The Bunraku tour in the United States has opend in Los Angeles!

The National Bunraku Theatre, the first Bunraku tour in the United States produced by the National Theatre, has opened. It will tour five cities and open on Saturday, September 28, at the Aratani Theatre, JACCC, in Los Angeles to a full house.


A long line formed at the Aratani Theatre, with people waiting


The performance began with "Hinomi Yagura (The Fire Watchtower)" scene from "Date Musume Koi no Higanoko (Oshichi, the Greengrocer's Daughter)." The Joruri, which conveyed the painful feelings of Oshichi's longing for her lover, and the puppet's tower-climbing movements, captivated first-time viewers, immersing the Los Angeles audience in the world of Bunraku.




After that, commentary and demonstration explain the structure of Bunraku puppets and how the three puppeteers manipulate them.The audience, captivated by the movements that were just like those of real people in "Hinomi Yagura (The Fire Watchtower)," seemed to be very convinced when they learned the mechanism and secrets of the performance. The mechanism that allowed the eyes and eyebrows to move drew laughter, perhaps because the movements were comical, and the audience also sighed at the versatility of the puppets' expressions, depicting joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.




After the intermission, the audience was treated to a performance of "Tenjin no Mori (The Forest by the Tenjin Shrine)" scene from "Sonezaki Shinju (The Love Suicides at Sonezaki)" in which the poignant figures of Ohatsu and Tokubei as they head towards their double suicide exude a poetic feeling that is unique to Bunraku.




The audience was captivated by the sounds of the Joruri from the beginning of the scene, which seemed to convey the desperate emotions of the couple. Ohatsu and Tokubei then appeared, portraying their anguished feelings and their decision to commit double suicide. The beautiful choreography, highlighting the charm of the puppets, combined with the background animation by OGA Kazuo, creates a unique performance of "Sonezaki Shinju (The Love Suicides at Sonezaki)."






There was a rousing round of applause at the end of the performance, and the second curtain call received a standing ovation.




A member of the Aratani Theater, the venue, commented, "It's been a long time since we've had a standing ovation at a performance at this theater, so we're honored that we were able to hold a Bunraku performance here." Visitors also commented, "This was my first time seeing Bunraku, but the movements of the puppets are so detailed and amazing," and "I'm planning on going to Japan next year, so I definitely want to see Bunraku," making this an opening that successfully conveyed the charms of Bunraku to many visitors.

The National Bunraku Theatre tour will continue until the show in Houston, Texas, on Saturday, October 12!