Bunraku: Exciting Puppet Theatre with Ballad Narration and Shamisen Music

Cultural News, October 2007

A Bunraku puppet (Courtesy of the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center)

    The National Bunraku Theatre of Japan returns to the United States for the first time in nearly two decades from October 18-20 at Aratani/Japan America Theatre in Los Amgeles. Bunraku is a form of theatre that began in the 17th century in Osaka, Japan. It brings together three very distinct forms of storytelling; joruri, which is ballad narration, shamisen, a type of instrumental music, and ningyo tsukai, or the art of puppet manipulation.

    The 2007 U.S. Tour of the National Bunraku Theatre of Japan has 26 members including master puppeteers, musicians, and narrators. They will be showing two dramatic tales of love, passion, and devotion with visually spectacular sets, lavish costumes and breathtaking movements.

     The first play entitled, Oshichi's Burning Love, was first performed in Osaka in 1773 and tells the true story of sixteen-year-old Oshichi whose love for a young priest leads her to arson. The second play, Miracle at the Tsubosaka Kannon Temple, is about a devoted wife, Osato, who prays daily for her husband’s eyesight to return. The husband, concerned that he is becoming a burden, ends his life so that his wife may move on.

     Four performances take place on Thursday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 19 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Each performance will be accompanied by An Introduction to Bunraku, with the leading Japanese film and theater scholar, Mr. Peter Grilli.