Making Your Own Work: Stepping into a New Ikigai with Christiane Brew

In this episode of Ikigai with Jennifer Shinkai, Jennifer sits down with Christiane Brew, a British actress, improviser, director, producer, and coach based in Tokyo. Christiane is moving from performing other people's work to creating her own, and she shares how a tea and cake brainstorm with two fellow actresses grew into an immersive murder mystery experience, "Murder: My Story, The Wedding." Together they explore the messy middle of a new project, how roles shift as an idea grows, why naming uncomfortable emotions builds trust, and how the answers we need are often hiding in plain sight. Christiane also reflects on how her first job as a hotel receptionist still shapes the way she produces today. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we'd love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. **In this episode you’ll hear:** - How a group of three actresses turned a casual brainstorm into a full production. - Why writing for yourself can create the work that doesn't exist yet. - How a first job as a hotel receptionist shaped Christiane's approach to producing. - Why roles change as a project grows, and how to lead without losing equality. - The power of saying "this isn't fun anymore" out loud to build trust. - Why asking "why" and looking inside first can reveal what is hiding in plain sight. **About Christiane:** Christiane Brew is a British actress, improviser, director, producer and coach based in Tokyo. From her very first job at sixteen, she's built experience across a surprising range of careers. Today, those experiences combine with her work as a performer to form a creative toolkit that reaches far beyond the stage. Most recently, she co-wrote and is producing *Murder My Story*, Tokyo's first immersive murder mystery theatre experience. Created by three women from different generations, backgrounds and skill sets, it's a show where the audience don't simply watch—they arrive as wedding guests and become part of the story. Today we're talking about the idea of *ikigai*—how Christiane found hers through performance, why creating meaningful shared experiences has become such a driving force in her life, and how decades of experience across theatre, business, marketing, education and leadership have come together in one ambitious creative project. We'll explore creative freedom, building your own opportunities instead of waiting for permission, the realities of collaboration, and why the most valuable resource you have may not be something you need to go looking for—but the skills, experiences and people already around you. **Connect with Christiane:** Website: https://www.christianebrew.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Brew-Actress/61578663187787/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianelbr LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianebrew/ Murder, My Story: The Wedding Tickets https://fienta.com/murder-my-story-199671 **Connect with Jennifer:** Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifershinkai/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifershinkaicoach Website: https://jennifershinkai.com/ Instagram Coaching and Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/ Instagram Artist: https://www.instagram.com/jennifershinkai/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ikigaiwithjennifershinkai/ **Things mentioned in the episode:** The Book Thief (book Christiane read during her recovery): https://www.amazon.co.jp/Book-Thief-Readers-Circle/dp/0375842209 "Murder: My Story, The Wedding" https://fienta.com/murder-my-story