A photo set-up by photographer Simon Richardson of Riko Nakazono, who will be joining me for the autumn tour of THE MISTAKE, through September and October.  Heading off to Dartington, Chester, Caernarfon, Aberystwyth, Wickenby (Lincs.), Lancaster, Stratford-upon-Avon, Cardiff, Banbury, Walton-on-Thames, Chichester, Bristol, Hull, Cambridge, Brighton, Doncaster, Pontefract, York, Bewdley (W. Midlands), MAC Birmingham, Northampton, Buxton, Diss, Aldeburgh, Bury St. Edmunds, Canterbury and one or two other places tbc.  Phew!  Quite a tour to many and various corners of England and Wales.  You can find the dates, schedule and booking links here… https://michaelmears.org/dates-for-your-diary/ And we’d be so grateful if you can put the word out to any family or friends you have in or near any of the places we’re visiting.  Thank you! 

These three very special women have been and are part of the journey of THE MISTAKE from page to stage to tour and more – and all three were at the Arcola Theatre recently on the same night for a performance of the play. You-Ri Yamanaka, on the left, was a part of early workshopping of the play, took part in the film collage we made from the play in 2020, and then came to Edinburgh with me in November 2021 to give a first public reading of the play. Emiko Ishii, in the middle, performed in the first full production of the play last year at the Edinburgh Fringe and this year at the Arcola. And Riko Nakazono, on the right, will be performing in the play on its 2023 autumn tour to 28 venues around the UK, from Aberystwyth in west Wales to Aldeburgh on the east coast, from Brighton on the south coast to Lancaster in the north! It has been a privilege for me to meet and work and get to know these three very talented performers and I hope they will all continue in some way to be a part of THE MISTAKE in its future life. ‘Arigatou gozaimasu’ to them all!