活かつ弁べん

noun

silent film narrator; benshi

Historical term for a performer who provided live narration and character voices during silent film screenings in Japan. The practice was especially prominent from the 1910s to the 1930s.

• 活かつ弁べんの名めい調ちょう子しに、観かん客きゃくは映えい画がの世せ界かいに引ひき込こまれた。

  The audience was drawn into the world of the film by the benshi's eloquent narration.

• 昭しょう和わ初しょ期きまで、映えい画が館かんには活かつ弁べんがいた。

  Until the early Showa period, movie theaters had benshi.