<figure id="attachment_409834" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409834"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="491e6077"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/2ccf3d3284aacf0f91cc28671b9b2e2c.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409834" class="wp-caption-text">The head of the &#8220;Super Eccentric Theatre&#8221; troupe, Yuji Miyake (left), and troupe member Hisahiro Ogura (right). In celebration of Ogura&#8217;s 70th birthday, a comedy live performance will be held from February 21 to March 2. Ogura will be challenging himself with his first-ever role as the one doing the punchlines.</figcaption></figure>
The &#8220;Super Eccentric Theatre&#8221; troupe (SET) celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2024, surviving through a time when many theater companies rose and fell with the small theater boom. The head of the troupe, Yuji Miyake (73), is a well-known popular TV personality, active not only on stage but also on television and radio. Additionally, the presence of Hisahiro Ogura (70), a founding member and close friend, cannot be forgotten.
Having known each other for 47 years, the two of them shared previously unknown stories of their struggles and joys.
Ogura: I originally had no interest in this world. But when I graduated from university, it was during the oil crisis, and it was difficult to find a job at a regular company. At that time, I saw a drama called Ore-tachi no Matsuri (Our Festival) on NTV, where Masatoshi Nakamura (73) played a member of a theater troupe. The members drank and partied after rehearsals&#8230; it looked so fun. I started to think that being in a theater troupe seemed great. Shortly after, I happened to see in an information magazine that Oedo Shingeki was holding its first performance, so I went to see it.
Miyake: That first performance was more interesting than I had imagined.
Ogura: You were the star, Miyake-san. You were tall and handsome, like a model, but you made the audience laugh effortlessly. It was simply cool to see.
Miyake: Having a gap in your character makes things more interesting. It was exactly what I was aiming for!
Ogura: So, after that, I went to audition for Oedo Shingeki, and they asked me to &#8220;express joy, anger, sadness, and pleasure.&#8221; I didn’t know what to do. I just said some lines like, &#8220;Ah, I&#8217;m so happy!&#8221; and &#8220;I&#8217;m so mad!&#8221; but it was all flat (laughs). Then they asked me to show my special skill, so I performed a backflip and a karate kata, as I had experience in gymnastics and karate. Maybe that contrast worked, and I passed the audition.
Miyake: I don’t remember any of that (laughs). It was 47 years ago, and I’ve been on the judging panel for auditions hundreds of times. But, Ogura, you didn’t really do anything for a while after joining. You were shy and couldn’t raise your voice.
Ogura: I’m the type to quickly say, &#8220;I’m no good! I’m not cut out for this.&#8221; There was one time, backstage during a performance, I truly panicked and felt like I couldn’t do it. Then, Miyake-san said, &#8220;Don’t say that now! I’ll listen to you later,&#8221; and he hugged me and jumped up and down to get me pumped up.
In the January 23rd release of “FRIDAY” (February 7th issue) and the paid version “FRIDAY GOLD”, the full interview of the two long-time friends celebrating their 47th year together, along with stories about the founding of SET and the overcoming of Miyake’s serious illness, will be published. There will also be numerous rare photos from that time.
For more details and to view multiple photos, click here↓↓
<a href="https://friday.gold/article/311674">Yuji Miyake and Hisahiro Ogura: What the Strongest Duo Has to Say on the 47th Anniversary</a>
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<figure id="attachment_409843" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1588px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409843"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="baf9ce82"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/c9b892d82307c9d82eb28dc251823c30.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409843" class="wp-caption-text">Fifteen Young Boys&#8217; Hospital Diary P.S. SOS performed in 1983</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_409840" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409840"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e72c9710"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/16331289fbd95c4db786bac2f4e3c252.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409840" class="wp-caption-text">Yuji Miyake: Born in Tokyo. He founded SET in 1979 and has served as its head for 45 years. In 2011, he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis and was hospitalized, but after undergoing rehabilitation, he made a comeback to the stage. His film Father and My Endless Song is set to be released in May this year.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_409842" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409842"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="fbd79a98"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/320f770394fa51d58dc02dfbf9d32055.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409842" class="wp-caption-text">Hisahiro Ogura: Born in Mie Prefecture. After admiring the troupe members in the Masatoshi Nakamura-starring drama Ore-tachi no Matsuri (1977, NTV), he joined Oedo Shingeki. In 1979, he co-founded SET with Miyake and others. He currently appears in many stage productions and film works.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_409839" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 1500px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409839"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3ba9cfff"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/91b807b3ce367b1ba07d18a13d159aaf.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409839" class="wp-caption-text">Unpublished cuts in this magazine: Yuji Miyake × Hisahiro Ogura, the strongest duo reveals their untold stories in their 47th year.</figcaption></figure>
From the February 7, 2025 issue of “FRIDAY”

 Takehiko Kohiyama

 The Super Eccentric Theater (SET) celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2012. Yuji Miyake (73), the leader of SET, and Hisahiro Ogura (70), a member of SET's founding troupe and a close ally of Miyake's, revealed some of the hidden episodes of their hardships and joys.

Yuji Miyake × Hisashiro Ogura: 47 Years of Partnership and the Untold Story Behind Their Strongest Duo

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