Bunraku

Puppet theatre performance Banraku by the Banraku-za Company, programmed in Holland Festival 2009.
This season, Amsterdam is the only venue outside of Japan for performances of grand master Yoshida Minosuke’s Bunraku-za Company. Bunraku, designated ‘intangible cultural heritage’ by Unesco, is an ancient Japanese theatrical form employing of puppets of up to 5 feet tall, a narrator and a Shamisen player. The performances of short fairy tales or Japanese political-historical legends are set in wooden décors with beautifully painted backdrops. Each puppet is operated by three puppeteers simultaneously, dressed entirely in black. Only the face of the grand master is visible. The grand master and his disciples allow the puppets to express subtle emotions with astonishing finesse.