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| Today’s program features
three sections of “SUGAWARA DENJU TENARAI KAGAMI (Sugawara and
the Secrets of Calligraphy).” This is a very long play about
Sugawara no Michizane (known in this play as Kanshojo), a high-ranking
imperial court minister who was a brilliant calligrapher and
scholar. Political rivalries forced him to be exiled to distant
Kyushu, where he died. But after Michizane’s death, he became
revered as the god of learning. |
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Part
I (from 11:00 AM):
from
SUGAWARA DENJU TENARAI KAGAMI
【Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy】
KAMO ZUTSUMI 【The Kamo Riverbank】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Cavaye
Young Sakuramaru serves imperial prince Tokiyo who has fallen
in love with Princess Kariya, Michizane’s beautiful daughter.
Sakuramaru and his wife Yae are charmed by the affair, since
it reminds them of their own love. But the affair is discovered
and Michizane’s rivals use it as proof that he is attempting
to take over the imperial court. This innocent love affair triggers
the tragedies of the play.
SANMON
GOSAN NO KIRI 【Goemon and Hisayoshi】
Commentator: Okamoto
Though short, this play is one of the most visually spectacular
in kabuki. The famous villain Ishikawa Goemon enjoys a sea of
cherry blossoms while sitting on top the large gate of Nanzen-ji
Temple. His enjoyment of the scene is cut short, though, by
the appearance below of his arch-nemesis, the general Hisayoshi.
ONNA
SHIBARAKU 【Female "Wait a Minute"】
Commentator: Cavaye
More ceremony than play, Shibaraku is one of the oldest pieces
in kabuki. Just as an evil villain is about to execute a group
of loyal retainers, a voice calls out for him to wait and a
hero appears to save the day. This version is a parody, though,
as the hero is played by an onnagata female role specialist,
who mixes the super-human strength of an aragoto hero with the
soft gentleness of a kabuki heroine.
Part II (from 2:30 PM)
from
SUGAWARA DENJU TENARAI KAGAMI
【Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy】
HIPPO DENJU 【Passing on the
Secrets of Calligraphy】
Commentator: Okamoto
Michizane, in this play called Kanshojo, after his title, knows
that he will soon be exiled. Before he goes, he hands over the
scroll of his secrets to his most talented student Genzo. But
Genzo was disowned forever for having an affair with Tonami,
another servant in the household. Only the intervention of Kanshojo’s
wife Sonou-no-Mae saved their lives. Even though Genzo receives
his master’s teachings, he is not forgiven.
Sugawara is arrested, but as Genzo and his wife leave, they
rescue Kanshojo’s young son and take him to safety.
BENTEN
MUSUME MEO NO SHIRANAMI 【Benten, the Thief】
Commentator: Griffith
Written by Kawatake Mokuami in 1862, this play was inspired
by a woodblock print of a sexy young man with tattoos covering
his body with a woman's hairstyle and kimono. A beautiful young
woman comes to a clothing store with her servant, but is discovered
shoplifting and beaten. When she proves that she was not stealing,
her servant demands compensation. However, a samurai who happens
to be in the store reveals that the young woman is actually
a man, and he proudly announces his name as Benten, the thief.
The servant is his fellow gang member Nango Rikimaru and the
samurai is actually the head of the gang Nippon Daemon.
The performance ends with a kind of spectacle showing the five
members of the gang in their finest kimonos under the cherry
blossoms in full bloom. In elaborate speeches, they each announce
their name in the poetic diction for which the playwright Mokuami
is famous.
Part Ⅲ (from 6:00 PM)
from SUGAWARA DENJU TENARAI
KAGAMI
【Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy】
DOMYOJI 【Domyoji Temple】
Commentator: Griffith
On his way to exile, Kanshojo is allowed to stop at the home
of his aunt, Kakuju. There he carves a statue of himself for
his aunt. But Princess Kariya is actually Kakuju’s daughter
and was adopted by Kanshojo. She has come desperately hoping
to say farewell to him, but she is punished severely by Kakuju
for having been responsible for Kanshojo’s downfall. At the
same time, Kakuju has another daughter, Tatsuta and Tatsuta’s
husband Sukune Taro and father-in-law are plotting to assassinate
Kanshojo by pretending to be the emissary to take him to exile
and then killing him. Miraculously, the statue Kanshojo carved
comes to life and saves his life. Finally, when the real emissary
Terukuni appears, Kanshojo must part from his family as he goes
into exile.
SHAKKYO
【The Stone Bridge】
Commentator: Dixon
In Asian tradition, the shishi is not really a lion, but a kind
of mythical creature that guards the mythical stone bridge to
the heaven of the Buddhist deity Monju. This version of the
dance closely follows the classical noh play. A high ranking
Buddhist priest travels to China to try to cross the stone bridge
into paradise. He encounters a woodcutter and a boy who say
that only those with the greatest Buddhist merit can do that.
The priest goes to continue his meditation and training. In
the second half, the woodcutter and boy reveal themselves as
the spirit of the shishi and Monju himself. The shishi shows
his power by shaking his mane vigorously.
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