Kabuki
Kabuki is a traditional Japanese form of theater with roots tracing back to the Edo Period.
Kabuki is an art form rich in showmanship. It involves elaborately designed costumes, eye-catching make-up, outlandish wigs, and arguably most importantly, the exaggerated actions performed by the actors. The highly-stylized movements serve to convey meaning to the audience.
Dynamic stage sets such as revolving platforms and trapdoors allow for the prompt changing of a scene or the appearance/disappearance of actors. Another specialty of the kabuki stage is a footbridge (hanamichi) that leads through the audience, allowing for a dramatic entrance or exit. Ambiance is aided with live music performed using traditional instruments. These elements combine to produce a visually stunning and captivating performance.
Plots are usually based on historical events, warm hearted dramas, moral conflicts, love stories, tales of tragedy of conspiracy, or other well-known stories. A unique feature of a kabuki performance is that what is on show is often only part of an entire story (usually the best part). Therefore, to enhance the enjoyment derived, it would be good to read a little about the story before attending the show.
Kabuki is an art form rich in showmanship. It involves elaborately designed costumes, eye-catching make-up, outlandish wigs, and arguably most importantly, the exaggerated actions performed by the actors. The highly-stylized movements serve to convey meaning to the audience.
Dynamic stage sets such as revolving platforms and trapdoors allow for the prompt changing of a scene or the appearance/disappearance of actors. Another specialty of the kabuki stage is a footbridge (hanamichi) that leads through the audience, allowing for a dramatic entrance or exit. Ambiance is aided with live music performed using traditional instruments. These elements combine to produce a visually stunning and captivating performance.
Plots are usually based on historical events, warm hearted dramas, moral conflicts, love stories, tales of tragedy of conspiracy, or other well-known stories. A unique feature of a kabuki performance is that what is on show is often only part of an entire story (usually the best part). Therefore, to enhance the enjoyment derived, it would be good to read a little about the story before attending the show.
Stage
Mawaributai (revolving stage)
The Mawaributai stage mechanism turns the part of the floor of the stage center that is cut out in a large-diameter circle. Scene changes can be done smoothly by rotating the circular section of the stage on which sets for 2 or 3 scenes have been erected. The Mawaributai can change sets in full view of the audience, and it effectively increases the visual appeal of scene changes. |
Seri (lift)
Seri is the trap-door lift stage mechanism for raising and lowering cut-out portions of the stage floor. Present-day Kabuki theaters have Seri of various sizes: the Seri which makes the entire stage set move up and down is called Ozeri (large Seri); the Seri on which the dramatis personae are raised and lowered is called Kozeri (small Seri), and the Seri on the Hanamichi near where it meets the main stage is called Suppon. |
Hanamichi
Hanamichi is the passage that extends at right angle to the Hombutai from its Shimote side, passing through the audience seating area to the Agemaku; it is used mainly for actors' entrances and exits. The Hanamichi becomes various places such as a road, corridor, sea or river bank according to the scenes being performed on the Hombutai. Because audience members are close to the Hanamichi it gives them a sense of intimacy. |
Kuromisu
Kuromisu is a small room, enclosed by black boards at the Shimote of the stage. This room got its name because black (kuro) bamboo curtain (misu) are hung on the lattice window. In the Kuromisu, Nagauta is sung to enhance stage effects by matching the timing of acting, and musical instruments including large drums and hand drums, are played to provide sound effects. The music performed here is sometimes itself called Kuromisu. |
Makeup
Kabuki makeup, called kesho, came in two types: standard makeup applied to most actors and kumadori makeup which was applied to villains and heroes.
Kumadori makeup, having more than 100 styles, is composed of very dramatic lines and shapes applied in colors that represent certain qualities. For instance:
No matter the actual style, white face paint was the foundation of kabuki makeup. The neck and face were covered in oil and then smeared with a thick white cream called oshiroi. With females, this makeup would extend down the back as well so all the exposed skin was white. This cream would make the actor’s other features disappear so the makeup artist was then free to make their face look “perfect.” They would paint on eyebrows higher than they actually were and the eyes would be outlined in either red for women or black for men. Men also applied lip rouge and black paint to make their mouth curve downward while women’s mouths were made smaller. The makeup itself was composed of rice powder, and different shades of white actually represented class, age, and even gender of the character.
Kumadori makeup, having more than 100 styles, is composed of very dramatic lines and shapes applied in colors that represent certain qualities. For instance:
- dark red = passion or anger
- dark blue = depression or sadness
- pink = youth
- light green = calm
- black = fear
- purple = nobility.
No matter the actual style, white face paint was the foundation of kabuki makeup. The neck and face were covered in oil and then smeared with a thick white cream called oshiroi. With females, this makeup would extend down the back as well so all the exposed skin was white. This cream would make the actor’s other features disappear so the makeup artist was then free to make their face look “perfect.” They would paint on eyebrows higher than they actually were and the eyes would be outlined in either red for women or black for men. Men also applied lip rouge and black paint to make their mouth curve downward while women’s mouths were made smaller. The makeup itself was composed of rice powder, and different shades of white actually represented class, age, and even gender of the character.
Costumes
Kabuki costumes are made with bold colors and patterns, it is said, to heighten the drama of the performance. Some costumes are quite heavy, weighting over 20 kilograms, and have the folds and layers that have to be carefully positioned when the actors sits down. Kabuki costumes are usually discarded after one 25-day theater run because the brilliant colors fade in the bright lights and they smell bad from all the sweat.
While the costumes used in domestic plays are often realistic representations of the clothes of the Edo period, historical plays often use magnificent brocade robes and large wigs reminiscent of those found in the noh theater. For onnagata dance pieces particular attention is paid to the beauty of the costume.
Kabuki costumes are made with bold colors and patterns, it is said, to heighten the drama of the performance. Some costumes are quite heavy, weighting over 20 kilograms, and have the folds and layers that have to be carefully positioned when the actors sits down. Kabuki costumes are usually discarded after one 25-day theater run because the brilliant colors fade in the bright lights and they smell bad from all the sweat.
While the costumes used in domestic plays are often realistic representations of the clothes of the Edo period, historical plays often use magnificent brocade robes and large wigs reminiscent of those found in the noh theater. For onnagata dance pieces particular attention is paid to the beauty of the costume.
Performance
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Unlike noh drama, which is solemn and ritualized, kabuki is designed to entertain an audience with dramatic, often spectacular, effects.
A kabuki play opens to the rapid clapping of wooden clappers as the traditional stage curtain, in black, green, and persimmon vertical stripes, is drawn open. Plays are performed using a combination of dramatic dialogue and dance, and accompanied by drums, flutes, stringed instuments called shamisen, and chanting. The kind of musical accompaniment changes according to the play. Nearly every full-length play occupies five acts. The first corresponds to jo, an auspicious and slow opening which introduces the audience to the characters and the plot. The next three acts correspond to ha, speeding events up, culminating almost always in a great moment of drama or tragedy in the third act and possibly a battle in the second and/or fourth acts. The final act, corresponding to kyu, is almost always short, providing a quick and satisfying conclusion. |
One major difference between kabuki and much of Western theatre is that kabuki actors make less of an attempt to hide the "performance" aspect of the work. They're fully aware that they're performing, and the audience isn't there to get "lost in the moment." Everything--actors, costumes, dialogue--is larger than life. Realism is far less emphasized, the form generally favoring what is often referred to as "formalized beauty."
Kabuki acting styles are evocative of the history of kabuki as a dance. Dancing is an essential part of kabuki, but in contrast to the noh dances, which are very deliberate and stately, most kabuki dances are closer to lively folk dances, featuring rapid energetic vertical movements and jumps. Often, Western dancers try to escape gravity, but kabuki dancers focus on the earth and use a great deal of stamping and stomping to emphasize rhythmic movement; it could be thought of as a heavier form of tap. Dance is generally an integral part of the play: for example, michiyuki, or travel dances, show tragic lovers journeying to their destiny, where they'll carry out their suicide pact.
Kabuki acting styles are evocative of the history of kabuki as a dance. Dancing is an essential part of kabuki, but in contrast to the noh dances, which are very deliberate and stately, most kabuki dances are closer to lively folk dances, featuring rapid energetic vertical movements and jumps. Often, Western dancers try to escape gravity, but kabuki dancers focus on the earth and use a great deal of stamping and stomping to emphasize rhythmic movement; it could be thought of as a heavier form of tap. Dance is generally an integral part of the play: for example, michiyuki, or travel dances, show tragic lovers journeying to their destiny, where they'll carry out their suicide pact.
Reportoire
Jidaimono means the Kabuki works describing the world of samurai and kuge (court nobles) in periods earlier than the Edo period, including works such as "Kanadehon chushingura" based on incidents that occurred in the Edo period, but were rewritten as if they occurred before the Edo period.
Sewamono are Kabuki works based on the lives of tradesmen in the Edo period. These were the modern plays of that era. Works focusing on the lives of common people of low social position are called Kizewa. The Kizewa works by Tsuruya Namboku 4th who was active in the Bunka/Bunsei period [1804 - 1830] are famous.
Shosagoto means Buyo (Kabuki dance). At first, Shosagoto were considered to be the speciality of Onnagata, but from the latter half of the 18th century, tachiyaku also started to dance. Later, in the Bunka/Bunsei period, works called Hengebuyo (transformation dances) in which a single actor alone portrays multiple different characters became popular.
Sewamono are Kabuki works based on the lives of tradesmen in the Edo period. These were the modern plays of that era. Works focusing on the lives of common people of low social position are called Kizewa. The Kizewa works by Tsuruya Namboku 4th who was active in the Bunka/Bunsei period [1804 - 1830] are famous.
Shosagoto means Buyo (Kabuki dance). At first, Shosagoto were considered to be the speciality of Onnagata, but from the latter half of the 18th century, tachiyaku also started to dance. Later, in the Bunka/Bunsei period, works called Hengebuyo (transformation dances) in which a single actor alone portrays multiple different characters became popular.
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