[Name]

Kabuki of Japan

Is a form of traditional Japanese drama with highly stylized song, mine, and dance, now performed

only male actors. Japanese originally used this as a verb meaning “act dissolutely” later interpreting the word as “ka” for song, “bu” for

dance, and “ki” for art/skill.

Kabuki theater is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate makeup worn

by some of its performers. Kabuki is therefore sometimes

translated as “the art of singing and dancing.” Since the word

kabuki is believed to derive from the verb kabuku, meaning “to

learn” or “to be out of the ordinary,” kabuki can be

“bizarre” theater. The expression kabukimono referred originally

to those who were bizarrely dressed and paraded on a street.

The Kabuki Stage Features

• Hanamichi - a flower path, a walkway which extends into the

audience via which dramatic entrances and exits are made;

Okuni also performs on a hanamichi stage with her

entourage.

• Kogakudo - Kabuki theaters that have stages both in front of the

audience and along the sides help create a bond between the actors

and viewers.

• Mawaro butal - the interior of the theater contains a revolving stage.

• Suppon - a platform that rises from below the stage.

• Hanamicho - a walkway that cuts through the audience seating area to connect the stage with the back

of the theater. Magicians and supernatural beings often make

their entrances from trap doors in the hanamichi. Some stages have

17 trapdoors.

The Three Main Categories of the

Kabuki Play

• Jidaimono – historical or pre-Sengoku period stories.

• Sewamono – domestic or post-Sengoku stories.

• Shosagoto – dance pieces.

Jidaimono

Or history plays, were set within the context of major events in Japanese history. Strict censorship laws during

the Edo period prohibited the representation of contemporary

events and particularly prohibited criticizing the shogunate or casting

it in a bad light, although enforcement varied greatly over the

years.

Sewamono

Focused primarily upon commoners (townspeople

and peasants). It is generally related to themes of family

drama and romance.

Elements of Kabuki

Mie in which the actor holds a picturesque pose to establish his

character and his house name Yagō, is sometimes heard in a loud shout (kekegoe) from an expert audience

member, serving both to express and enhance the audience’s appreciation of the actor’s

achievement. An even greater actor’s father Keshō.

Actors are seperated into two main categories:

Onna-gata refer to the female roles and Aragato refer to the

male roles. Most main characters in kabuki plays are

aragoto, because of its superstylized masculine, heroic

style.

Makeup is also one of the most iconic parts of kabuki. Actors apply their own

makeup by painting their faces and necks white, then adding stylized lines red, black, or blue. The colors and lines

that are used tells what kind of character is being performed. Red and

blue are usually aragoto roles, onn-gata playing young women have very

little paint.

These are examples of famous kabuki characters. A character’s makeup, like everything else, is decided by tradition.

Kabuki make up provides element of style easily recognizable even by those unfamiliar with the art

form. Rice powder is used to create the white oshiroi base for the characteristic stage make-up,

and kumadori enhances or exaggerates facial lines to produce

dramatic animal or supernatural character. The color of the

kumadori is an expression of the character’s nature:

• Red lines are used to indicate passion, heroism, righteousness, and other positive traits;

• Pink for youthful joy;

• Light blue for an even temper;

• Pale green for peacefulness;

• Blue or black for villainy, jealousy, and other negative traits;

• Green for the supernatural; and

• Purple for nobility.

Kabuki is performed in full-day programs. Audiences

escape from the day-to-day world, developing a full day to entertainment. Through

some individual plays, particularly the historical jidaimono, might last an entire day, most were

shorter and sequenced with other plays in order to

produce a full-day program.

The play occupies five acts. The first corresponds to Jo, an auspicious and slow opening

which introduces the audience to the characters and the plot.

Ha, speeding events up, culminating almost always in a

great moment of drama or tragedy in the third act and

possibly a battle in the second and / or fourths acts. Kyu, is

almost always short, providing a quick and satisfying

conclusion.

Are often quite interesting. Flowing water is usually

represented by fluttering rolls of linen; or creatures like

insects and foxes. Props often have symbolic meanings. Fans are used to represent wind, a sword, a tobacco pipe, waves

or food.

Kabuki props

Are swung from sticks or manipulated by helpers who come on stage dressed in black hooded robesso; they are invisible to the

audience. The female characters generally

wear an elaborate kimono and obi. Pleated hakuma trousers are worn

by characters of sexes. Actors playing both sexes often have a

supported midriff because a straight and curveless figure are regarded the essence of beauty.

Costumes

Is considered as an art. There are special teams that take care of complete and partial costume changes and are

done as part of the performance.

Costume Changing

Are important accessories, with each costumes having it’s own type. Specialized

craftsmen shape the wigs to the head. Wigs are made of human hair, horse hair, bear fur or yak- tail hair imported

from Tibet.

Wigs

Prepared by:

Borreta, Suzzette G.&

De Belen, Luisa Marie E.

Group 4