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...It is hard to overstate the power of Ebizo's profile in Japan. As a direct descendent of the Ichikawa acting family, established by Danjuro I in the late-17th century, he ranks within kabuki as a blue-blooded aristocrat. But he is also a TV and movie star, having broken with the traditions of his profession to develop a parallel career in front of the camera. These days, the loyal aficionados who pay...to see Ebizo on the kabuki stage are outnumbered by the teenage fans who pester him for autographs and follow his love life in gossip magazines. For the overwhelmed translator who helps me...Ebizo seems to embody both the dynastic glamour of Prince William and the celebrity of Tom Cruise...more...
The London kabuki season is at Sadler's Wells from May 31
