To celebrate 07/07/07, local modern Japanese theater troupe Theater of Yugen is presenting The Cycle Plays, an all-day festival of pieces influenced by Japanese Noh theater traditions. The performances use Noh theater conventions and imagery but present stories about figures of American pop cultural legend -- so there's a piece about Ted Kaczynski, a play about Helen Keller (pictured at right), and an adaptation of . Plays start at 9:30, have a lunch break, and start again at 3 and go probably until 9 or so? The performance, at the Project Artaud Theater (450 Florida, x 17th and Mariposa) is free and probably oversubscribed, but you should stop by and see if you can get yourself in.
Other events:
--The Chinese Cultural Center is screening The Chinatown Files, a documentary about the effects of the cold war on Chinese-Americans in the 50s and 60s. 4 p.m., inside the Hilton at 750 Kearny (x Washington) on the 3rd floor Mezzanine. No price given but we'd estimate no more than $8?
--Local world music genre-benders Rupa and the April Fishes play a free show at Amoeba (Haight and Stanyan) at 2 today. French songs, tangoes, American jazz, and Indian ragas all get thrown into the mix.
--Manga pop culture convention at the Asian Art Museum today. There will be cosplay! (and Dance Dance Revolution, and music from video games). 11-5, free with museum admission ($12), 200 Larkin (x McAllister).
--At the Marsh, local comedian Will Franken performs his one-man play "Grandpa, It's Not Fitting," which looks like it'll make fun of religion, politics, and maybe Franken's piano-playing skills too. 8 p.m., 1064 Valencia (x 22nd), $15-35 sliding.
Picture from the Theater of Yugen by Kagami.
