Toma Ikuta grew up with people who excelled in achievement. While appearing in several popular Japanese teen dramas in the 2000s, Ikuta attended high school with other young actors and singers, so many of whom became famous that Ikuta and his best friend, Kabuki actor Matsuya Onoe, bonded because they didn’t get as much acting gigs as their peers. As Ikuta got older and his classmates pursued their careers beyond the teen idol phase, he began to diminish his own self-esteem: “There was jealousy,” he admits in the new Netflix documentary “Sing, Dance, Act: Kabuki featuring Toma Ikuta.” ,” added, “or rather, I was ashamed for the first time.”
Directed by Tadashi Aizawa, the film follows Ikuta, now in his mid-thirties, as he works to fulfill his lifelong dream of acting in a Kabuki performance where he feels he really belongs. His passion for the art form was inspired by Onoe’s late father, also a prominent Kabuki actor, and it is Onoe himself who directs the production and teaches Ikuta the fundamentals of Kabuki-style expression and movement, including roppo, the dramatic way in which Kabuki- performers can leave the stage, and mie, the different poses actors assume during moments of emotional intensity.
Even for viewers unrelated to Ikuta or his previous roles, “Sing, Dance, Act” offers a fascinating look at Kabuki theater and the specific skills required to deliver such quirky performances. And it’s no doubt satisfying to watch Ikuta, initially unsure of himself, transform into a promising Kabuki actor who leaves even the pros in awe. In perhaps the film’s clearest window into what makes Kabuki mastery so elusive, a famous Kabuki actor points out how impressed he was with a single, subtle twist Ikuta made during one of his scenes. “I doubt anyone else noticed,” he admits. But “like a pro,” he adds, “Wow, he did it!”
Sing, Dance and Act: Kabuki with Toma Ikuta
Not judged. Running time: 1 hour 27 minutes. Watch on Netflix.
