Kabuki Theatre

1
Kabuki Theatre

• History
• Traditional Roles
• Play Structure
• Contemporary Kabuki

2

• Letters to draw in customers

3
History

• Began in early 17th century
• Okuni- Miko of Shinto Shrine
• New style of dance
• Instant popularity
• Ensemble dance drama
• The Art of Singing and Dancing
• Performers as prostitutes
• Performers
• 1603-1629 Female groups only
• After 1653 Male groups only

4
Kabuki Theatre- circa 1860
5
Traditional Roles

• Onnagata
• Female character
• Played by young men
• Aragoto
• Domineering male character
• Plays are full of action
• Wagoto
• Affable male character
• Plays are often tragic romances

6
Onnagata (Onnagata)Female characters played by
men
7
Aragoto (Aragoto)

• Powerful presence
• Rough character
• Greatly exaggerated
• Words
• Movements
• Costumes
• Make-up

8
Wagoto (Wagoto)

• Soft style
• Tragic romantic
• Realistic
• Speech
• Mannerisms
• Costumes
• Make-up

9
Play Structure (jo-ha-kyu)- All things done at
a specified pace

• Act 1 jo
• Very slow pace
• Introduces characters and plot
• Acts 2 4 ha
• Pace steadily increases
• Battle in acts 2 or 4
• Great moment of drama or tragedy (culminating
  moment)
• Act 5 kyu
• Very quick pace
• Satisfying conclusion

10
Bit players provide music, sound effects and
incidental roles.
11
Contemporary Kabuki Theatre
12
Contemporary Kabuki

• Traditional roles changing
• Dance is coming back
• Women can perform again
• Permanent Kabuki troupe in Australia
• East meets West
• Kabuki troupes tour UK and Australia
• Shakespeare
• Contemporary Western theatre

13
Macbeth- Preparing to kill Duncan