Nerdist: One of the most beautiful Japanese traditions is that of kabuki theater. The dance dramas are known for their elaborate and colorful makeup and costumes, stylized performances, and broad postures, creating a heightened experience for the audience. The performances are usually set in the samurai era, but sometimes extend into other time periods—or even in a galaxy far, far away. To celebrate the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, a kabuki performance of Star Wars will take place in Tokyo later this month.
2 comments:
This is really interesting. The last two things I would put together in my head would be Star Wars and Kabuki. It makes more sense when you finish reading the article, and think about what influenced George Lucas (such as Samurai). It is also really cool one of Japan’s lead Kabuki actors will be featured in the performance and will play Kylo Ren. It is also exciting that the performance will feature an all Japanese cast, shining a new light on the world famous franchise. I think the part of this project I am most interested and excited about is the costumes and props. I wonder if they will stick strictly to the Star Wars universe, or they will blend traditional Kabuki costume with Star Wars fashion. I think blending the two could output a very beautiful and unique line of costumes, especially playing with drapes and types of fabric. I would love to see preliminary renderings for this production!
Ichikawa Ebizo is famous for being a huge fan of Star Wars, that even I, who have never watched Kabuki nor Star Wars, know about it. Not surprisingly, however, the reason why he embarked on this project is probably not only for his personal interest, but to experiment on a new Kabuki theatre, which suits the current entertainment industry. Recent years, the Kabuki industry is showing a remarkable recovery from the early 2000s where the decline in audience was in a crisis. There are many things we can learn from the new generation of Kabuki actors, which Ebizo belongs to, about how traditional theatrical arts can be transformed without destroying its history. A Kabuki adaptation of movies and mangas is one of the efforts they are making. Star Wars Kabuki will surely attract current Star Wars fans, which exist A LOT all around the world, and hopefully, by the time they leave the theatre they will become Kabuki fans.
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