On stage, Danjuro Ichikawa, one of the biggest stars of Japan’s Kabuki theatre, is a virtuoso in switching roles. In his latest production, he plays 13 parts, including a princess, a sushi chef and a fox. He hobbles offstage as a feeble old man, then dashes back on moments later as a fierce warrior.
He gets in a few sword fights, dies tragically more than once, and takes flight on wires. Offstage, he’s wondering if it’s time for the often rigid role of a Kabuki star to change. The 13th man to bear the name Danjuro Ichikawa – which has been passed down between generations of Kabuki stars for over 300 years – he’s a household name in Japan, showing up in advertisements, movies and TV shows.
Kabuki, an all-male theatrical tradition that combines music, dance and acrobatics, remains popular, but Danjuro grants that it can be out of step with modern tastes. Audiences accustomed to TikTok videos and streaming don’t always have the patience for four-hour performances in archaic formal Japanese. Social distancing restrictions during the pandemic hit theatres hard, and audiences are still coming back.
Danjuro made efforts to update Kabuki in Hoshiawase Jusandan, which played at the Kabukiza Theatre in Tokyo last month, trimming longer scenes and modernising some dialogue. “Traditional culture might be hard to follow and get tiresome, but I hope people will have fun. The action moves quickly because I’m one person playing 13 roles,” Danjuro said.
Danjuro is already .