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Introduction

Kabuki

Kabuki is the dominant type of native drama in Japan today, and has been for some three centuries. It is regarded as the annual entertainment for the average Japanese family. Along iwth Chinese opera, Kabuki is one of the oldest popularly supported, traditionally performed, classic theater arts still active in the world. Today waht is meant by Kabuki is a broad concept. It means "song-dance-skill" and covers a combination of words and music, of dancing and movement, all skillfully executed. It now refers to a specific and particular type of classic theater, and communicates the synthetic idea of a special and rarefied style of acting, certain types of plays, and a set and inflexible repertoire. Although women at one time performed in Kabuki, today only men participate. The costumes of Kabuki are similar to those for Noh but even more elaborate. Masks are not used but the makeup is frequently highly stylistic. The stage is far more elaborate than the Noh stage. In the 17th century the Kabuki stage added a curtain and introduced scenery.

Kakubi was the fundamental popular theater of Japan during it's last premodernization period called the Tokugawa or Edo (1615-1868). Thus it reflects the lifestyle of Japan's most recent "old-time" era and has therefore an understandable nostalgic appeal. For most Westerners, the subtleties of all Japanese theater forms are difficult to understand, and a great deal of study is needed for full comprehension. For those interested in more information, the following are suggested: Fabian Bowers, Japanese Theatre; Samuel L. Letter, Kabuki Encyclopedia; Brandon, Malm, Shively, Studies in Kabuki; and Bowers, Theatre in the East.

Selected Objects

Ishikawa Toyonobu

Ishikawa Danjuro III (Sandaime Ishikawa Danjuro), 1740's

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III)

Ichikawa Danjuro VII in the Shibaraku Role and Another Actor as Namazu Bozu, 1820s

Nishimura Shigenaga

The actors Ichimura Takenojo as Kudo Suketsune and Sanjo Kantaro as the princess Tatsuhime in the play Hinazuru unagasu Soga performed at the Ichimura Theatre 1722.11, late 1730's

Katsukawa Shun'ei

The actor Segawa Kikunojo III as a courtesan from the Yamaya (sandai Segawa Kikunojo: yujo no Yamaya), 1798

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III)

Ichikawa Danjuro VII as Soga no Goro, possibly 1822

Katsukawa Shun'ei

The actor Nakayama Tomisaburo, ca. 1790

Torii Kiyoshige

Otani Hiroji II (Nidai Otani Hiroji), 1750s-1760s

Attributed to Katsukawa Shunkō

The actor Ichikawa Danjuro V in a scene from Soga monogatari (The Revenge of the Soga Brothers) (godai Ichikawa Danj?r?Soga monogatari), late 1770's

Utagawa Toyokuni

Sawamura Tanosuke II as the lady-in-waiting? Takigawa (Koshimoto? Takigawa Sawamura Tanosuke), 1811

Torii Kiyomitsu I

Segawa Kikunojō II, early 1760s

Katsukawa Shunkō

Osagawa Tsuneyo II as Benten ( Osagawa tsuneyo nidai benten), 1770's

Kitao Masanobu

The actor Ichikawa Danjuro V as Enya Hangan in Chushingura (Enya Hangan Ichikawa Danjuro godai), late 1770's-early 1780's

Chōbunsai Eishi

Mitsuhama of the Hyogoya (Hyogoya Mitsuhama), 1790's

Torii Kiyomasu II

The actors Tamazawa Saijiro as Koto no naishi; NakamuraShichisaburo II as Yoshisada (Nitta Yoshisada); and Toshigawa…as Daito no miya (Princess Daito), late 1720s-early 1730s

Torii Kiyomitsu I

The actor Anegawa Daikichi as the wife Okuwa (Anegawa Daikichi:...nyobo Okuwa), late 1750's - early 1760's

Utagawa Toyokuni

Sawamura Sojuro III (1753-1801) as Ume no Yoshibei (sandai (III) Sawamura Sojuro Ume no Yoshibei), ca. 1796

Okumura Masanobu

Scene from the jōruri play Momochidori musume Dōjōji at Nakamura-za theater, ca. 1744

Utagawa Toyokuni

Ichikawa Danjuro VII and Iwai Hanshiro V in Hagoromo, 1820s

Utagawa Toyokuni

Matsumoto Koshiro V as Banzuin Chobei, 1820s

More objects +

RISD Museum

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