2 March, 2005

Cultural Export - Kabuki in NY and Sushi in London

Today, I happened to see him on TV - Kankuro Nakamura. He is a famous Kabuki actor in Japan. The Heisei Nakamura-za company's performance, "The Summer Festival: A Mirror of Osaka" ("Natsumatsuri Naniwa Kagami"), which took place last summer at the Lincoln Center in New York, was a spectacular success.

The programme I saw today was about the backstage of the performance. Maybe, the reason why the last summer's performance is being shown now on Japanese TV is because of the release of the DVD of the performance.

I saw the performance itself on TV at the beginning of this year, in fact. I'm not an expert of Kabuki or particularly a big fun, either. But this was fun to see even for Kabuki beginners like me.

The story was about Danshichi Kurobei, performed by Kankuro, who murdered his uncle and was being chased during the play. The knockabout drama starts with a scuffle between Kurobei and chasers who appeared from audience seats. I'm not going to write in detail.

Whenever this kind of "cultural export" is spotlighted, I wonder to what extent it is exact compared with what we know in Japan and how it is perceived by foreigners. In this case, the performer, Kankuro Nakamura, is a real Kabuki actor (although his performance and style are said to be, kind of, avant-garde among Japanese critics). So he is not a Chinese alternative like Hollywood. The set is also the same as ones in Japan. Moreover, it seemed successful in being acclaimed from those who came to see it, including New Yorkers and critics. The New York Times wrote;

The Heisei Nakamura-za company's "Summer Festival: A Mirror of Osaka" ("Natsumatsuri Naniwa Kagami") turns out to provide thrills that "Spider-Man 2" can't deliver.

That's great. But I'm not sure, if I'm asked how many New Yorkers can understand the story. However, perhaps I can answer "many of them", because although the performance was in Japanese, a Japanese-English translator earphone was supplied and also the play was filled with dynamic scenes. Therefore, it could be relatively easy to understand.

It's also an important factor that New Yorkers' awareness of Japanese culture was ripe for receiving the Kabuki performance. My personal opinion; New York's understandings of Japanese culture are quite deep. Let's take up Japanese food as an example. It's popular nowadays in many places around the world. For example, in London, where also many Japanese reside, we can find many Japanese restaurants and sushi bars. But what the hell are they? I have an experience of sushi rolls, sold at Marks&Spencer in Covent Garden. Looks grotesque, tastes lamentable and makes me feel regret having lost few pounds for cross-cultural experience (you may say this was because of Britain, and I agree with you. But let's talk about it later). But I could meet many tasteful sushi rolls in New York (although I never admit California rolls and "Japanese dishes" served at "Japanese restaurants" owned by Chinese or Koreans or other Asians). I know it's nonsense to judge the awareness of Japanese culture by sushi rolls. But it can be part of the matter.

He's now busy at dealing with his son who misbehaved after drinking heavily at the celebration of Kankuro's succession to his predecessor's name... But I think Kankuro's attempt is enough great to make up his son's misbehaviour.

I decided to know more about this Japanese beautiful tradition, Kabuki. I hope Japanese cultures overseas will gain more authentic and true shapes, not like grotesque sushi rolls.

» The New York Times | Theater Review | The Stuff of Nightmares in a Kabuki Carnival Maze
20 July 2004
By Ben Brantley