REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
From Japan Today
The actor in the role of Jesus Christ performs at the final dress rehearsal of the kabuki version of “Jesus Christ Superstar” in Tokyo. A rickshaw, women in elaborate brocade kimonos, the echo of bamboo flutes, and Jesus of Nazareth, his face painted white with the flaring red lines, all share the stage at Gekidan Shiki, one of Japan’s best-known theater troupes, in its revival of the hit rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar“—with some very Japanese twists. For showtimes and further info, visit here
If you go to the link above for the official site you can also watch a promo video. Just click on enter and you will see a big play button on the right side of the screen, click it and the video will open in a new window.
After watching the promo all I can say is that was really really weird and surreal.
I’m not sure how I feel about them doing it in whiteface. Is this a normal occurrence in Japanese theater?
The white makeup is from kabuki and is normal in that kind of theater however I guess this group decided to try kabuki/broadway fusion. Sort of like mayo and corn on pizza I think.
I’ve never seen kabuki show before.
Personally, there is a time I want to go the theater with my mom.
But I can’t see the Jesus Christ Kabuki Star,.. It’s bit scary for me.
Because I don’t want to be disappointed their wrong description about Jesus..
It is safe to say that the Japanese have a profound misunderstanding of Christianity; while ours is a jealous God, attempts at compromise is evident, which is a blurry line towards spiritual promiscuity.
And for what purpose? Will there be a rush into the few Japanese Catholic churches because Jesus Christ is portrayed in Kabuki? I doubt it! If there ever was a surge of conversion nowadays, I am certain that it is a fad, to be objectified, bought, and sold- much like those “Christian” churches where some charlatan poses as a minister of the Lord and utters shallow, banal and trite sugary pleasantries of how “Love conquers all, in the name of kami-sama” for a price.
Pardon my rant, as it may sound Unchristian and hostile, but where is the outrage? So many people died for Christ, and to this date, what we have is a sad parody of a parody of a sacred, relevant account of God making Himself known to us.
Were it the life of Muhammad, I am certain death threats would come. I am not calling for a holy war against the Japanese because that would be politically inconvenient and unjust, but I am asking for some emotion, unreasonable as it may be- after all, this is OUR Lord, Jesus Christ, who existed, exists, and will always exist. I am expressing my outrage in the same way that is due, if there is, for example, a stage play belittling those sacred Japanese martyrs who died for our faith into comical figures!
In short, the Japanese know about Catholics through this farce as much as Westerners know about Japan through Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Mikado”
And I think Westerners owe the Japanese, and the East in general, an apology for many things too.
It is not the fault of the Japanese that they think of the Lord most high as just another kami to placate and collect, but rather a failing of our own evangelisation.
We know from sheer history that when the Japanese truly understand the claim of the Catholic Faith, they adopt it eagerly and whole-heartedly, giving it up again only through the most brutal of tortures and martyrdom.
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