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| February 2 (Thur) - 26 (Sun) |
→March |
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Matinee
(from 11:00 AM):
NARUKAMI 【The Thunder God】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Ronald Cavaye
One of the oldest plays in the kabuki repertory, “Narukami” combines the bombastic aragoto acting style with the universal theme of human frailty and desire depicted with the earthy comedy of early kabuki. Angry at the imperial court, the priest Narukami imprisons the rain god, bringing a severe drought. Princess Taema comes as a spy to seduce Narukami and break his power. When Narukami realizes that he has been betrayed, his anger transforms him into a thunder god. This scene is shown with the bravura movements of aragoto acting.
TSUCHIGUMO 【The Earth Spider】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Paul Griffith
A dance play adapted from the classical Noh theatre. The samurai lord Minamoto no Raiko is famous in legend for ridding Kyoto of demons. While Raiko is confined to bed with illness, a priest from a prominent temple comes to pray for his health. In fact, the priest is actually the spirit of the earth spider which has caused Raiko's illness in the first place and hopes to destroy him. The spider's plan to kill Raiko is defeated by his retainers in an exciting fight.
KOCHIYAMA
| Earphone-Guide Commentator: |
(original plan by) Shiho Takai |
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(supervised and read by) Mark Oshima |
The tea priest Kochiyama is a skilled thief and extortionist, but cannot turn down a request to help those in need. He disguises himself as a high-ranking priest to try to gain the freedom of a girl held by a powerful samurai lord because she will not become his mistress. Using the famous poetic cadences of the late 19th century playwright Mokuami, Kochiyama not only succeeds in his mission to rescue the girl, but he manages to extort a fair amount for himself.
Evening Show (from 4:30 PM):
GOZONJI SUZUGAMORI 【Gompachi and Banzuiin Chobei】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Ronald Cavaye
The young samurai Gompachi is ambushed near the execution grounds of Edo on a dark night, but he manages to escape after a gruesome but humorous fight scene. Watching from a nearby palanquin, Chobei, an Edo boss, is impressed with Gompachi’s fighting skills and agrees to give him shelter in the city. This meeting between the handsome young Gompachi and the heroic Chobei is one of the most famous meetings in kabuki.
KOJO 【Stage Announcement】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Jean Wilson
There is a close relationship between the stage and the audience in kabuki and this is shown by these ceremonial stage announcements where the top stars of the company address the audience directly. This month, the top actors of the company offer their congratulations to the new Kankuro VI. Finally, the members of the company ask the audience for their guidance and support for the new Kankuro in the future.
SHUNKYO KAGAMI JISHI 【Young Yayoi and the Spirit of the Lion】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Paul Griffith
“Kagami Jishi” is one of the most important dances for onnagata female role specialists and is an audience favorite. The maidservant Yayoi performs an auspicious lion dance for the shogun in his opulent palace, but she gradually finds herself under the control of the lion spirit. In the second half of the dance, the lion spirit itself appears and performs its crazed dance among peonies and fluttering butterflies.
JIISAN BAASAN 【The Old Couple】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Yuiko Okamoto
Based on a short story by Mori Ogai, this modern play by Uno Nobuo shows a loving young couple. The samurai Iori travels to Kyoto with his lord, leaving Run, his beloved wife, behind. While there, he attacks another man in a fight over a sword and is forced into house arrest, separating him from his wife. Many years later, he returns to his home as an old man. There he meets an elderly woman and they do not recognize each other until she sees the one thing that has not changed with age, Iori's peculiar habit of putting his hand to his nose.
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Matinee
(from 11:00 AM):
ARAKAWA NO SAKICHI 【Sakichi, the Gang Boss from Arakawa】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Bonnie Dixon
A modern classic by Mayama Seika, this play set in the late Edo period combines tears and laughter as it focuses on a gang member caught between the bitter territorial battles of the people around him, and his fierce determination to raise his child.
KANADEHON CHUSHINGURA 【The Treasury of Loyal Retainers】
- Act 9: Yamashina Kankyo 【Yuranosuke at Yamashina】 -
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Ronald Cavaye
This is the ninth act of the epic play based on a sensational incident in the early 18th century. Lord Enya Hangan's attack on the senior official Ko no Moronao affected people even outside his own household. When Honzo, the senior retainer of another lord, stopped Enya from killing Moronao, he thought that he was doing a good thing. But his actions earned him the scorn of Enya's retainers and brought personal tragedy to his daughter who was engaged to Rikiya, the son of Yuranosuke, Enya's head retainer. The scene is set in snowbound Yamashina near Kyoto where Yuranosuke has seemingly retired and shows the tragedy as it affects Honzo's wife and daughter and how ultimately Honzo sacrifices his life to atone for his misjudgment.
Evening Show (from 4:30 PM):
SAKURA GIMINDEN 【The Virtuous Sacrifice of Sakura Sogo】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Yuiko Okamoto
This play is rare among classics in having a political theme. It depicts a country landlord named Sogo who cannot stand the suffering of the farmers around him. A series of bad harvests has made things very hard, but corrupt officials refuse to lower taxes or relent in any way. Finally, Sogo decides to bring the case directly to the shogun, a move punishable by death. The play shows Sogo as he persuades the old keeper of the river crossing to let him pass and says a final farewell to his wife and children.
TOZUMO 【Chinese Sumo】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Bonnie Dixon
This is a rare kabuki version of one of the most unusual plays in the repertory of plays from the classical Kyogen comical theatre. A sumo wrestler in China wishes to return home and has to sumo wrestle first. One by one he confronts a series of Chinese opponents, finally wrestling the emperor himself.
KOSAN KINGORO 【Kingoro and the Geisha Kosan】
Earphone-Guide Commentator: Yuiko Okamoto
This is a rare revival of a play about the actor Kanaya Kingoro from the early Edo period who became famous for his love affair with the courtesan Kosan. Their story inspired all sorts of plays. In this particular one, Kingoro is a barber and Kosan is a courtesan. They do not know each other, but get involved in helping a loving couple to be united by struggling to get a precious tea caddy which has been pawned for fifty gold coins. When they are successful, they gradually learn that they encountered each other five years before on a boat, fell in love, but parted without knowing the other’s identity. Kingoro and Kosan are happily united.
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