Abstract
The discovery of Japanese theatre by Western theatrical buffs was very gradual, starting with the impressions of the first travellers and foreign residents who landed in Japan in the 1860‑1870’s, and slowly progressing with the essays and translations of the pioneers of Japanese studies. But, on the other hand, the opportunities to watch the real thing were extremely few: from the early Meiji up to the 1950’s, only four companies tried to present on foreign stages productions claiming, rightly or wrongly, to belong to the art of kabuki. After a brief sketch of Kawakami, Hanako and Sadanji’s European ventures, this essay examines in detail the long journey of Tsutsui Tokujirō’s company (January 1930-April 1931), which triumphs in practicaly all the Western capitals. Neglected by the Japanese historians, Tsutsui’s work had nonetheless a profound influence on the European stage directors with productions relatively faithfull to the spirit of genuine kabuki.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
