SAIGŌ TO KATSU

[ Saigō Takamori and Katsu Kaishū ]

CAST :

Saigō Takamori

Onoe Shōroku

Katsu Kaishū

Nakamura Kinnosuke

STORY :

This is a so-called 'New Kabuki' play set in the time just before the Meiji Restoration (1868).
As the allied forces of the Satsuma and Chōshū domains led by Saigō Takamori are about to attack Edo Castle, the minister of the shogunate, Katsu Kaishū, makes desperate efforts to save the shogun's life and the people of Edo (the old name for Tokyo) from the fires of war. Katsu goes to Saigō and they talk candidly. The negotiations result in the bloodless surrender of Edo Castle.

UME MOMIJI NISHIKI NO DATEORI - URAOMOTE SENDAI HAGI

[ Both Sides of the Date Clan Troubles ]

CAST :

Kosuke, a servant / Nikki Danjō

Onoe Kikugorō

Masaoka, a nurse

Nakamura Tokizō

Hosokawa Katsumoto

Nakamura Kinnosuke

Otake, a maidservant / Okinoi

Kataoka Takatarō

Arajishi Otokonosuke

Bandō Hikosaburō

Kurahashi Yajūrō

Onoe Shōroku

Yashio

Bandō Yajūrō

Watanabe Gekizaemon

Nakamura Tōzō

STORY :

This is a play showing both sides of the troubles that affected the Ashikaga clan. It is based on the older play 'Sendai Hagi' that describes the troubles of the Date clan in Sendai. On the outside it takes the form of a jidaimono history play, while on the inside it depicts the case of a doctor's murder in the style of a sewamono play. Sewamono plays depict the lives of ordinary people in the Edo period.
Nikki Danjō plans to overtake the Ashikaga household and asks the doctor Ōba Dōeki to mix a poison to assassinate Tsuruchiyo, the young heir of Ashikaga clan. Dōeki receives money as a reward, but his servant Kosuke kills him to steal the money, putting the blame on Otake whom he loves.
The court lady Sakae Gozen brings Tsuruchiyo poisoned cakes, but Senmatsu, the son of Tsuruchiyo's wet-nurse Masaoka, saves Tsuruchiyo by tasting them before his young lord, as Masaoka had taught him to do.
As Otake is about to be declared guilty of murdering Dōeki, Hosokawa Katsumoto's retainer Kurahashi Yajūrō produces irrefutable evidence and Kosuke is found guilty.
Furthermore, Katsumoto convicts Nikki Danjō after an appeal by an old retainer who risks his life.

EHON GAPPŌ GA TSUJI -Tateba no Taheiji

[ The Villainous Taheiji ]

CAST :

Saeda Daigakunosuke / Tateba no Taheiji

Kataoka Nizaemon

Tashiroya Yohē

Nakamura Kinnosuke

Okame, Tashiroya's adopted daughter

Kataoka Takatarō

Magoshichi

Bandō Kamezō

Omichi, Taheiji's wife

Kamimura Kichiya

Oyone, Sagoemon's daughter and Okame's sister

Nakamura Umemaru

Denzō, a head clerk

Kataoka Matsunosuke

Sekiguchi Takurō

Kawarasaki Gonjūrō

Oriyo, Tashiroya's widow and Yohē's adopted mother

Ichimura Manjirō

Takahashi Sezaemon / Takahashi Yajūrō

Bandō Yajūrō

Sagoemon

Ichikawa Danzō

Unzari Omatsu / Satsuki, Yajūrō's wife

Nakamura Tokizō

STORY :

This is a rare full-length production of a revenge classic by Tsuruya Nanboku IV (1755 -1829). First performed in 1810, "Ehon Gappō ga Tsuji" was a dramatization of a popular revenge case of the time.
The charm of this play lies in the activity of the two villains. Daigakunosuke, a samurai who is trying to take over his clan, steals the clan's treasures and kills everyone who gets in his way. Tateba no Taheiji, a ruffian from the lowest level of society plots together with Daigakunosuke and also kills many people. This play depicts the villains' exuberant rampage until, finally, they are defeated in a revenge vendetta by the heroes.
One of the special highlights of this production is that a single actor will play two different roles: that of Daigakunosuke who is a villain with power, and Tateba no Taheiji who is an evil commoner. Kataoka Nizaemon has announced that he will be playing these two roles for the last time in his career.