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SCMP Reporter

It was first performed by nuns, was taken over by prostitutes, and now is dominated by men and classified as a serious form of drama.

Hong Kong's first full-length kabuki performance will be presented at the Asian Arts Festival next month.

The one-and-a-half hour drama will contain the timeless formula of spies, drunken seductions, betrayal and emancipation. It is an accessible way to introduce a form of drama which many people might fear will be 'too difficult'.

'We want to show kabuki at its most easy to understand,' says Manjiro Ichimura, a master of this classic Japanese music theatre.

'We don't necessarily want people to think 'this is art so we have to take it seriously', but to see it as entertainment, as something which is enjoyable on its own terms.' The drama being performed in Hong Kong was developed in the early 18th century, and reveals the battle of wits between a young princess and a holy man.

The man has imprisoned the rain god as revenge for not being given his own temple. The princess is trying to save her country from drought, and is sent up to the holy man's temple as a spy.

She makes out she wants to become a nun, and then, when they are alone, pretends she has terrible pains in her chest. He offers to massage her, is shocked by this first contact with a woman's body, but cannot bring himself to stop.

Eventually she frees the rain god, leaving the holy man drunk, furious at being cheated, and no longer a virgin.

'It is quite a sexy story,' admits Ichimura, who - in the timeless tradition of kabuki - plays the onnagata or female part, since women are not allowed on stage.

Out of kabuki costume, in a black kimono and wearing no makeup, it is hard to imagine Ichimura as a princess, until he gives a demonstration.

He draws his hands into his sleeves until they appear half length, and suddenly he is a seductive Japanese woman, taking small steps, beckoning yet still gentle.

Ichimura can imitate the angry holy man, whom he describes humorously as a kind of classical Superman. Suddenly he is stomping, angry, and appears to be twice his normal size.

This last example is a form of vigorous, almost violent, kabuki acting called arogato, Ichimura explains. The performer wears bright red makeup to indicate strength, and uses exaggerated gestures to impress his anger on the audience.

Today, young kabuki actors start when they leave high school, 'but for me it was really a family thing', Ichimura confesses.

His father, Uzaemon Ichimura - with the wonderful title of Living National Treasure - was the 17th generation of a family of kabuki actors who have performed the craft since the 16th century.

Ichimura explains that he cannot count himself as the 18th generation until he has reached a certain skill level.

'It will take me a few more years,' he says.

He was five when he made his first kabuki appearance. By the age of 10 he was able to apply the full makeup by himself. And at 16, he made an active decision to make kabuki acting his career.

'In the beginning, the training is not specific to female roles or male roles; you just learn both.' He did not make the decision about whether to take female or male roles until he was a teenager.

'I really hated to be made onnagata at that age,' he says with a laugh. The decision was really made because he was less muscular than the boys who took the tachiyaku, or male roles.

His son is now six years old, and has been learning kabuki acting for two years. However, he has not set his heart on his son continuing the tradition.

'It'll be his decision, but by giving him the training now, I'll give him the chance to make a real choice later.' This will not only be Hong Kong's first full-scale performance of kabuki, it will be the first overseas performance of 'Kabuki for Everyone'.

'It is a concept I introduced about four years ago,' Ichimura explains.

'The idea was to present more accessible dramas, and also give an introduction to the makeup, musical instruments and stylised movements.' In the special demonstration - which is available only on the second performance in Hong Kong on October 19 - Ichimura will come on stage without makeup. He will show everyone how it is applied - thick white paste sponged all over face, neck and shoulders, then with different colours on eyebrows and lids depending on the symbolism of the character.

'It takes about half an hour to do; many people - especially non-Japanese people, or young Japanese who don't know so much about their own culture - find it adds to their experience of the evening, because they understand much better what we are doing.' Kabuki developed when Japan was isolated from foreign cultural influence. It started in Kyoto around 1600 and was first performed by women. However, most augmented their income by prostitution much to the disapproval of the men in government who stamped down on kabuki, evicting women from the theatre and replacing them entirely with men.

By the 18th century there was a move away from 17th century stylisation towards realism. By the 19th century the top hits were murder mysteries and ghost plays.

Over the past few decades kabuki has been increasingly under threat. Many people in Japan have forgotten the controversial sides of this kind of drama, and see it as stuffy and traditional.

Strangely, the theatre form that in the beginning was seen by the upper classes as debased and excessively popular is now regarded more as an intellectual pastime.

There are now only about 400 full-time kabuki actors, and no more than 10 boys and young men sign up each year, Ichimura says.

'Only a small proportion of young people see kabuki as an interesting art. It has to compete with TV, radio and computer games. But there are still enough people to support it,' Ichimura says.

Does he mind being part of a dying art? 'That's why I'm taking it overseas; to help keep it alive.'Narukami, at the Cultural Centre Grand Theatre. October 18-19. Demonstration on October 19 only. $90-$450 Urbtix on 2734-9009 



Changing face of old Japanese artform