Japanese Kabuki star wants to reach younger, global audience

'As a Kabuki actor today, I attach the biggest importance to the succession of tradition, but I also worry about a possibility of going extinct if we only stick to the tradition,' says Japanese Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro XIII. Photo: AP

A Japanese Kabuki star who recently assumed a prestigious stage name said he wants to preserve the traditional art while adopting a new approach, including by collaborating with artists from other genres around the world as he seeks to attract younger audiences.

Ichikawa Danjuro XIII, formerly known as Ichikawa Ebizo, assumed his family’s centuries-old top stage name this week after a two-year delay due to the pandemic. To celebrate the name succession, Danjuro is scheduled to perform several of the "18 favourite plays” of the Ichikawa family at Tokyo's Kabukiza theatre through December.