Yuichi Kinoshita

Yuichi Kinoshita

The Kinoshita-Kabuki company began activities in 2006, based in Kyoto. Its leader is Yuichi Kinoshita (born 1985), an emerging figure in the theater world who graduated from Kyoto University of Art & Design and now doing doctorate research on “Takechi Kabuki Theory – Concerning new Kabuki directing in the modern era.” His early encounter with Japanese Rakugo (monologue comedy) as a 3rd grader in elementary school led to a growing interest in Japanese traditional performing arts. After that his encounters spread to Bunraku, Kabuki and Noh-Kyogen. Then, at university he studied the art of Tetsuji Takechi and contemporary avant-garde theater and started the Kinoshita Kabuki company with the aim of creating contemporary adaptations of works from the traditional repertoire. He has created his own contemporary adaptations of traditional classics such as Sanbaso , Musume Dojoji , Kanjincho , Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura , Kurozuka and Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan . Of particular note is a collaboration with Kinoshita’s directing partner Kunio Sugihara to present at the 2014 Festival/Tokyo (F/T) a full performance of all parts of Tokaido Yotsuya Kaidan , thus reviving the often cut parts of this long Kabuki play that is usually only performed in portions in recent years.