Kabuki: Japanese Theatre

I couldn’t leave Japan without spending a day at the National Theatre of Japan.  There I watched some Kabuki, a special kind of Japanese theatre known for its colourful costumes, ornate makeup and exaggerated acting. 

Standing outside of the National Theatre of Japan. I was so excited to watch my first Kabuki performance.

The play I watched was called Kokusenya Kassen (The Battles of Coxinga) and was written by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, the Shakespeare of Japanese theatre.  The play was originally written in 1715 for Bunraku (a puppet performance) but it was later adapted for the Kabuki stage. 

Kabuki is unlike any theatre you will see on a Canadian stage.   The acting is larger than life and the peformers exaggerate every little movement which might seem a bit silly for those not familiar with Kabuki.  The performances are also a lot longer, usually lasting four or five hours.   Another interesting fact about Kabuki is that there are no female actors, all the parts, even the female roles, are played by men.

A statue of a Kabuki actor in the theatre's lobby.  Look at the dramatic makeup and costume. 
Do you think this character is a hero or a villian?

Not anyone can become a Kabuki actor, and usually actors in Kabuki performances come from an acting family (their father and grandfather were Kabuki actors before them).  Take a look at the video below, do you think you would enjoy watching a Kabuki performance?