Skip to main content

Cho Kabuki: Hatsune miku vocaloid Vs. Nakamura Shidokabuki

 And the winner is: the blue-haired outrageously, contagiously cute and cool Hatsunemiku? Who could compete with the long-legged, flowing pigtailed, slender-waisted animated projection? Effortless leaping from small to large screen, and even a standing Japanese screen, while the stocky middle-aged men of kabuki posed, earthbound and sweaty. Their voices, amplified to carry over the electronic/live geza/electronic sounds,  hoarse or slightly breathless could not compete with her pre-recorded sweet digital lyricism. While the plot thickened, lead actors left the stage to change costume, but Miku, effortless changing her gorgeous pastel costumes and beautifully quaffed hair (rolled into a back-bun or left dangling gaily was the bride of the ball. They had come to be in her presence, which happened to include this ancient art called "kabuki", but it was clear from the pen-lights they waved aloft and the silent cheers only she could hear why they were here.

    In a reversal of normal kabuki offerings, he front rows looked full, of youth the back rows (where I sat) were empty and full of middle-aged and older persons, perhaps the parents dragged along reluctantly by their passionate teenage children. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Bassara Kyogen: 3 generations of Shigeyamas

Bassara Kyogen, Takutaku Livehouse, Kyoto Dec 16 2008-12-16 This is a an “upsidedown” or “sarcastic” kyogen produced by Sennojo Shigeyama, senior terrible of the kyogen world in the middle of his 80s. Three generations of his peculiarly-placed family performed a solo experiment. A one-time only gig, it brought out old family friends (Miho) and researchers (Gondo, me), and newbies. The place was full, standing room only—120 people? All ages, mostly middleaged fans of the Shigeyamas, but some young people too. Selling calendars and books,a s with other Shigeyama shows. Doji opened with a solo dance (!), to Miles Davis’ Spanish Fly, loud on the speakers. He was alone, against a wall, lonely, wondering what it was all about. Gradually he rose, moved out in butoh-like lunges, to the diagonals. Then discovering something, joyously reaching out into the corners of the stage. Turning his back, he reached behind him to tug something, released, he folded his arms across his chest, feminine. Move

An urgent appeal (駆け込み訴えKakekomi utae) by Dazai Osamu

-->   How close is too close? An urgent appeal ( 駆け込み訴え Kakekomi utae) by Dazai Osamu Adapted, acted and directed by Kodama Ta   chi 児玉泰地 (役者でない) No actors https://www.facebook.com/events/283142869026661/ On April 8 2019 at the small Cafe Figaro near the University of the Arts in northeast Kyoto, a former student of mine Kodama Taichi performed a new play from his one-person series, “No actors.” I had seen a video of his earlier, absurdist actor’s nightmare play and liked its physicality and precision. I looked forward to his live performance, one that had already toured four cities and is on its way to Tokyo in the Fall. I hastily read Dazai Osamu’s short story (helpfully online in translation) before the performance. With the one drink served as part of the reasonable 1500 yen admission price, I had a ginger ale. As the dozen or so spectators entered the chandeliered, mirrored café with beautiful porcelain cups and saucers lined up, I was surpris
Dangers of repeat informants: recycling what we know about noh (This is the beginning of a publication perhaps; I welcome feedback).  I have been ruminating on the dangers of going to the well too often when it comes to Japanese theatre research on noh performance in particular. Those "tried and true" actors who are able/willing to be interviewed, teach, and tour overseas for conferences or workshops are few and far between. Significantly, just three of them--Kongo school Udaka Michishige, Kita school Takabayashi Kouji, and Kita school Matsui Akira have been responsible for many of the articles, and dissertations, interviews, and international collaborations for over four decades. Why are these three Kansai-based performers (2 outside where iemoto and most performances take place, Tokyo), 2 first-generation actors who are relative outsiders to the main line of tradition, taken as "the gospel" of noh performance practice over multiple generations of scholars? Their p