Unique Kabuki Leaves Japanese Audience emotional
The Special Night Event at the Kabukiza Theatre was the highlight of TIFF’s Japanese Classics section. Marking the third year of the event, which TIFF cohosts with Shochiku at the historic theatre in Higashi Ginza. This was the first ever time for a kabuki star to perform in an onnagata (female) role, and the first time that the event featured a Japanese benshi narrator during the film screening. Kabuki (歌舞伎) is a classical dance-drama in Japan known for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers. The individual kanji, or Japanese characters from left to right, mean sing (歌),...