Kabuki returns to London after 17 years, led by Somegorō VIII and Tatsunosuke III

For seventeen years, London audiences have waited. Kabuki — the all-male theatrical art that has survived every political, aesthetic and seismic upheaval Japan has endured since the early seventeenth century — has been absent from the city that received it most warmly in Europe. The waiting ends at Sadler’s Wells, and what Shochiku, the custodian of the form since 1895, is sending across is not a retrospective of established names. It is an international debut for the two most closely watched young actors in the tradition.

Shochiku and Askonas Holt are presenting KABUKI at Sadler’s Wells Theatre — the eleventh kabuki production to come to London and the eighth at this stage, which has hosted the form since Askonas Holt began bringing it to the UK over thirty-five years ago. The programme is a triptych of classic dance pieces drawn from the deepest layers of the repertoire, which was formally recognised as a UNESCO Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage in 2005.

At the centre are Ichikawa Somegorō VIII, born in 2005, and Onoe Tatsunosuke III, born in 2006 — heirs to two of kabuki’s most distinguished theatrical lineages. Somegorō is the eldest son of Matsumoto Kōshirō X; Tatsunosuke, eldest son of Onoe Shōroku IV, is prized for his ability to move between male (tachiyaku) and female (onnagata) roles with equal authority. Both made their stage debuts as children.

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The programme comprises three dance pieces. Fuji Musume (Wisteria Maiden), performed by Tatsunosuke, traces the longing of a wisteria spirit drawn from Ōtsu folk painting, expressing in dance the anguish of unrequited love.

Yuki no Shakkyō (The Snowbound Stone Bridge), performed by Somegorō, draws on the classical nō tradition, its climax in the vigorous shaking of a mythical lion’s mane. The evening closes with Meoto Dōjōji (A Man and Woman at Dōjōji Temple), in which both performers share the stage in a dance that reaches its climax with the unmasking of hidden identities — an exploration of disguise, revelation and the ambiguity of gender that runs through the heart of kabuki.

The timing carries its own argument. Interest in the form outside Japan grew sharply in the wake of the 2025 film Kokuho, directed by Sang-il Lee and starring Ken Watanabe — which became the highest-grossing Japanese live-action film in history, reaching international audiences through its Cannes premiere and Oscar nominations. For many viewers, it was an introduction to the world of kabuki; the Sadler’s Wells performances offer the live encounter that follows.

“Kabuki was born over 400 years ago, and has continued to the present day, absorbing the culture, sensibilities, and values of the people of each era,” Somegorō said in the announcement. “I believe it is like a mirror that reflects what Japanese people have accumulated over a long period of time.” What the coming performances will test is whether that mirror can speak, across language, to an audience that has only just found the tradition. On the evidence of these two performers, and of the form’s history on this stage, it can.

KABUKI is presented at Sadler’s Wells Theatre on 30 January 2027 at 7:30pm and 31 January 2027 at 2pm. Tickets range from £15 to £115 and are available through the Sadler’s Wells Theatre website. The production is supported by the Japan Creator Support Fund and The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation; Japan Airlines is the official airline.

Tags: Shochiku, Askonas Holt, Ichikawa Somegorō VIII, Japanese performing arts, Kabuki, Onoe Tatsunosuke III

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