Fusion of Kabuki and rap music to be put on stage

A rehearsal for an innovative performance of Kabuki, which melds rap music into the traditional art, was opened to the media on Wednesday.

The show, which aims at interesting young people in Kabuki, is partly accompanied by electric guitars instead of the shamisen, a Japanese string instrument.

The work is based on a classical Kabuki play titled "Sakura-gimin-den"--a story of a man who stands up to save poverty-stricken farmers, with the lead role performed by Nakamura Kanzaburo.

Actors playing farmers sing their lines to a rap music accompaniment in various scenes, including ones where they express anger or encourage the lead character.

The actors have diligently practiced incorporating rap into their lines, adding a certain power to the performance.

Nakamura Kanzaburo told reporters that the show has many interesting features, such as explaining yearly routines of historical farming to rap music. He said he hopes many people, including the young, would come to see the performance.

The show runs through Thursday to June 27th.