Kodo percussion ensemble finds new traditions in Mystery

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      Change has come to Japan’s Sado Island, although that might not be apparent to all of its 63,000 inhabitants. The yearly cycle of planting and harvesting rice continues, as do the winter winds that strafe its hills and beaches. But for the Kodo percussion ensemble, a Sado fixture since 1981, things have not been the same since Tamasaburō Bandō became its artistic director in 2012.

      “It feels totally different,” says the troupe’s Eri Uchida, interviewed along with Kodo administrator Jun Akimoto via Skype. “First of all, we don’t wear our traditional costume anymore. And it feels like once the curtain opens up, things just flow until the end. Our show doesn’t stop between each song.”

      Kodo came to the world’s attention through the raw power of its taiko drumming—and through the chiselled perfection of its drummers’ bodies, honed by long-distance running and showcased by skimpy loincloths. But Mystery, the show Kodo is bringing to Vancouver this week, finds new instruments joining the usual drums, subtle theatrical touches enriching the concert format, and a much larger complement of female performers, of whom Uchida is one.

      She recalls Bandō’s arrival with a mixture of awe and amusement: “I was an apprentice, so I only saw him from far away.” It’s an impression Akimoto confirms, saying, “He was untouchable to us. We didn’t actually get to speak to him.”

      Given Japanese culture’s reverence for tradition, that’s understandable. The 64-year-old Bandō is the fifth in a series of kabuki actors to wear that name, and his generation’s most celebrated onnagata, or male performer of female roles. But his fame extends beyond his theatrical expertise: he’s a filmmaker and a choreographer, and has appeared on-stage with Yo-Yo Ma, dancing to the famed cellist’s rendition of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Suite No. 5 in C Minor. He’s brought all of his performing prowess as well as his considerable artistic curiosity to the job of revitalizing Kodo.

      “I think Tamasaburō wants to extend the field of drums into a more diverse musicality,” says Akimoto. “His intent is to incorporate other instruments, if he feels it necessary to do so. Whether it’s western or eastern instruments, it’s not a big deal with him. And in my own opinion, kabuki has developed its own strengths by doing the same thing. It’s deeply based in the Japanese performing arts, but at the same time it incorporates many other kinds of performing arts and music; it’s a kind of melting pot. I think the strength of kabuki—which has survived for over 400 years without any public subsidies—lies there, and Tamasaburō has given the secrets of kabuki tradition to Kodo, in many ways.”

      Some aspects of Mystery draw on areas of Japanese tradition that are new to Kodo, including the colourful snake dances of Shimane Prefecture. Others are rooted in Bandō’s willingness to open the stage to collaboration. Uchida, for example, has graduated from lowly apprentice to valued contributor, with two pieces of her own devising in the new production.

      “I wrote two songs, for the first time in my life,” she says. “One is a song that’s played on flute and taiko, a really short, nice song. And one more song is called ‘Chitchat’, and it’s for four girls playing woodblocks. I wanted to express the girls talking, chitchatting.”

      Given the overwhelmingly male, martial-arts-informed flavour of previous Kodo productions, that’s quite a departure for the troupe—but it won’t be the last under the adventurous Bandō’s leadership.

      Kodo presents Mystery at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Thursday (January 29).

      Comments

      1 Comments

      Vaillancourt

      Mar 13, 2015 at 6:22am

      We loved the show four years ago in Montreal and did not hesitate to go back this year. I'm afraid we were in for a disappointment as we found that the show was so choreographed as to lose all the spontaneity we had so admired. The performers gave the distinct impression of "doing their job" as opposed to doing something they loved.

      Hope the trend is reversed.