Video Quiz: Kabuki Theater

In what year was Kabuki designated as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage?

• 2008

• 2005

• 1998

• 2010

What are the two general categories of Kabuki plays?

• Fantasies and historical epics

• Musicals and operas

• Comedies and tragedies

• Historical dramas and domestic melodramas

What is a key feature of Kabuki makeup?

• It helps audiences identify character types at a glance

• It is minimalistic

• It is only applied to female characters

• It changes color during the performance

Why are all female roles in Kabuki played by male actors?

• To preserve traditional practices

• Only men are trained in Kabuki

• Due to a shortage of female actors

• Women are not allowed to act in Japan

What is the purpose of striking a pose at significant moments in a Kabuki play?

• To rest the actors

• To indicate the end of the play

• To draw the audience's attention to a specific part of the actor's body

• To signal a change in the scene

What is the origin of the term 'Kabuki'?

• It derives from a Japanese word meaning to grab attention by acting outlandishly

• It comes from the name of a famous Kabuki actor

• It is named after the founder of Kabuki theatre

• It means 'traditional Japanese performance'

What is the role of the runway that extends into the audience in a Kabuki theatre?

• It is used for special lighting effects

• It serves as a place for the audience to walk

• It is only decorative

• It is used for entrances and exits by the actors

What is a unique feature of Kabuki stagecraft?

• The use of live animals

• The use of trapdoors

• The use of holograms

• The absence of props

Who was thought to have been the founder of Kabuki theatre?

• Okuni, a maiden of Izumo Taisha Shrine

• A famous samurai

• A group of traveling musicians

• The emperor of Japan

What happened to Kabuki after Japan's defeat in the Second World War?

• It was temporarily suppressed by the U.S. occupation authorities

• It became more popular than ever

• It was completely banned

• It underwent major changes to remove all traditional elements