Tips To Enjoy Kabuki-2

Dance

All Kabuki actors have strong physical strength enabling their sharp motion on the stage.  Kabuki plays more fight scenes than you would expect.  They always maintain their balance to hold steady or even if they transfer their weight backwards and onward in any apparent movement, which has been beefed up by daily training.

In Kabuki dance performed by Onnagata, male actors dressed as beautiful females are breathtaking beauty.  "Musume Dojoji" is notable for a remarkable dance performance.  A Shirabyoushi (temple dancer) visits the Dojoji temple on the day of the service for the inscription of its new temple bell.  She (or He) performs one dance after another, then jumps into the bell and appears as a demon snake.

Amazing Makeup

During the Edo period where there was no electric light, a stronger makeup was needed so that they can see their faces under the dimly lit with candle light.  Their makeup shade the face following the muscles of the face with grease paint, and add impact to facial expression.  Red makeup is used for heroes, and black for villains.  Actors train themselves to look perfectly beautifull in every setting.

Exaggerated Performing Style

kabuki is characterizd by a method of communication using the exaggerated performance style.  The Kabuki actor exaggerates his gestures and pauses, holding the pose at the critical point,in order to make his appearance even more impressive.  The power of communication is so intnse, the audience understands the meaning.  "Glare" is a pose to ward off demons.

• Mie

The Kabuki actor exaggerates his features and pauses, holding the poase at the critical point.  The style in which an actor stands still to express the emotion, mood and resolution of the character.

• Tachimawari

The fighting scenes, played in a very stylized fashion.  The fighting scnes, which are performed in slow motion are intended to give a dramatic impression of the scene.

Nobuko Hanai is a member of the Somegoro Ichikawa's Fan Club and ardent Kabuki lover.  She recommends to find a favorite Kabuki actor, which will broaden your horizons of the Kabuki world.  A famous classical music is played by various players, but the same music sounds different by player.  Likewise, the Kabuki act creates a different charm performed by different actors.

The costume expresses the role of the character.  The costume is sometimes heavily as weigh as 20 kg with kimono and hairpiece.  You may understand actors need physical strength as well.

Rhythmical Speech

There are several memorable words in Kabuki plays.  The audience got lost in memoral line of the eloquent speech, the art of conversation in some of the Kabuki scripts.  In "The Shiranami Five", the five thieves will reveal themselves in all their colorful splendor.  They proudly declare their real identity in an exciting and rhythmical speech of self-introduction.

To be continued to Tips To Enjoy Kabuki-3