Kabuki
Subtitle: a mirror of Japan : ten plays that offer a glimpse into evolving sensibilities
By: Matsui Kesako, translated by David Crandall
Contributors: Crandall, David (Translator), translator; Matsui, Kesako, 1953-
Edition: First edition.
Series: Japan library; Japan library (Shuppan Bunka Sangyō Shinkō Zaidan)
Published: 2016
Language: eng
Number of pages: 242
ISBN-13: 9784916055583
Subjects: Kabuki; History and criticism; Theater; Teater; Japanese drama
Other titles: Ten plays that offer a glimpse into evolving sensibilities; (Eibun-ban) Kabuki no naka no Nihon
Work titles: Kabuki no naka no Nihon
Description: "In this delightfully engaging look at Japan's traditional dance-drama, Matsui Kesako approaches kabuki in the same way a paleontologist might examine geological layers, with each play revealing a fascinating story about the time and place in which it was created and performed. Starting with Danjūrō I's Shibaraku, which dates to the late seventeenth century, Matsui artfully traces the origins and evolution of many of kabuki's defining characteristics while linking them to larger patterns of cultural development in Japanese society. As a novelist and former writer for the kabuki stage herself, she offers a unique perspective on 10 of the most famous and beloved plays in the traditional repertory, ending her survey with Mokuami's Sannin Kichisa, which premiered in 1860--just prior to the start of Japan's modernization. Her keen insights, encyclopedic knowledge, and easy writing style bring this centuries-old theatrical tradition to life, rendering it readily accessible to those who may have no prior knowledge of the subject. Originally intended for Japanese readers, this groundbreaking work is now available in English, offering the international community glimpses into why kabuki can truly be called a 'mirror of Japan"--Back cover.
Notes: "Originally published in the Japanese language as Kabuki no Naka no Nihon by NHK Publishing, Inc., in 2010"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references.

Text in English translated from the Japanese.
Table of contents: title: Shibaraku : A Hero in the Nick of Time --; title: Kuruwa Bunshō : Descendents of Hikaru Genji, the Shining Prince --; title: Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami : Plays of Substitute Sacrifice --; title: Yoshitsune Senbonzakura : Humans Seen Through Animal Fantasies --; title: Kanadehon Chūshingura : More Than Just a Tale of Feudal Loyalty --; title: Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami : The Birth of Chivalry --; title: Sanmon Gosan no Kiri : A Montage of Stage Effects --; title: Tsumoru Koi Yuki no Seki no To : A Sophisticated Fairy-Tale Dance --; title: Tōkaidō Yotsuya Kaidan : Queen of Japanese Horror --; title: Sannin Kichisa Kuruwa no Hatsugai : Bonnie and Clyde, Japanese Style.