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Working in unity: Staging the Bunraku requires the teamwork of three puppeteers.

Witness the grace and grandeur of a 400-year old Japanese tradition in a two-day puppet theatre performance.

TRADITIONAL puppet theatres are part of the Asian cultural heritage. While Malaysia has the wayang kulit, Japan is famous for its Noh, Kyogen and Kabuki.

However, one that is relatively unheard of is the Japanese Bunraku, which is a showcase of teamwork as three puppeteers work in perfect unity with live traditional music and vocals. Bunraku is still relatively unknown outside Japan due to differences in management and publicity, as well as size of production.

This weekend, for the first time in South-East Asia, Kanjuro Kiritake III and the Minosuke-kai company will treat Malaysians to a two-night Bunraku performance at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, starting June 28. It will be presented in Japanese with English subtitles, in celebration of the 40th year of Asean-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.

“Although Bunraku has been designated as an Important Intangible National Asset in Japan, the number of Bunraku narrators (tayu), shamisen players (three-string Japanese guitar), and puppeteers is only 86 persons in total, and all of them are involved in the major performances. Since we can’t simultaneously put on performances in more than one venue, it is also another factor why Bunraku isn’t popular,” said puppeteer Kiritake in a recent e-mail interview.

This theatrical form emerged during the early Edo period (ca. 1600) when puppetry was coupled with Johruri, a popular 15th century narrative genre. The plots related in this new form of puppet theatre were derived from two principal sources: historical plays set in feudal times (Jidaimono) and contemporary dramas exploring the conflict between affairs of the heart and social obligation (Sewamono).

Kiritake and his troupe are trying to revive this art. For the Malaysian show, the group will be presenting Ninin Sanbaso (harvest celebratory dance) and Fox In The Inner Garden, which is an excerpt from Honcho Nijushikou. In the Sanbaso, two characters dance away to pray for an abundant harvest and for peace on land. In Nijushikou, Princess Yaegaki’s prayers to save her love (Katsuyori) are answered and the Princess’ emotions are beautifully enacted together with the quick change of puppets.

Three puppeteers, visible to the audience, manipulate large articulated puppets on the stage behind a waist-high screen. From a projecting elevated platform (yuka), the narrator (tayu) recounts the action while a musician provides accompaniment on the three-stringed spike lute (shamisen). The tayu plays all the characters, both male and female, and uses different voices and intonations to suit each role and situation.

Since Bunraku does not follow a hereditary system, anyone can become a performer, depending on one’s effort to reach the top ranks of the Sangyo (the tayu, shamisen player or puppeteer).

Kiritake was 13 when he first helped out on stage. Although his father, Kanjuro Kiritake II was designated a Living National Treasure by the Japanese government, the young boy did not train under his dad.

“I did my junior apprenticeship under Master Minosuke Yoshida, who studied under the same master as my father. However, I learnt much about Tachiyaku (male roles) from my father.

“Apprenticeship always starts by learning to be an Ashizukai or foot puppeteer. This is the basics of puppeteering and so one spends 10 to 15 years learning to manipulate the legs whilst also learning the steps for the various characters, the storyline, and narration. I was a foot puppeteer for 15 years,” he said.

“Then one learns to be the Hidarizukai, or left-hand puppeteer, and continues to learn in order to prepare for the Omozukai, head puppeteer’s role.”

Historically, there have been female puppeteers in the past, but it has been limited only to men since the craft adopted its current format. However, there are women narrators and shamisen players.

According to Kiritake, 60, there is no need to create new puppet heads (kashira) these days as more than 300 have been created by past masters. Young puppeteers are also gradually learning this skill.

“There is also the hair stylist (tokoyama), who styles the puppet’s hair according to the character being played, the costume staff who make new pieces and the person in charge of props; it is thanks to all of them that we are able to raise the curtains each time.”

The puppeteer assembles the Bunraku puppets, one at a time, according to the play being performed. After the puppeteer puts the costume onto the torso, the props, arms and legs are attached. Finally the head is put on before the puppet goes out on stage.

For the uninitiated, Kiritake welcomed them to come and enjoy a musical theatre experience.

“It is essentially the same as musicals and opera. My hope is you would be able to sense something through your eyes, ears and body rather than try to delve into it too deeply.”

The Bunraku puppet theatre performance will take place on June 28 (8.30pm) and June 29 (3pm and 8.30pm) at Pentas 2, Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac), Jalan Strachan, Kuala Lumpur. Tickets are priced at RM60 (adults) and RM30 (students, disabled, senior citizens, JCKL/JFKL/TAS Card Members). Tickets can be purchased at www.ilassotickets.com or by calling the KLPac Box Office at 03-4047 9000.