Tag Archives: Japanese entertainment

Viva la Revolućion…Diva Style

I’ve got to hand it to the fearless players of Takurazuka – they might be the only women in the world who regularly get up on stage and play the parts of men with iconic beards and legendary moustaches. Their current musical production features everyone’s favorite Cuban revolotionary, who rocks the glam eye makeup aContinue reading “Viva la Revolućion…Diva Style”

Poppins-san

In the land where nannies are nearly as scarce as chimney sweeps, this all-Japanese celebration of bygone British privilege is about to hit the stage. It’s too bad they don’t adapt these things for the local audience the same way they “improve” pizza, because I would pay good money to hear someone sing such hitsContinue reading “Poppins-san”

Honest Abe Gets An Extreme Makeover

I thought playing Rhett Butler in an all-Japanese, all-female production of Gone With The Wind was about as gender-bendy as you could get, but now one of the esteemed actresses in the famed Takarazuka troupe is donning beard and top hat to portray America’s most gangly abolitionist! •

Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t Give A Damn (That We’re Both Female And Japanese!)

Yes, the famed all-female Takarazuka troupe is back on stage, mustachioed and corseted and ready to kick some Civil War butt! After mind-bendingly taking on the roles of handsome male scalawags (Oceans Eleven) and all-American soldiers fighting the Japanese (South Pacific), it’s not so much of a stretch to imagine a dashing Rhette-ette sweeping Scarlett off her feet. ButContinue reading “Frankly, My Dear, I Don’t Give A Damn (That We’re Both Female And Japanese!)”

Art Aquarium

Part laser light show, part aquatic extravaganza, Art Aquarium is the newest take on the old idea of keeping cool during the steamy Japanese summertime by contemplating goldfish bowls. Over 3 million people have visited this summer-long exhibition since it started in 2008, and now I see why: giant artfully-designed aquariums use inset lenses, unusual facetedContinue reading “Art Aquarium”

Fishing For Women

Of all the rakugo performances I’ve seen, Fishing For Women is my fave. It’s got great characters, including a guy who’s more of a nightmare than the worst Tinder story you’ve ever heard! THE CHARACTERS In this story, a nice old fisherman is visited by a beautiful ghost, but the dateless wonder next door has other ideas… And then…! If you watch the video,Continue reading “Fishing For Women”

Jack The Ripper – The Musical

Purple crushed velvet, bejeweled fake fur, slashed to the navel satin shirt – somehow the Japanese version of the elusive old serial killer comes off as slightly more of a gay blade than history gives him credit for! But it gets better – this isn’t the original production of Jack The Ripper, The Musical. The worldContinue reading “Jack The Ripper – The Musical”

Gonna Wash That Woman Right Out Of My Hair…

An all-Japanese, all-female, stage production of South Pacific? A play in which not only are most of the main characters undeniably male, they’re also employed in fighting against, uh, THE JAPANESE…?! This latest theatre poster promises a show more boggling than the all-Japanese production of Amadeus, the all-Japanese version of Fiddler On The Roof, and all-female stage renditionContinue reading “Gonna Wash That Woman Right Out Of My Hair…”

“Ocean’s 11”: All-New, All-Japanese And All-Female!

The Takurazuka stage production of the classic caper film naturally features the usual all-female cast, with lots of choice roles for the otokoyaku actresses who specialize in male roles! Taking a page from the training traditions of onnagata (kabuki actors who specialize in female roles), from the moment they are chosen to impersonate dudes, the TakurazukaContinue reading ““Ocean’s 11”: All-New, All-Japanese And All-Female!”

Sit Down Stand Up

One day last fall, as I was walking through Yoyogi Park on my way to fall off the slackline, I saw this guy standing by a tree in a vaguely medieval-looking costume. In America I’d have hustled by, careful to make ZERO eye contact, sure he was either a member of a rabidly proselytizing religious cultContinue reading “Sit Down Stand Up”