A theatrical company based in Nagoya. In 2005, “The Oysters,” was formed as a group of actors all born in 1973. In 2008, upon becoming a theatrical company, the group changed its name to “Oysters.” Their core concept is “excessively conversational play,” and using dry conversations, they highlight human figures trapped by unreasonable circumstances. Naotaka Hiratsuka writes and directs for the company. He has received many awards: the 4th Sendai Geki no Machi Drama Award for “Hadaka Michi,” the 16th Japan Playwrights Association New Playwright Prize for “truckmellow,” Young Directors Contest 2011 First Prize for “Japanese Watakushi Dictionary,” Gekioh 11 ~ Asia ~ First Prize for “I Called and Ambulance,” and many more. Most recently, “It’s Not Canada Here” was shortlisted for the 61th Kishida Kunio Drama Award. Formally said, the company’s name “Oysters” was taken from William Shakespeare’s famous line “The World is Mine OYSTER,” but actually it was named after the fact oysters often give food poisoning, which in Japanese described as ataru, which also means to make a hit.