Kabuki: The people's dramatic art - Amanda Mattes

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The Japanese dance and theater art of kabuki, derived from the word kabuku, meaning "out of the ordinary," can be traced back to the streets of seventeenth-century Kyoto. Kabuki became a dramatic art for the common people, with its use of makeup and facial expressions rather than masks, as well as a playful take on current events. Amanda Mattes tracks the evolution of kabuki and its place in Japan's rich cultural heritage.

Lesson by Amanda Mattes, animation by Tom Gran.

Many elements of traditional Japanese culture,

such as cuisine

and martial arts,

are well-known throughout the world.

Kabuki, a form of classical theater performance,

may not be as well understood in the West

but has evolved over 400 years

to still maintain influence and popularity to this day.

The word Kabuki is derived

from the Japanese verb kabuku,

meaning out of the ordinary or bizarre.

Its history began in early 17th century Kyoto,

where a shrine maiden named Izumo no Okuni

would use the city's dry Kamo Riverbed as a stage

to perform unusual dances for passerby,

who found her daring parodies of Buddhist prayers

both entertaining and mesmerizing.

Soon other troops began performing

in the same style,

and Kabuki made history

as Japan's first dramatic performance form

catering to the common people.

By relying on makeup, or keshou,

and facial expressions instead of masks

and focusing on historical events

and everyday life rather than folk tales,

Kabuki set itself apart

from the upper-class dance theater form

known as Noh

and provided a unique commentary on society

during the Edo period.

At first, the dance was practiced only by females

and commonly referred to as Onna-Kabuki.

It soon evolved to an ensemble performance

and became a regular attraction at tea houses,

drawing audiences from all social classes.

At this point, Onna-Kabuki was often risque

as geishas performed not only to show off

their singing and dancing abilities

but also to advertise their bodies to potential clients.

A ban by the conservative Tokugawa shogunate

in 1629

led to the emergence of Wakashu-Kabuki

with young boys as actors.

But when this was also banned for similar reasons,

there was a transition to Yaro-Kabuki,

performed by men,

necessitating elaborate costumes and makeup

for those playing female roles,

or onnagata.

Attempts by the government to control Kabuki

didn't end with bans on the gender

or age of performers.

The Tokugawa military group,

or Bakufu,

was fueled by Confucian ideals

and often enacted sanctions

on costume fabrics,

stage weaponry,

and the subject matter of the plot.

At the same time,

Kabuki became closely associated with

and influenced by Bunraku,

an elaborate form of puppet theater.

Due to these influences,

the once spontaneous, one-act dance

evolved into a structured, five-act play

often based on the tenets of Confucian philosophy.

Before 1868, when the Tokugawa shogunate fell

and Emperor Meiji was restored to power,

Japan had practiced isolation from other countries,

or Sakoku.

And thus, the development of Kabuki

had mostly been shaped by domestic influences.

But even before this period,

European artists, such as Claude Monet,

had become interested in

and inspired by Japanese art,

such as woodblock prints,

as well as live performance.

After 1868, others such as Vincent van Gogh

and composer Claude Debussy

began to incorporate Kabuki influences in their work,

while Kabuki itself underwent

much change and experimentation

to adapt to the new modern era.

Like other traditional art forms,

Kabuki suffered in popularity

in the wake of World War II.

But innovation by artists

such as director Tetsuji Takechi

led to a resurgence shortly after.

Indeed, Kabuki was even considered

a popular form of entertainment

amongst American troops stationed in Japan

despite initial U.S. censorship

of Japanese traditions.

Today, Kabuki still lives on

as an integral part of Japan's rich cultural heritage,

extending its influence beyond the stage

to television,

film,

and anime.

The art form pioneered by Okuni

continues to delight audiences

with the actors' elaborate makeup,

extravagant and delicately embroidered costumes,

and the unmistakable melodrama

of the stories told on stage.