I’ll cover that in the analysis, don’t worry.
This is a website devoted to exploring the intrigues of Kabuki Theater, specifically using a 2003 performance of Shunkan. BUT FIRST, a little bit about my intentions:
When I, as a college student from Oak Park, Illinois, think of “theater,” I make associations with Shakespeare or Sophocles, Chekhov or Ibsen. Those associations are problematic! They assume that theater is a singularly Western art form. Sure, the birth of theater is probably in Greece, and yes, Western culture has produced many, many, many talented playwrights, but these assumptions ignore the fact that theater was independently developed in Japan. Noh, and later Kabuki and Bunraku theater were created in a country that was mostly isolated from the rest of the world until the 19th century. And this literature is just as valid, as well thought out, and as beautiful as any Hamlet or Oedipus.
Because it was invented, and not derived, Japanese theater is inherently different from Western theater. The stage functions differently, the actors perform differently, the costumes disguise differently, and the audience participates differently. But it IS theater. I think that we’re too caught up in its “exotic charm” to recognize it as such. Basically, if you come away from this website thinking, “Wow, Kabuki looks really cool!” then I’d call it a failure. On the other hand, if I can convince you that Shunkan can be examined critically, just like any other play, and that to separate theater into “theater” and “East Asian theater” is unacceptable, then it’s a success.