninja by Frank Chickens

New Earth Theatre presents its first podcast: Earth 2 Air.
Artistic Director Kumiko Mendl and artist and theatre-maker Kazuko Hohki introduce the first series, Tsunagu/Connect, featuring Japanese women and the stories that brought them to the UK, the reasons they have stayed and some of the challenges they have faced as immigrants in this country. 

The Earth 2 Air podcast will debut on 13th September.