Japanese art form Kabuki comes to London.

Kabuki dates from 1603 but still contains a powerful 

message for modern times

Kabuki, one of Japan's most exquisite art forms is making a rare appearance in the UK with drama Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees showing at Sadler's Wells, in London.

For many centuries, Kabuki performers have been superstars in Japan.

Before the arrival of newspapers and TV, fans collected woodblock prints bearing their pictures and read gossip about their lives in pamphlets.

In the mid 1800s actor Ichikawa Danjuro VII was even banned from the city of Edo (now Tokyo) for seven years, because of his overly luxurious lifestyle and for using real armour on stage.

Nowadays, his artistic successor Ichikawa Ebizo XI does not have quite such a problem.