““Arigato Little Tokyo From Kaori” – Matsui Makoto & Co. and Kinyo Kai at the Aratani Theatre

The Producer of the show and the one responsible for bringing Makoto Matsui and his company to Los Angeles from Japan is Kaori Nara Turner. She initially brought him over in 2015 with “Makoto and U.S. Friends Show in Los Angeles”. It was such a huge success that she wanted to have him come again but Covid put her plans on hold and time passed. Now, at 90 years old she has realized her dream of sharing Makoto Matsui’s incredible talent and mercurial company with her Los Angeles community that she loves so well.

According to the press release Kaori Nara Turner was born in Tokyo in 1933 and began her career as a dancer there. She came to the U.S. and married Bill Turner, a make-up artist. After an injury sidelined her dancing career, she became a make-up artist herself, joining Hollywood’s Make-up Artists’ Union and winning an Emmy, a first for a Japanese National at the time. Turner felt, “It’s been 65 years since I set foot in this country. I have had a great career and have always felt Little Tokyo grounds me, so I wanted to show my gratitude to the people who have supported and protected our heritage.”

Makoto Matsui & Co. – Photo by Michael Helms Photography.

Makoto Matsui is a leading figure in the theatrical style of “Taishu Engeki.” “The term taishū engeki, literally meaning “theatre of/for the masses” came to be applied to the genre to distinguish it from the more traditional of Japan’s theatrical arts, such as kabuki, bunraku, and Noh” Wikipedia. It is more based on the form of musical theater, or musical revue. There are also aspects of Cabaret in that there is singing and interaction with the audience, and dare I say it, comedy. There are many different characters and skits unrelated to one another, and the make-up and traditional kimonos offset the “enka,” a genre of melodramatic music along the lines of lounge music. The troupe consisted of six men, two of which played the female parts and Matsui himself. Taishu Engeki performances are usually split into two acts. The first act of this show was highlighting the Karaoke group Kinyo-Kai. Active since 1988 with 60 members in Little Tokyo, this show featuring 11 of them.

Makoto Matsui & Co. – Photo by Michael Helms Photography.

I feel compelled to state at this point in full disclosure that I am not Japanese. I do not speak Japanese, nor was I born and raised in Japan. The entirety of the show and all songs were of course in Japanese. I had no idea what they were saying or singing about. However, although I cannot critique this show and performance, I can relay my experience and impressions so that a more full comprehension can be had and appreciated by the reader.

The Aratani Theatre is next to the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Little Tokyo and has been the center of Japanese and Japanese-American Performing Arts there since 1983. It has a magnificent doncho (curtain) made of handwoven silk, made in Kyoto and features a massive Peacock soaring over a flurry of cherry blossom petals on a gold background. It seats 880 and by the look of things I would say the Sunday Matineé was sold out. Interestingly, the majority of the seats were taken up by a somewhat older crowd. It was lovely that so many of the elders could come out to the show and enjoy such a spectacle rich in Japanese heritage.

Makoto Matsui & Co. – Photo by Michael Helms Photography.

As stated before, the first act was given over to the Kinyo-Kai Karaoke group of 11 singers. They were: Nobuyuki Hanai, Noriko Yonami, Shigeru Kobayashi, Shoko Helm, Sinichi Hirokawa, Hiroshi Fukushima, Hideo Imai, Yoshie Mellgren, Koji Kuninaga, Satoko Schmidt, and Akira Fujimoto. Some were dressed in traditional Kimono attire while others opted for the Las Vegas lounge singer sequined dinner jacket. All were good, and whether upbeat in tempo or ballad, their songs came across. Some had a call and response where the audience shouted back at them which was a fabulous shock as I did not expect it. There was only one duet, and they were lively and got the house clapping and energized. The songs were known and were obviously Japanese standards which many in the audience sang along to. It was a heartfelt and inclusive presentation to the audience who appreciated it greatly. The voices, though different were solid and conveyed their emotion clearly.

After intermission, the curtain opened to Matsui and his company in a theatrical tableau where he stood center with an assistant and the others framed him kneeling on the stage. There were two geishas and four men with fantastic make-up and exquisite kimonos. Matsui himself was in a fantastically embroidered massive Kimono that trailed to the floor, with an equally elaborate wig and headdress. I do apologize for not being able to tell the difference between a Geisha or Maiko, or whether Matsui’s hairstyle was Wareshinobu with a Kanokodome, or Ofuku with a Tegara, or a Sakko. It did stand out as extremely opulent and complicated. He also was wearing geta (shoes) in the form of Oiran Dochu, very high and difficult to walk in, useless in a fire but stunning onstage and fabulously feminine. It was an arresting visual garnering great applause.

Makoto Matsui & Co. – Photo by Michael Helms Photography.

Following was a series of numbers where the six supporting men danced and sang with Matsui or on their own while he was changing. His first fast change was miraculous as he switched from a full Geisha costume and make-up, matte white covering his back and face and chest, to a male in ritual Kimono with regular skin tone make-up and masculine wig. It was worthy of Houdini. He made many changes throughout the set and separated his characters through his acting, and nuanced movement. One of his solos was dependent on two masks, one of a fumbling male, the other of a pretty courtesan and their relationship to each other. It was a tour-de-force of interchanged characters as he switched identities faster and faster throughout the piece. He also has wonderful comedic timing, in his facial expressions and double takes to the audience.

The Japanese cultural phenomenon of Kabuki is likened to British Pantomime and a few other disciplines that have been carried forward through the ages in other cultures where the men dress as females and are lauded for their astute renditions of certain female characterizations, whether comedic or dramatic. At some point in their past many cultures had forbidden women to take to the stage as in ancient Greece. These cultures do not see males portraying women as subversive or questionable but have embraced it as an artistic heritage worthy of renown.

Makoto Matsui & Co. – Photo by Michael Helms Photography.

The two men playing Geishas were Naoto and Yumenojo who were masters of feminine gesture and movement as displayed in this particular artform. Their physicality and attention to detail was specific and deliberate in the stories they portrayed. Matsui outshone both of them in his phenomenal physicality while wearing such restrictive dress. He would twist and reach back in an outrageous backbend all the while supporting his upper torso in a sort of photo opportunity and the audience went wild. The appreciation for the skills and difficulty displayed was loud and sincere. The other men were: Kyotaro Okamoto, Shitaka, Musashi Irojiro, and Yuho Komine. They were excellent singers, and all performed a fan dance that was mesmerizing, as well as a sword dance that wowed the crowd, along with an elaborate parasol dance in unison. It was truly a musical revue and entertaining in the myriad forms of costume, props and music presented. It resembled Vaudeville to a certain degree. They also came offstage and meandered throughout the audience greeting people and acknowledging them with handshakes and selfies during their songs. It was intimate as well as gracious.

For more information about the Aratani Theatre, please visit their website.

Written by Brian Fretté for LA Dance Chronicle.

Featured image: Makoto Matsui & Company – Photo courtesy of the artists.