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Today’s story-teller is Kabuki actor Kamejiro Ichikawa (35 years old).

It is not unusual for him to perform in the 3 major cities in Japan for 3 months in a row. Each performance is different, so he seems to be very busy.

He has to enter into the next performance as soon as he finishes one, so he does not get enough rehearsals. In the worst case, he gets only 3 days for rehearsing the play.

The actors other than kabuki actors are usually very surprised when he tells them about it. However, it is just an ordinary thing for kabuki actors.

He says, “There are so many lines to memorize. We have to memorize them from a month before the performance. It is funny that once we start memorizing the line for the next month’s performance, we start forgetting that month’s performance’s lines. It gives a sign that the actor has started memorizing the lines for the next one.”

He continues and says that since the rehearsal period is so short, it requires to use their time resourcefully.

Memorizing the lines in the bullet train heading for the next performing venue is an example.

How much lines he can memorize before he arrives in the venue is the key. He tells himself that it is not a game, it is a reality, and he tries his best.

Ichikawa says, “I might look like a pessimistic warrior to the others, but actually I enjoy the situation. My extreme concentration might be coming from the circumstances.”

The NIKKEI 03/19/2010 by Kamejiro Ichikawa (Kabuki actor)

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