Oshima Yuko and Miura Haruma discuss understanding the director's communication in English for the stage play of "Crime & Punishment"

Miura Haruma and Oshima Yuko are currently starring in “Crime & Punishment”.

The play which lasts through February 1st is directed by British theatre director and playwright Phillip Breen who communicates with the actors in English.

Breen’s adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “Tsumitobachi” (Crime and Punishment) is the first stage appearance for Oshima Yuko in three years.

Miura will be playing the role of the protagonist (in the Russian play the name is Raskolnikov) about a 23-year-old former student who is destitute. Despite being handsome and beautiful, he is cold, apathetic, antisocial bu can also be warm and compassionate. He commits murder as acts of charity.

Oshima will be playing the role of Sonya, the daughter of a drunkard and a prostitute who helps to rehabilitate Raskolnikov.

Oshima who studied in the United States for a year and three months and returned back to Japan in mid-October, was asked if living abroad helped her understand the director who communicates with them in English.

Oshima said that her understanding the instructions by the director of the English communicated to her was about half, then she said 60% and then said 70% but going abroad and learning English was useful for her. Miura said he almost understands everything.

Oshima said that it was a good experience to understand the production and what was communicated to her by mouth. What she didn’t understand, she felt she realized the profound meaningfulness of language.

The work is challenging, there was a moment when Miura was unable to bring out what Breen wanted in a scene and was extremely sensitive, because she felt they were not doing their best. For Oshima, it was nerveracking because she hasn’t appeared in stage for three years.

But both eventually worked hard together and will be appearing at the Tokyo Bunkamura Theater Cocoon for the next eight days.