Nisei and the Birth of English Kabuki

This rich history of kabuki in Japanese in the Hawaiian islands essentially enabled the birth of English-language kabuki. Nisei Japanese students of the University Drama Club stage The Faithful, a play by John Masefield based on Kanadehon Chūshingura, in November of 1924. Professionals from the community served as acting technique advisors and musicians, as well as supplied costumes and wigs.

From 1931-1941, the University Theatre Guild produced one Japanese theatre production annually, directed by English Department drama professor, Arthur “Doc” Wyman, with Japanese acting and movement technique training by “Mr. and Mrs. Hisamatsu” (Hosokawa Zenjirō, a shinpa actor, and his wife Mitsue, a nihon buyō dancer) provided the training in “Japanese technique.” Interestingly, while the newspapers regularly called attention to the “Japanese technique” in the plays, the term “kabuki” was never used to describe them, though all were either traditional or new kabuki (shin kabuki) plays, some of which had only recently debuted in Japan prior to being produced in Honolulu.

A revival of Namu Amida Butsu in January 1941, which had at its core a theme of love and compassion, was the final play staged by the University Theatre Guild before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Whether the choice was purposeful is unknown, but it was certainly in great contrast to the battles, blood and gore of Quest of Shimosaka, Darkness of the Dawn, Tadanao and other plays presented in the prior decade, and a quite fitting selection as the war was escalating around the world.

Page 1 – Page 2 – Page 3