Changes

[[File:Kabukiza-curtains.jpg|right|thumb|320px|The distinctive red, green, and brown kabuki stage curtain, seen here at [[Kabuki-za]] in 2008.]]

[[File:Kabukiza-curtains.jpg|right|thumb|320px|The distinctive red, green, and brown kabuki stage curtain, seen here at [[Kabuki-za]] in 2008.]]

The distinctive green, brown, black striped kabuki curtain still seen today is said to have originated when Shogun [[Tokugawa Iemitsu]] donated a ship's sail to the [[Nakamura-za]] (one of the three licensed theaters in [[Edo]]) as a reward for service, the pattern being adopted by other theaters in the [[Meiji period]].<ref>Lisa Ann M. Omoto and Kathy Welch, "Kabuki Spectacle," in ''101 Years of Kabuki in Hawai'i'', University of Hawaii (1994), 50. </ref>

The distinctive green, brown, black striped kabuki curtain still seen today is said to have originated when Shogun [[Tokugawa Iemitsu]] donated a ship's sail to the [[Nakamura-za]] (one of the three licensed theaters in [[Edo]]) as a reward for service, the pattern being adopted by other theaters in the [[Meiji period]].<ref>Lisa Ann M. Omoto and Kathy Welch, "Kabuki Spectacle," in ''101 Years of Kabuki in Hawai'i'', University of Hawaii (1994), 50. </ref>

===Costumes & Makeup===

===Costumes & Makeup===

Despite the shogunate's concerns about kabuki as a negative moral influence, the shogunate never sought to ban kabuki entirely, seeing it, like prostitution, as a necessary evil and believing that an outright ban would only bring further trouble. Not only would a ban run the risk of inspiring protest or even riots, but banning it only in Edo would lead to numerous wealthy patrons, commercial businesses, and the like leaving the city and weakening its economy. As a result, the authorities merely aimed to control kabuki, restricting it to particular areas of the city, and to particular style and content. At times, the shogunate even patronized the art form. Troupes performed at [[Edo castle]] four times in [[1650]]-[[1651]]. Some ''[[Daimyo|daimyô]]'' are also known to have patronized the art, though in sharp contrast to Noh, kabuki would continue to always be primarily a commoner/popular art.

Despite the shogunate's concerns about kabuki as a negative moral influence, the shogunate never sought to ban kabuki entirely, seeing it, like prostitution, as a necessary evil and believing that an outright ban would only bring further trouble. Not only would a ban run the risk of inspiring protest or even riots, but banning it only in Edo would lead to numerous wealthy patrons, commercial businesses, and the like leaving the city and weakening its economy. As a result, the authorities merely aimed to control kabuki, restricting it to particular areas of the city, and to particular style and content. At times, the shogunate even patronized the art form. Troupes performed at [[Edo castle]] four times in [[1650]]-[[1651]]. Some ''[[Daimyo|daimyô]]'' are also known to have patronized the art, though in sharp contrast to Noh, kabuki would continue to always be primarily a commoner/popular art.

The restriction of the theaters in Edo to only designated areas of the city began in [[1661]], in the aftermath of the [[1657]] [[Meireki Fire]], which leveled much of the city, thus creating an opportunity for district reorganization. At that time, kabuki theaters were officially restricted to the neighborhoods of Sakai-chô and Fukiya-chô to the northeast of [[Nihonbashi]], and to Kobiki-chô, to the south of [[Kyobashi|Kyôbashi]], while the licensed prostitution quarters, destroyed in the fire, were rebuilt as the Shin-Yoshiwara, or "New [[Yoshiwara]]," further out from the city center. The rebuilding of the theaters in the designated districts at this time marks the beginning of kabuki being housed in more substantial buildings; prior to this, kabuki theaters more closely resembled Noh stages, in which the stage alone stands as a separate structure, with its own roof. The audience was enclosed within simple bamboo fencing, and protected from precipitation by simple bamboo blinds hung overhead.

The restriction of the theaters in Edo to only designated areas of the city began in [[1661]], in the aftermath of the [[1657]] [[Meireki Fire]], which leveled much of the city, thus creating an opportunity for district reorganization. At that time, kabuki theaters were officially restricted to the neighborhoods of Sakai-chô and Fukiya-chô to the northeast of [[Nihonbashi]], and to Kobiki-chô, to the south of [[Kyobashi|Kyôbashi]], while the licensed prostitution quarters, destroyed in the fire, were rebuilt as the Shin-Yoshiwara, or "New [[Yoshiwara]]," further out from the city center. The rebuilding of the theaters in the designated districts at this time marks the beginning of kabuki being housed in more substantial buildings; prior to this, kabuki theaters more closely resembled Noh stages, in which the stage alone stands as a separate structure, with its own roof. The audience was enclosed within simple bamboo fencing, and protected from precipitation by simple bamboo blinds hung overhead. The new buildings, by contrast, by 1700, came to be multi-story structures, with often three levels of box seats, three levels of dressing rooms, and a lavish attached teahouse (''[[shibai jaya]]'').

Beginning in 1661 with the establishment of more permanent theater buildings within designated districts, the number of theaters that could operate legally in the city was limited to four large theaters (''ôshibai'') and eight small ones (''koshibai''); Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines also occasionally staged performances, with the authorization of the ''[[machi bugyo|machi bugyô]]''. In Kyoto, the large theaters were gradually reduced to three, and in Osaka, four. In conjunction with this, of course, unlicensed theaters and unauthorized performances were, nominally at least, strictly forbidden (with certain exceptions, e.g. for performances at certain festivals).

Beginning in 1661 with the establishment of more permanent theater buildings within designated districts, the number of theaters that could operate legally in the city was limited to four large theaters (''ôshibai'') and eight small ones (''koshibai''); Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines also occasionally staged performances, with the authorization of the ''[[machi bugyo|machi bugyô]]''. In Kyoto, the large theaters were gradually reduced to three, and in Osaka, four. In conjunction with this, of course, unlicensed theaters and unauthorized performances were, nominally at least, strictly forbidden (with certain exceptions, e.g. for performances at certain festivals).

The [[Genroku period]] ([[1688]]-[[1704]]) is generally cited as marking the beginning of kabuki's development into its mature form. While fans would continue to admire actors for their physical features (e.g. beauty, handsomeness, grace) down through the present day, it was in Genroku that acting really began to overtake sexiness as a key characteristic of the art form; in other words, it was in this period that kabuki can really be said to have transformed from a dance revue showing off the actors' physical bodies, into a plot-based, character-based theatre form, albeit still with considerable elements of showing off the actors' skills and abilities.

The [[Genroku period]] ([[1688]]-[[1704]]) is generally cited as marking the beginning of kabuki's development into its mature form. While fans would continue to admire actors for their physical features (e.g. beauty, handsomeness, grace) down through the present day, it was in Genroku that acting really began to overtake sexiness as a key characteristic of the art form; in other words, it was in this period that kabuki can really be said to have transformed from a dance revue showing off the actors' physical bodies, into a plot-based, character-based theatre form, albeit still with considerable elements of showing off the actors' skills and abilities.

The period saw numerous innovations by some of the most famous and influential figures in early kabuki history, including playwright [[Chikamatsu Monzaemon]] and actor [[Sakata Tojuro I|Sakata Tôjûrô I]] who pioneered the softer ''[[wagoto]]'' style of acting which later grew to form the core of Kamigata (Kyoto-Osaka) kabuki. [[Yoshizawa Ayame I]] is celebrated as a pioneering ''onnagata'', and [[Ichikawa Danjuro I|Ichikawa Danjûrô I]] created the bold ''[[aragoto]]'' style of acting which would later come to form the core of the aesthetics of [[Edo]] kabuki. [[Ichikawa Danjuro|Ichikawa Danjûrô]] remains the most prestigious name in kabuki today, and the innovations of the first Danjûrô set the stage for the bold makeup, costumes, ''mie'' poses, and movements that have come to so define kabuki. Danjûrô is also, perhaps erroneously, credited with the invention of the ''mawari butai''.

The period saw numerous innovations by some of the most famous and influential figures in early kabuki history, including playwright [[Chikamatsu Monzaemon]] and actor [[Sakata Tojuro I|Sakata Tôjûrô I]] who pioneered the softer ''[[wagoto]]'' style of acting which later grew to form the core of Kamigata (Kyoto-Osaka) kabuki. [[Yoshizawa Ayame I]] is celebrated as a pioneering ''onnagata'', and [[Ichikawa Danjuro I|Ichikawa Danjûrô I]] created the bold ''[[aragoto]]'' style of acting which would later come to form the core of the aesthetics of [[Edo]] kabuki. [[Ichikawa Danjuro|Ichikawa Danjûrô]] remains the most prestigious name in kabuki today, and the innovations of the first Danjûrô set the stage for the bold makeup, costumes, ''mie'' poses, and movements that have come to so define kabuki. Danjûrô is also, perhaps erroneously, credited with the invention of the ''mawari butai''; the ''hanamichi'', meanwhile, is believed to have become a standard feature by 1677, adopted from the ''hashigakari'' of the Noh stage.

Numerous features of kabuki can thus trace their origins to the Genroku period, as can some of the most famous and prominent plays in the repertoire, such as ''[[Shibaraku]]''. By this time, narrative had taken a more central role in kabuki, and plays began to be more fully based around a consistent plot, and dramatic characters, though dance remained strong as well. Kabuki dance by this time had shifted away from the abstract and formal ''mai'' dance form of Noh, and away from the folk ''odori'' traditions,<ref>''Mai'' dances can be quite slow, and center on walking in a circle or square, and performing highly formalized, abstract movements; ''odori'' are considerably more energetic dances, generally performed in groups, either in a circle, or in a line. Tokita. p244.</ref> and had embraced the ''furi'' style of more mimetic dance, in which dancers embody a character, and perform dance motions which resemble or represent the actions of a narrative. Even as plays began to incorporate more dialogue and plot elements, the narrative dance-drama form known as ''[[shosagoto]]'' coalesced and gathered strength as well.

Numerous features of kabuki can thus trace their origins to the Genroku period, as can some of the most famous and prominent plays in the repertoire, such as ''[[Shibaraku]]''. By this time, narrative had taken a more central role in kabuki, and plays began to be more fully based around a consistent plot, and dramatic characters, though dance remained strong as well. Kabuki dance by this time had shifted away from the abstract and formal ''mai'' dance form of Noh, and away from the folk ''odori'' traditions,<ref>''Mai'' dances can be quite slow, and center on walking in a circle or square, and performing highly formalized, abstract movements; ''odori'' are considerably more energetic dances, generally performed in groups, either in a circle, or in a line. Tokita. p244.</ref> and had embraced the ''furi'' style of more mimetic dance, in which dancers embody a character, and perform dance motions which resemble or represent the actions of a narrative. Even as plays began to incorporate more dialogue and plot elements, the narrative dance-drama form known as ''[[shosagoto]]'' coalesced and gathered strength as well.