May 14, 2014
It isn't Kabuki if it isn't fun!
Intro to Kabuki in five minutes
Koumei Matsumoto, National Theater
What does everyone think of Kabuki? Many of you may not be interested, thinking it is hard to understand or that it feels ancient. But wait! Kabuki is actually an evolving, "living performance art" that is fun. We would like to introduce the charm of Kabuki, by introducing its history.
Kabuki by the Japanese Lady Gaga and other pop stars
Kabuki is said to have originated with a woman named Okuni of Izumo at the beginning of the Edo period. Okuni developed the Kabuki dance incorporating the latest fashion, music, and dance. In a sense, Okuni was the Lady Gaga of her time.
Eventually, the Kabuki dance was imitated throughout the country, and variations were developed such as the woman's Kabuki, where beautiful women danced gracefully, or the young person's Kabuki, where young acrobats performed daring feats (perhaps AKB48 or Johnny's Jr. in modern times?). However, these dances were banned by the government because they were thought to disturb public morals. Some time afterwards, the man's Kabuki, performed by adult men, was developed, which became the form of Kabuki known to us today. Today, female roles are played by specialized male actors.
Okuni of Izumo (illustration, Kaoru Moriya)
The continually evolving Kabuki
The Kabuki dances often included happenings from current events at the time. These included events in towns during the Edo period, or famous people, music, and dance. In other words, it is filled with the "fun" things of the period. Even now, Kabuki performances incorporate elements of opera and ballet, or other popular works by scriptwriters and authors such as Kankuro Kudo (of the television drama "Ama-chan" fame).
Kabuki incorporates many "fun" things such as what life was like in the past, beautiful clothing, large-scale stage settings, and pleasant music.
Why don't you come to the theatre in search of "fun" in Kabuki?
Why don't you come debut with us?
We have good news for those of you who have read this far and have some interest in Kabuki.
For people who are seeing Kabuki for the first time, the National Theatre holds Kabuki Appreciation Classes every year in June and July. For a fee of 1300 yen for students, similar to a movie ticket, students can enjoy this lecture. In the July classes called "How to watch Kabuki," Kabuki actors explain the highlights of the performance and the fun portions of Kabuki. The audience can also watch a performance called Keisei Hangonko with subtitles.
Otoku (Kaishun Nakamura), Matahei (Baigyoku Nakamura)
Keisei Hangonko is a love story about Matahei, a painter who is unable to express himself well through words, and his devoted wife, Otoku. A miracle occurs when they make a wish upon a painting. You'll have to see the performance in order to find out what that miracle is!
The key item in this performance: a washbasin.
When Matahei draws a self-portrait on this washbasin made of stone...
You can find information regarding many traditional arts, including Kabuki, in the Cultural Digital Library housed on the National Theatre site. Visit the site if you are interested in learning more about Kabuki!
Don't you want to step into the world of Kabuki?