20 April 2020, 10:00 AM
wtgInside the Japanese artform of Kabuki
quote:
Kabuki: Inside the Japanese artform with its biggest star, Ebizo
For centuries, Japan has celebrated a unique art that brings together acting, singing and athleticism, performed before audiences that, at times, act like they're at a sporting event rather than a theater. Jon Wertheim reports on the "off-kilter" world of Kabuki.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/k...-minutes-2020-04-19/20 April 2020, 10:45 AM
AmandaI was interested in learning more about Kabuki but somewhat confused about apparent contradictions between this article and a recent one in the NYTimes.
It describes a Japanese village which has performed a traditional Kabuki for hundreds of years (in danger of dying out as the children trained to perform become fewer and fewer).
The upcoming star is a little girl (the play revolves around the story of a goddess who supposedly saved the village all those years ago).
Yet the star, Kebizo, whose interview the CBS interview revolves around, says Kabuki is traditionally an all-male art form.
Rural Japan showcases Kabuki performance in danger of dying out
20 April 2020, 11:04 AM
ShiroKuroDisclaimer: I haven't read either of these articles, but Kabuki was not always performed by all-male actors, that was a development at some point in Kabuki's history to try to give it more status and separate it from entertainment that was connected to any kind of prostitution. I suspect that the town with the traditional Kabuki performed by a girl is preserving a much older form of Kabuki than the form now most closely associated with it, and the form you see if you go to see a "Kabuki performance" by Ebizo or any of the artisan Kabuki troupes.