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Yomiuri Shimbun

Kabuki to Make Debut at U.K.'S Biggest Japan Festival

Intricate costumes, bold makeup, stunning sets — the distinct characteristics of Japanese kabuki theater have become recognizable worldwide. With the artform having been showcased the world over, Shochiku Co., kabuki production house, is offering a unique entry into the world of kabuki in its first appearance at London's Hyper Japan, the United Kingdom's biggest Japanese culture festival, in July. 'Under the theme 'Meet Kabuki,' we envisioned a first point of contact for international visitors with kabuki and designed our booth accordingly,' Shochiku official Shiori Fujimaki told The Japan News in an email interview. 'We believed it was vital that our guests do more than merely read explanations of kabuki on the walls — they should experience it firsthand.'Shochiku's 'Meet Kabuki' booth will offer three main experiences: a live painting performance by a kabuki set design expert, where visitors will be able to marvel in real time at the craft behind creating kabuki's elaborate staging; a costume experience where visitors can see up close, and even try on, authentic kabuki attire used in performances, complete with a photo op; and a special kumadori makeup experience. Kumadori normally gives kabuki actors their dramatic facial expressions, but the festival version will involve painting a kabuki portrait onto the back of a visitor's hand. Additionally, visitors will be able to try their luck at drawing kabuki-themed omikuji Japanese fortune-telling slips, with traditional ukiyo-e-inspired fans also available as souvenirs. Kabuki has been performed at major venues in the United Kingdom, notably the Barbican Theatre, former home of the Royal Shakespeare Company. In fact, the birth of kabuki and the first Shakespeare performances occurred around the same time, Fujimaki noted. Both also originated as popular theater forms for everyday people, but have since grown to serve as touchpoints of their countries' traditions. Despite kabuki's global renown and significance to Japanese culture, for many of the festival's visitors this will be their introduction to the form. With this in mind, 'We are not seeking an academic understanding of kabuki's origins or history, but rather inviting you to appreciate its artistry and unique qualities,' said Fujimaki. First held in 2010, Hyper Japan touts itself as bringing the best of 'Japan's now' to the United Kingdom. In this way, highlighting a traditional art form like kabuki might seem to focus more on the past than the present or future of Japan. But, with how kabuki 'seamlessly connected the past with the present,' said Fujimaki, 'We believe that by showcasing the storied influence of kabuki on a wide array of Japanese entertainment, alongside its collaborations with anime and manga, its role as the wellspring of Japanese pop culture will come to light.' Shochiku is also committed to a forward-thinking approach with kabuki, with accessibility as the main aim. 'While grand-scale kabuki performances remain attractive … we are currently streaming kabuki overseas, enabling viewers worldwide, including in the U.K., to enjoy this traditional art form effortlessly. Our goal is to secure an international audience and continuously create opportunities for audiences to encounter kabuki both digitally and live.' While seeking to offer an engaging and uniquely in-depth experience at the festival, when asked what Shochiku hopes to achieve with their inaugural appearance, Fujimaki concluded that 'if one day, someone is inspired by our efforts to go and see an actual kabuki performance in either Japan or U.K., I believe we can say our work has been a success.' The Hyper Japan festival will take place from July 18-20 in London at the Olympia Events venue. General admission tickets start from £24 ($33) depending on the day, with two- and three-day pass options available.