What could follow The Epicene Butcher and We Didn't Come to Hell for the Croissants? In bocca al lupo, Jemma Kahn's third kamishibai show: a graphic and candid and whimsical journey across three continents, using four story boxes, one giant cicada, a naked Catholic (or two) and one golden surprise.

Using simple but beautifully drawn images displayed on cardboard story panels, Jemma Kahn has spent the last four years captivating audiences from Alexander Bar to Edinburgh to Amsterdam with her unique take on the 12th century Japanese art form 'kamishibai'. The effect is like watching a sort of live Manga cartoon, her sheer verve in combination with all the elements at play create an utterly original and sometimes bizarre theatre experience, a joyous tribute to visual and verbal storytelling.

In bocca al lupo, like Kahn's two shows before it, brings together a truly wonderful creative team. And like the two shows before it, In bocca al lupo is not for the faint hearted or the easily offended.

Jane Taylor:  writer, Ubu and the Truth Commission (1997), writer Wild Dogs (winner of the Olive Schreiner Prize 2006), director After Cardenio (2011)

Tertius Kapp: theatre, Rooiland (Fleur Du Cap, Smeltkroes & Fiesta Awards 2013), Oorsee (Smeltkroes, 2014). Kapp won the Herzog Prize for theatrical work in 2015. His screen adaptation Dis ek, Anna won the SAFTA for best script in 2015 as well as the Silwerskerm for Best Picture.

Media & Reviews

"Kahn has the charisma of an old Hollywood starlet, and to be a member of her audience is to be in a state of enchantment for a full 80 minutes. Her gift is in her ability to be accessible: you feel that you’re in the company of a friend entertaining you with stories of her travels, coating them in humour to mask the taste of desperation."

'In bocca al lupo' reviewed by Suzanne Duncan

Audience Responses

fantastic performance!!

Brilliant performance

Excellent entertaining enjoyable

I am a huge fan of Jemma's work and really had a fantastic time last night. I resonated on so many levels with the tales told that it was actually quite cathartic. Jemma is a master story teller, her wicked humour and gentle vulnerability are a gift to watch. Of course the art work of the show is always a highlight, beautiful, funny and sometimes shocking but always riveting. Thank you for a wonderful evening!

thank you, thank you cannot tell you how much we loved this show...i laughed and cried and wanted the story to go on forever..i have booked tonight for a friend

We really enjoyed the show. I was a refreshing experience.

GEMMA IS AMAZING, SENSATIONAL AND OH SO TALENTED. WE LOVED THE SHOW X X

Brilliant, thoughtful and captivating. Jemma is a master story teller.

Excellent. I want to know how her mother is.

Very interesting, often funny, clever.. but, ultimately, just too long. The sliding cards were an interesting device but, again, too many.... My sister who attended with me says your seats are”bloody awful”. And goddess forbid that someone tall sits in front of you... Nonetheless, we’ll comd again.

Jemma is extraordinary. She is sincere and very funny. She really connects with the audience and grips your attention throughout.

Excellent. I want to know how her mother is.

Excellent. I want to know how her mother is.

Loved it!!!!!

Riveting and very professionally presented

Really great storytelling technique. Loved to be introduces to this Japanese art form. Gemma, we want more!!

Excellent. I want to know how her mother is.

Still a remarkable art form and SO wanted to know if she met the Japanese ambassador and whether he gave her that extraordinary outfit that she wore at the end. Didn't QUITE work without an explanation for that, I think; but I know she wanted to us to imagine our own ending... perhaps I just like my loose ends neatly tied. Otherwise a bravura performance as ever...

Engaging, gripping and way too cool for school!

Excellent, world class , sincere , unique ( well I had never seen anything like it ) funny and just fantastic. I am so glad I saw it and will always remember it - and talk about it to anyone and everyone !

Jemma was so engaging, she is such a great story teller. This is the first time I've seen Kamishibai and its a really wonderful story telling medium.

Still a remarkable art form and SO wanted to know if she met the Japanese ambassador and whether he gave her that extraordinary outfit that she wore at the end. Didn't QUITE work without an explanation for that, I think; but I know she wanted to us to imagine our own ending... perhaps I just like my loose ends neatly tied. Otherwise a bravura performance as ever...

It was very different and most enjoyable.

I love this show. Bust writing a review of it for Weekend Special.

It was really brilliant. We all enjoyed it very much.

The show was brilliant!

Not as good as previous show, but the kamibashi? was brilliant.