On stage Danjuro Ichikawa, one of the biggest stars of Japan’s kabuki theatre, is a virtuoso in switching roles. In his latest production he plays 13 parts, including a princess, a sushi chef and a fox. He hobbles offstage as a feeble old man, then dashes back on moments later as a fierce warrior.
He gets in a few sword fights, dies tragically more than once, and takes flight on wires. Off stage, he is wondering if it is time for the often rigid role of a kabuki star to change. The 13th man to bear the name Danjuro Ichikawa – which has been passed down between generations of kabuki stars for over 300 years – he is a household name in Japan, showing up in ads, movies and TV shows.
Audiences accustomed to TikTok videos and streaming do not always have the patience for four-hour performances in archaic formal Japanese. Social distancing restrictions during the pandemic hit theatres hard, and audiences are still coming back. Danjuro has made efforts to update kabuki in , at the Kabukiza Theatre in Tokyo until July 24, trimming longer scenes and modernising some dialogue.
“Traditional culture might be hard to follow and get tiresome, but I hope people will have fun. The action moves quickly because I’m one person playing 13 roles,” Danjuro says. Dapper and tanned, Danjuro, 46, can be disarmingly playful for a famous artist.
Amid discussions of the future of live performance, he gamely posed for photos, striking the kind of pose you would see on the romantic lead of a m.
