Kabuki

Kabuki theatre has been staged in Japan for more than three centuries, yet few of its plays have reached English-speaking readers. Faithful translation is hard, and because the dialogue is only one part of a production, earlier English versions often read as incomplete. This collection offers five plays rendered from recordings of live performances, which lends the texts a sense of being on stage. The translations are supported by commentary and stage directions that describe the music, sound effects, the placement of performers, and the stylized gestures and poses that give kabuki its character.

A short introduction traces the form's history, its roots in religious practice, and its historical association with prostitution. It also covers the typical themes, the methods used to construct plays, and the conventions of performance, including the roles of actors, the music, and the dance. Appendixes examine the sound effects and musical cues used during productions. Over one hundred photographs of performances show the movement and feeling of the stage.

First published in 1975, the book belongs to the UNESCO Collection of Representative Works, Japanese Series.