Kabuki

There are many different elements that go into Kabuki.  We learned mainly about the aragoto, wagota, onnagata, mie, ropo, and hanamichi to name a few.  It is important to learn the different elements to establish the differences between Kabuki and any other type of Asian theatre, including Noh and Bunraku.  There is always an aragoto, who is the oversized, supernatural, rough hero.  This person can also be seen wearing either puffed up or stuffed attire.  Then there is the wagota, which is the opposite.  The wagota is the more realistic, soft character, who does not wear puffed up clothes.  Although women used to participate in Kabuki and played both male and female roles, they were soon banned, creating only room for males to participate.  When males played a female role they were called onnagatas.  I think that playing an onnagata would be extremely difficult.  I think that for male roles it easier to relate to and play the part.  But most males do not know what it is like to be a female, and therefore it would probably be a little more difficult and require more training in order to perfect that certain female role.  I personally do not like the fact that males play female roles.  We talked about it in class and it make some of the girls in class a little bothered I think because they felt like it made women like inferior.  I however feel as though men should not play female parts because for a viewer such as myself its comes off a little weird.  You are supposed to marvel at a woman's beauty and elegance and you can't really do that when you are looking at a man dressed in women's clothes...maybe that's just me!  But anyways, the mie is also important in Kabuki.  The actor is supposed to hold the characteristic pose, in order to establish his character.  In most cases the actor just opens his eyes really wide.  But if they were to show that they were angry or annoyed they would open their eyes wide and cross them.  The roppo is the technique of stage exit or entrance.  You can float in, as if you were a ghost or ghost like character, or use the technique of swagger, or catpaw.  The hanamichi is the bridge in Kabuki.  The bridge goes out into the audience and allows the audience to feel more involved in the performance.  The actors perform on the bridge as well.  There are also trap doors which allow actors to appear or disappear which makes the performance more draw dropping and exciting.