Culture

Elvis Comes to Tokyo and Kyoto in Unique Noh Play

The Noh play "Blue Moon Over Memphis" about the global icon Elvis Presley will be performed in English by the international ensemble Theatre Nohgaku.

Published

3 days ago

July 5, 2024

Tomoko Iizuka

Lead actor plays Elvis Presley in "Blue Moon of Memphis" in 2018. (© Ning Wong Studios)

On July 19 and 21, the Noh play Blue Moon Over Memphis will bring Elvis Presley's story to stages in Tokyo and Kyoto. In this English play, the lead actor wears a Noh mask modeled after the King of Rock 'n' Roll, complete with his iconic sideburns. The performance merges traditional Japanese and American cultures while maintaining the fundamental style of the 700-year-old Noh tradition to offer a unique theatrical experience.

*The Elvis Noh mask with sideburns. (©David A Surtasky)*

Synopsis

American playwright Deborah Brevoort wrote the original play in 1993 after she was inspired by Noh theater. She incorporated Elvis Presley's lyrics into the script. Richard Emmert, Professor Emeritus at Musashino University and director of Theatre Nohgaku in Japan, adapted Brevoort's work, composing its music and shaping its performance script.

The narrative revolves around Judy, a devoted Elvis fan. She visits Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, on the anniversary of his death. There, she encounters an African American blues musician who welcomes her into Presley's world. Together, they engage in a poignant conversation by Presley's grave, but the musician mysteriously vanishes. Under the shimmering blue moonlight, Judy experiences a supernatural encounter with Presley's spirit.

*The blues musician who welcomes Judy into Presley's world. The crest on his kimono symbolizes Presley. (©Ning Wong Studios)*

How It All Began

Richard Emmert first encountered Deborah Brevoort's script around 2003 during a Noh workshop in New York. "I couldn't help but laugh at the unexpected combination of Noh and Elvis," he recalls. However, he also found that the script poignantly captured Elvis Presley's feelings of loneliness and exhaustion amidst his stardom. Emmert took on the task of adapting the script to fit the format of an English-language Noh performance.

Traditional Noh masks weren't suitable for portraying Elvis and the African American character accurately, so Emmert commissioned a Noh mask artist to create new ones. A mask with distinctive features and sideburns was crafted for Elvis. Another mask was modeled after the legendary 1930s blues singer Robert Johnson (1911-1938) for the African American character. New costumes were also introduced, such as a denim kimono for the supporting actor and a costume adorned with Presley's emblem. "We approached this project with utmost seriousness to ensure its authenticity as a Noh play," Emmert emphasized.

*Judy, an Elvis fan, appears in a Denim kimono. (©Ning Wong Studios)*

Reception

In 2018, the play was performed to great acclaim at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The audience particularly resonated with the chanting segments that incorporated lyrics from Presley's iconic songs like "Love Me Tender."

Reflecting on the performance, John Oglevee, who will also play the lead roles in the upcoming Japanese shows, discussed the significance of performing Noh in English.

"At the UCLA performance, I felt that presenting the story in English allowed it to be conveyed more directly. Noh is not just a Japanese art form but a global one, with an energy that transcends language," he explained.

The program will also include a performance of the Noh dance Takasago (in Japanese) and the kyogen play The Owl (in English).