Kabuki is a breathtaking performance that often lives delighting showmanship that traces back to the Edo period. It is common in Japan’s major classical theatres as well as noh and bunraku. The UNESCO has also identified the theater as a valuable cultural heritage (Japanese Guide). It is conducted on a wide revolving stage, which is modified with scenic backdrops and trapdoors to facilitate surprise entrances. The left stage is identified as Kamite, where important and high-rank customers emerge, while the right stage is identified as Shimote, which consists low-rank characters. Further, the rotating stage is identified as kabukino butai. It has a footbridge called hanamichi that allows actors to reach the audience area (Hays).
The actors engage in performing Kata forms as it has been since the beginning. An example of this traditional form is Mie, which involves evoking a striking attitude whereby actors cross one eye and exaggerate a certain expression to demonstrate an enhanced dramatic effect. The actors wear heavy make-up to create an exaggerated mood for the audiences. This is important because it provides a figurative expression of the character and events represented. Such include restripes around the eyes and cheeks to imply might. Also, indigo-blue indicate negative attributes (Japanese Guide).
The actors are only men. They demonstrate both male and female roles. They have adopted special styles in appearances and movement to mimic women characteristics. The standard roles performed by men in kabuki include being a handsome lover, acting as a virtuous hero or even an evil samurai (Hays). As for the female, their roles in the play revolve around the most aggrandized samurai woman, to a young and naïve maiden, and further as a wicked woman. The actors make the play lively by doing swordfights and showing expressions with wild costumes (Hays).
Kabuki Photographs
The stage design of kabuki
Dramatic expression in kabuki swordfight
Kabuki actor taking up a female role as a maiden
Kabuki high-rank actors
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvq7O6sukUc
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9QHX0LTL0w
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67-bgSFJiKc
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3IHdm2Tf8g
- Hays, Jeffrey. Kabuki: History, Themes, Famous Plays, and Costumes. Facts and Details.com. 2013. http://factsanddetails.com/japan/cat20/sub131/item715.html Accessed 12th Dec 2017.
- Japanese Guide. Kabuki. Traditional Theatre. Japan-guide.com. 2017. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2090.html Accessed 12th Dec 2017.