FIJI MUSUME/KASANE: KABUKI. To 11 June
London
FUJI MUSUME KASANE
by Genpachi Katsui by Nanboku Tsuruya IV, Kozo Matsui II
music by Rokusaburo Kineya IV music by Saibei Kiyomoto I
Sadlers Wells Theatre To 11 June 2006
Mon-SAt 7.30pm Sun 2.30pm
Runs 2hr One interval
TICKETS: 0870 737 7737 (24hrs £2.20 transaction charge)
www.sadlerswells.com
Review: Timothy Ramsden 4 June
Visually and physically sensational theatre from Japan.
Just as Leicester’s superb Pacific Overtures, Stephen Sondheim’s Kabuki-influenced musical, closes the real thing visits London with two pieces based in the 19th century. Like the austere Noh drama seen in Edinburgh last year, the more popular Kabuki tradition isn’t what Japanese theatregoers flock to at home. Ebizo Ichikawa XI has set out to change that. He’s a star in his homeland; seeing him in these pieces it’s easy to understand why.
When I first came across Kabuki, decades ago at Sadlers Wells, it seemed miraculous. Since then British theatre’s experiments with physical and visual production techniques has made near-commonplace the strong, pointed images of Kabuki, if not the audience applause and shouts of appreciation that traditionally greet them, adding to the atmosphere.
This Kabuki remains intensely beautifully, lights shooting full-on to the wisteria-dominated setting of the first, shorter piece. Fuji Musume is a ‘transformation dance’, a traditional piece of quick-change performance. True, the changes aren’t especially quick compared with some modern productions, but the costumes being changed are far more elaborate. A female wisteria-spirit dances (changes take place concealed behind a central tree to the live instrumental accompaniments that are continual through the pieces), expressing the moods of love: happiness, jealousy, betrayal and argument.
Ichikawa XI brings grace and detail to the performance, not to mention the gorgeous costumes. And the detail, like the sung lyrics, spell out details of mood and situation intensifying the visual beauty.
The longer 2-hander Kasane is Kabuki going Grand Guignol. A lurid tale of love and murder it’s acted with the beauty of confident precision that only long practice, with great skill, provides. The prevalence of the name Ichikawa’s no accident; Kabuki runs in families, a tradition learned over years and proudly practised. It shows here as murderer looms over doubled-back victim, or as his attempts to escape are confounded by unseen forces reeling him back to his victim.
There’s murder, sex and ghostly possession in the story. The staging’s full of coded message for Kabuki connoisseurs. But anyone new to the form will find its beauty, integrity of theatrical elements and sheer energy more than impressive.
Fuji Musume
Spirit of the Wisteria: Ebizo IchikawaXI
Designer: Shunichiro Fujima II
Lighting: Tomoya Ikeda
Choreography: Kanso Fujima II
Kasane
Yoemon: Ebizo Ichikawa XI
Kasane: Kamejiro Ichikawa II
Torite: Shinshichi Ichikawa, Shohei Ichikawa
Designer: Shunichiro Kanai
Lighting: Tomoya Ikeda
2006-06-06 11:10:12