Popular kabuki actor Nakamura Shido's motto is to pursue innovation while preserving tradition.
The 47-year-old Shido, who often sports dyed blonde hair like a punk rocker, is known for his innovative activities. Shido has created, for instance, new kabuki based on a fairy tale and performed at a warehouse and a club with live music, all while paying respect to tradition.
The supreme example, however, is his "Cho (Super) Kabuki" show.
This show combines traditional performing arts with the latest video technology, and features Shido alongside world-famous virtual singer Hatsune Miku. It was held every April at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture from its first performance in 2016, but was canceled this year due to the spread of the new coronavirus.
In June, a performance scheduled to take place at Minamiza Theatre in Kyoto also was canceled.
On the evening of Aug. 16, however, the summer edition of "Cho Kabuki: Hanakurabe Senbonzakura" was livestreamed free online from the stage with no spectators. According to an official announcement, it attracted about 235,000 viewers.
This is the latest version of the work premiered in 2016, fusing the kabuki classic "Yoshitsune Senbonzakura" and the world of Hatsune Miku's signature song "Senbonzakura."
It depicts the struggle between Seiryu, who attempts to make a thousand blooming cherry trees his own, and Sato Shirobyoe Tadanobu. Mikuhime, played by Hatsune Miku, also faces off against this villain.
The performance started with kojo stage announcements in which Shido and Hatsune Miku greeted the audience side by side. Then the curtain rose on the stage with elaborate computer graphics.
The casting was kept secret until the day of the performance, but the villain Seiryu was played by Shido, who had played Tadanobu since the premiere. Both Sawamura Kuniya, who had played Seiryu, and Shido's disciple Nakamura Shiichi, who had worked behind the stage, played Tadanobu.
In other words, Shido passed the leading role on to those two.
At the risk of exaggeration, this may have been a moment when the history of kabuki changed. It's hard to understand from the outside, but the primary cast for a kabuki performance is largely decided by which kabuki family the actor belongs to. It's also extremely difficult for an actor who is not from a kabuki family to play the leading role.
Shido was born into a kabuki family, but was not in a happy environment as an actor when he was young because his father gave up kabuki acting early. Shido, who overcame this handicap and became a popular actor, has apparently had a difficult life.
He must therefore have had a strong desire to create an auspicious occasion for his colleagues, Kuniya and Shiichi (neither whom comes from a kabuki family), who have created the "Cho Kabuki" together with Shido.
At the curtain call, Shido also was clad in Tadanobu's costume, making three Tadanobus along with Kuniya and Shiichi. "It was the first performance in about six months. I'm happy to have this opportunity," Kuniya said. Shiichi said, "It's like a dream, but I want to enliven future kabuki so this won't just be a fantasy." The two were crying as they made these comments.
"We'll definitely do a 'revenge' performance [to make up for the online presentation]. Please look forward to it. Let's meet again!" Shido said in a loud voice. Although there were no physical spectators, it was a moving ending filled with energy.
-- Morishige covers traditional performing arts.
Those with a Niconico Premium Membership can rewatch the performance once until Sept 16 0:00 (JST) at https://live2.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv327244090. For more information, visit Niconico Net Chokaigi 2020 Summer Edition .
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
