Kabuki Cinema Guide Released Alongside Kokuho UK Release

A guide to kabuki theatre in film has been published to mark the UK release of Kokuho, a Japanese epic that became the highest-grossing live-action film in Japan. The film, nominated for Best Hair and Make-up at the Academy Awards, follows a fictional actor adopted by a legendary theatre star. The guide highlights key films that explore kabuki's onstage and offstage drama, including Kenji Mizoguchi's The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums (1939), Yasujirō Ozu's Floating Weeds (1959), Kon Ichikawa's An Actor's Revenge (1963), Masahiro Shinoda's Demon Pond (1979), Paul Schrader's Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985), and the Netflix documentary Sing, Dance, Act: Kabuki (2022). Kabuki, originating with dancer Izumo no Okuni in the 17th century, is known for exaggerated performance, dance, and onnagata (male actors playing female roles). The guide examines how these films capture kabuki's traditions, including dynastic acting families, allegorical structures, and the intensive technique of playing female roles.