I'm a pretty big fan of Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo, for the simple reason that it's one of the single greatest epics in comic book history. The mix of meticulously researched history, funny animal comics and high adventure, along wth Sakai's legendarily consistent high level of craftsmanship, has made it an amazing comic. That said, I never expected it to make the transition from the page to the stage.

And yet, that's exactly what's happening in London, as the Southwark Playhouse's Stewart Melton has adapted Usagi Yojimbo as their annual Christmas play -- and not only that, but it seems to be getting rave reviews for its use of live music and a whole lot of swordplay.

From what I can gather from the trailer above and the description at the Southwark Playhouse's website, Melton's version of Usagi Yojimbo focuses on an origin story for Miyamoto Usagi -- not the massive battle where he got his scar and became a ronin with the death of his master, but his younger days training to be a samurai with his lion sensei, Katsuchi. Along with the facepaint and ears that tend to be pretty necessary when a person is playing a rabbit, the show's getting a lot of praise for its use of live music and projection, both of which are featured in the trailer.

The show's running through January 4, so if you're in or around London, it might be worth the trip to check it out for yourself -- and let me know if it's as awesome as it looks.

[via Robot 6]