This year's series highlights some amazing female roles in kabuki and kabuki dance. We are also highlighting some "elite" onnagata (female role) actors: Nakamura Jakuemon IV (1920-2012) and Bandô Tamasaburô
Date/Time: Jan 23 2017, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Vancouver, Irving K Barber Learning CentreCost: by donation
The bunraku play Dan no Ura Kabuto Gunki premiered in 1732 and a year later was restaged as a kabuki play. Akoya is the only scene still performed today. Originally known as the "Koto Torture Scene" it depicts Shigetada questioning the courtesan Akoya on the whereabouts of her lover, the defeated Heike warrior Kagekiyo. To extract this information, Shigetada forces her to answer questions while she plays the koto, shamisen and kokyû (lap fiddle). The actor must truly play all three musical instruments, requiring years of special training to be able to perform the role of Akoya.
We are screening full videos of live performances from Shôchiku's Kabuki Meisakusen Series, which feature some of the greatest kabuki performers of the 20th and 21st centuries. The recordings have English language commentary, and we will also discuss important story and performance elements. We will have green tea too!
All salons will be held at UBC's I.K Barber Learning Centre, 1961 East Mall - in room 256 (The Chilcotin Room). The nearest parking to the Centre are the Rose Garden and North Parkades. Parking at UBC is $7 after 5pm. Presented by TomoeArts & UBC Library.
More info