Modern Japanese Theatre and Performance

At the heart of the development of modern Japanese culture, the theatre mirrors the issues and concerns of a society transitioning from the Tokugawa era to the modern period. Modern Japanese Theatre and Performance fills a gap in current Japanese theatre scholarship; the book discusses the role of women in modern theatre, buto dance, experimental theatres that combine traditional theatre with modern forms, and plays by Abe Kobo, Mishima Yukio, and Senda Koreya. With important contributions from both established and emerging scholars, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in theatre, modern performance, or Japanese studies.

This fascinating collection of essays commemorates the thirtieth anniversary of J. Thomas Rimer's seminal work,Toward a Modern Japanese Theatre (1974). The essays capture the complex strategies by which Japanese theatre artists, ranging from shingeki to the postmodern, exercise their craft. This edition is a must for those interested in the changing landscape of performing arts in Japan.

Kevin J. Wetmore is professor of theater at Loyola Marymount University. Keiko I. McDonald is professor of East Asian languages and literatures at the University of Pittsburgh. David Jortner is professor of communication arts and theater at Allegheny College.