Kabuki-Backstage, Onstage: An Actor's Life

by Matazo Nakamura

Describing the onstage magic and the backstage hierarchy that is Kabuki, this book looks at the 500-year-old spectacle of dance, music and elaborate costume from an actor's point of view."

Genres: Nonfiction, Japanese Literature, Japan

164 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Yuuma shinkan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very beautiful book that describes the actor's life in detail. After finishing the book I felt as if I am saying farewell to a friend I have known for a long time.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrative is somewhat rambling and occasionally repetitive but still very interesting. In one chapter, Nakamura-san gives a vivid description of the Kabuki-za backstage but it's unlikely that it is perfectly accurate anymore since the building was completely renovated in 2013.