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Movies & TV Movies & TV Reviews

Hokaibo

HOKAIBO (Hiroyuki Nakatani). 150 minutes. Subtitled. Screens February 23 as part of Cinema Kabuki, which screens February 22 and 23 at the Scotiabank Theatre. Rating: NNNN


If you’ve never seen Kabuki theatre, head over to the Scotiabank next week and treat yourself to high-definition screenings capturing live performances of the centuries-old art form.

Only one of the mini-fest’s four plays was available for pre-viewing, but it’s a good one. Hokaibo is the name of a lusty monk who gets involved in a complicated plot involving disguises, unrequited love and the loss of a valuable carp scroll.

It might take a while to get used to the stylized way actors enunciate, not to mention the tradition of onnagata, or men playing women’s roles. But the motivations of the characters – greed, lust, vengeance – still hold up, and low slapstick is universal.

The sets and costumes are lovely, especially in the climactic scene set on the Sumida River.

And while the play premiered in 1784, the actors have fun adding topical material. In the title role, Nakamura Kanzaburo improvises and even makes references to Obama and Bush.

If you become a fan, check out the Japan Foundation’s exhibit on Kabuki actor Tamasaburo Bando, on until June (jftor.org).

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