Japanese Theater

• Kabuki – Traditional Theater (popular)Exs. Kabuki – YouTube (a good introduction) Centre Stage: Kabuki – YouTube (overview)

• Bunraku – Puppet TheaterEx. YouTube - Bunraku theater in Osaka

• Noh – Traditional Theater (elitist)Ex. Noh Theatre - YouTube

Kabuki

• Originates in late 16th century (1596)

• All female performers (immediately banned)

• Replaced by male performers- includes “onnagata” (female impersonator)

• Primarily dance theater w/ colorful costumes

• Audience – traditionally middle-class

• Music – includes three different ensembles

Kabuki Actors/Dancers

Kabuki Dancer(note Debayashi in background)

Kabuki Actor

Kabuki “onnagata”

Kabuki Music• Geza (off-stage) – sound effects (o-daiko,

other percussion, shamisen, nohkan)

• Chobo (stage left) – “narrator” (“speaker” and shamisen)

• Debayashi (stage rear) – literally, the “coming out orchestra” (multiple singers, shamisens, drums, nohkan)

• AoK Presentation.m4v – YouTube(Musical Instruments of the Kabuki)

Nagauta (Kabuki ensemble)

Nagauta (Kabuki ensemble)

Shamisen

Nohkan

Ex. Nohkan Lesson by MEJIRO （

株）目白 - YouTube

Kotsuzumi

Ex. KOTSUZUMI - YouTube

Otsuzumi

Ex. OH-TSUZUMI - YouTube

Noh Drum (Taiko)

Kabuki Examples• Kabuki Theatre – YouTube (overview)• Sagi Musume – YouTube (good examples w/ music)• Kabuki Dance- Bando Tamasaburo. Yamanba – YouTube• Musume Dojoji [The maiden at Dojo Temple]- Tamasaburo [F

ULL]. part 1 - YouTube• Musume Dojoji [The maiden at Dojo Temple]- Tamasaburo

[FULL]. part 2 – YouTube• Musume Dojoji [The maiden at Dojo Temple]- Tamasaburo

[FULL]. part 3 - YouTube• Musume Dojoji [The maiden at Dojo Temple]- Tamasaburo

[FULL]. part 4 – YouTube• Musume Dojoji [The maiden at Dojo Temple]- Tamasaburo

[FULL]. part 5 - YouTube