PUBLISHED March 7th, 2012 08:52 am | UPDATED July 25th, 2024 03:24 pm
We kinda have a soft spot for all things Japanese over at City Nomads. So when we heard that a special Kabuki performance was coming to Singapore we thought we should really share it with you.
Those of you who have been to Japan, or are from Japan, or perhaps just interested in the performing arts of Asia will already know what Kabuki is. For those who don’t fall into any of the above, Kabuki is a form of traditional Japanese theatre. It’s known for being “bizarre” or “avant-garde” and it’s what opera is to the Italians, or Shakespeare is to the Brits. It’s a national cultural treasure steeped in about 400 years of tradition.
Think comedy, high drama, moral conflicts, lovers angst played out in a combination of dance, music, pantomime, drama, exaggerated costumes and extreme makeup and there you have Kabuki.
And following on from a sell out performance in Los Angeles comes a Kabuki performance from the Association of Traditional Performing Arts Japan as part of their South East Asia tour by the name of The Masseur and The Thief on 16-17 March. A famous contemporary piece with comedy at its heart, expect lots of laughter, a pang of sympathy and a surprising end.
The Masseur and the Thief is about a masseur named Hidenoichi, who seems to be a nice person, but has another side that no one is aware of. Humorous interaction begins when he comes home one day without realising that hidden in his house is a thief named Gontaro.
Before the main event commences, the performance will kick off with a Kabuki workshop offering a fascinating glimpse into the making of a kabuki character as they transform before your eyes through make up and costume….
followed by a performance of traditional Japanese dance – Sukeroku…
This promises to be a night of melodramatic, theatrical spectical, colour, sound and great tradition. In November 2005, UNESCO designated Kabuki as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. But don’t take their word for it. Go see for yourselves.
City Nomads will be giving away two pairs of top tier tickets for the forthcoming performances so keep your eyes peeled to our Facebook page here for more information on how to snap them up.
The Masseur and The Thief will be performed on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 March at 2pm and 8pm at the School of The Arts (SOTA). Tickets are $78, $65, and $48 , concessions $35 available from SISTIC here. For more information see the official website here.
Written by Ms Demeanour