The Fascinating World of Kabuki Theatre!

CATCO's The Kabuki Sleeping Beauty* has led me to the fascinating world of Japanese Kabuki Theatre. Kabuki is a classical Japanese dance-drama and is often interpreted as "avant-garde" or "bizarre" theatre. The distinctive feature of Kabuki is that it does not tend towards realism unlike modern plays. Kabuki is a stylized performance with exaggerated expressions that go beyond mere realism. We have had the opportunity to acquaint ourselves with the elements of Kabuki in this production, and I am thrilled to be introduced to a world of theatre that I would have been unfamiliar with otherwise.

Kabuki was born more than 400 years ago during the Edo period. In Japan's famous ukiyo-e wood block prints, the world of Kabuki is featured more than any other subject. Here's a picture of a kabuki theatre during a performance - on stage in a crowded theatre, the actors are wearing dazzling costumes, the audience are in box seats drinking tea and sake as they watch the play, there are also audience seats over the stage, these audience members can see the stage even after the curtain closes.

An unusual feature that is unique to Kabuki is the hanamichi which has been in use as early as the 18th century. The hanamichi is a walkway which extends to the audience on which dramatic entrances and exits are made and the audience are able to watch the actors up close. Sometimes, important scenes are also played on the hanamichi - there is a technique called maku soto, which involves acting on the hanamichi with the curtain closed on the main stage.

A suppon is a trap door with a  lifting device that is used for the entrance of other-wordly characters that aren't human. Another dynamic stage mechanism used in performance is the Kabuki mawari butai (revolving stage) which was the first in the world, invented years ago. In the Edo period, the mawari butai was pushed by people under the stage. Now, revolving stages are used all over the world and human power has been replaced by electric motors, but the devices themselves are unchanged from the Edo period. A device called gando gaeshi allows a huge set element to be turned on its side; Kabuki is famous for scene changes with the lights up, and as the stage turns, one scene is replaced by another. This is an unusual feature for theatre performance where even just a scene change can become a spectacular event.

Chunori is another stage technique where an actor is suspended mid-air, flying over the stage and across the audience. This is usually done for roles such as ghosts and apparitions. In the Edo period, the actor was suspended using ropes; today, the Chunori technique uses steel wires on which the character ascends from the section where the Hanamichi meets the stage and flies over the audience!

An important element of Kabuki is a mie, in which the actor holds a picturesque pose to establish his character. Mie poses are "cut" at moments of heightened tension and like a picture, they present to the audience a powerful crystallization of emotion. In Genroku Mie, one of the more popular mies, the actor's right hand is held flat, perpendicular to the ground, while his left hand is pointed upwards, elbow bent. At the same time, the actor stamps the floor powerfully with his left foot. 

Female roles in Kabuki are typically played by male actors called Onnagata. Back in the 17th century, Kabuki began with a troupe of female performers led by Izumo no Okuni who performed Kabuki dances that were a huge hit. The idea of women performing dances while playing male roles was eccentric thus the name Kabuki (derived from the word "kabuku" meaning "out of the ordinary"). In the mid 17th century the government banned women from performing on stage on moral grounds, men had to perform women's roles and so Onnagata were born. When male actors perform female roles, they have to compensate for the stiffness of the male body and make it appear as soft and delicate as possible, which is what makes it difficult. Finely developed techniques of movement and staging let the actors portray an ideal woman from a man's perspective.

For a male role, an actor plants his feet firmly, as if his legs are rooted in the ground, assuming a powerful stance, with a lowered center of gravity. Onnagata is the opposite, with hands folded, toes inward, hips lowered slightly, an Onnagata actor gazes upward with a little tilt - it is called "looking with the chin" which makes them seem more gentle and feminine. The sleeves of the kimono are usually very long and can be used to convey certain emotions - to wipe away tears, to strike a timid pose and gaze shyly or to shield oneself. Using the hands also requires finesse, the fingers are together and are bent to form a nice curve and the hands are held close to the chest. Graceful movements of the wrist are typical in Onnagata gestures. 

Kumadori is stage makeup worn by kabuki actors. Kumadori makeup consists of brightly colored stripes or patterns over a white foundation, the colors and patterns symbolize aspects of the actor's character. Bright red stripes indicate a powerful hero - red symbolizes virtue and power. Villains are often depicted with a black beard, purple veins, and dark blue antler-like eyebrows. Blue makeup can represent a ghost, spirit, or other magical creatures. Blue also represents negative emotions such as jealousy or fear. Greys and browns are used sometimes, particularly when representing animals, demons, monsters, or anything inhuman. An impression of a kabuki actor's face make-up, preserved on a piece of cloth, is known as an oshiguma.

Kabuki always does its best to amaze and delight the audience. By the convincing portrayal of characters such as courtesans, princes and princesses, Kabuki actors recreate the Edo period when people like this actually existed. It is said that Kabuki is performed in a way that if you were to take a photograph at any moment it would make a perfect tableau!

*The Kabuki Sleeping Beauty runs from May 13-22 2016 at Shedd Theatre, CPAC, Columbus OH. Ticket details and more information about the show can be found here.