TANUKI

['Tanuki, disguiser']

CAST :

Kashiwaya Kinbē

Ichikawa Chūsha

Osome, the mistress

Nakamura Kotarō

Chōsaku, a jester

Bandō Hikosaburō

Sayama Sangorō

Bandō Kamezō

Heisuke, a crematorium worker

Nakamura Mantarō

Okoma, a geisha

Ichikawa Emiya

Matsumuraya Saisuke

Nakamura Matsue

Kadokiya Shinzaburō

Ōtani Keizō

Takichi, a crematorium worker

Kataoka Ichizō

Ohama,
the proprietress of the tea house attached to the theatre

Ichikawa Sainyū

Bingoya Sōemon

Ichimura Kakitsu

Oseki, Kinbē's wife

Ichikawa Monnosuke

STORY :

In Japanese tradition, the tanuki, an animal resembling a raccoon dog, is supposed to be a crafty, magical creature. In this modern play by Osaragi Jirō, human beings are shown to be even more deceitful than tanuki. A man named Kinbē dies and is about to be cremated when he strangely comes back to life. He decides to live with his mistress only to see that she actually has a lover on the side and has been lying to him all the time. Kinbē is disgusted with his family and mistress and decides to change his name and make a new life. But one day, he happens to go by his old house. His young son Umekichi is the only one to recognize him and, moved by Umekichi's sincere love, Kinbē returns home.

MURA NO MATSUKAZE NININ SHIOKUMI

['Two Women scooping up sea water']

CAST :

Murasame

Nakamura Baishi

Matsukaze

Nakamura Kotarō

STORY :

This is the story of a court noble exiled to the seacoast where he falls in love with two fisher women. The women make their living scooping up heavy buckets of sea water to make salt and this has become a famous dance.

DAN NO URA KABUTO GUNKI
Akoya

['Akoya' from 'The War Chronicles at Dannoura']

CAST :

Akoya, a courtesan

Bandō Tamasaburō

Chichibu no Shōji Shigetada

Bandō Hikosaburō

Iwanaga Saemon

Onoe Shōroku

STORY :

The courtesan Akoya is the lover of the fugitive general Kagekiyo. She has been captured and is tortured by the wise Shigetada and the humorous villain Iwanaga in order to find out Kagekiyo's whereabouts, which she claims not to know. Shigetada forces Akoya to play three instruments since the slightest disturbance in the sound would indicate that she is lying. This is a showpiece for an 'onnagata' who must actually play the koto, the bowed kokyū, and the shamisen flawlessly as part of the drama.

TANUKI

['Tanuki, disguiser']

CAST :

Kashiwaya Kinbē

Ichikawa Chūsha

Osome, the mistress

Nakamura Kotarō

Chōsaku, a jester

Bandō Hikosaburō

Sayama Sangorō

Bandō Kamezō

Heisuke, a crematorium worker

Nakamura Mantarō

Okoma, a geisha

Ichikawa Emiya

Matsumuraya Saisuke

Nakamura Matsue

Kadokiya Shinzaburō

Ōtani Keizō

Takichi, a crematorium worker

Kataoka Ichizō

Ohama,
the proprietress of the tea house attached to the theatre

Ichikawa Sainyū

Bingoya Sōemon

Ichimura Kakitsu

Oseki, Kinbē's wife

Ichikawa Monnosuke

STORY :

In Japanese tradition, the tanuki, an animal resembling a raccoon dog, is supposed to be a crafty, magical creature. In this modern play by Osaragi Jirō, human beings are shown to be even more deceitful than tanuki. A man named Kinbē dies and is about to be cremated when he strangely comes back to life. He decides to live with his mistress only to see that she actually has a lover on the side and has been lying to him all the time. Kinbē is disgusted with his family and mistress and decides to change his name and make a new life. But one day, he happens to go by his old house. His young son Umekichi is the only one to recognize him and, moved by Umekichi's sincere love, Kinbē returns home.

YASUNA

['Heartbroken Yasuna']

CAST :

Yasuna

Bandō Tamasaburō

STORY :

After the death of his lover, the handsome young Yasuna wanders through the open fields madly searching for his love. The tragedy is a contrast to the beautiful setting, a field of brilliant yellow flowers, while the Kiyomoto music that accompanies it is lush and sensuous.

DAN NO URA KABUTO GUNKI
Akoya

['Akoya' from 'The War Chronicles at Dannoura']

CAST :

Akoya, a courtesan

Nakamura Baishi
(the 4th,5th,10th,11th,16th,17th,22nd and the 23rd)

Akoya, a courtesan

Nakamura Kotarō
(the 6th,7th,12th,13th,18th,19th,24th and the 25th)

Iwanaga Saemon

Ichikawa Kudanji

Chichibu no Shōji Shigetada

Bandō Hikosaburō

STORY :

The courtesan Akoya is the lover of the fugitive general Kagekiyo. She has been captured and is tortured by the wise Shigetada and the humorous villain Iwanaga in order to find out Kagekiyo's whereabouts, which she claims not to know. Shigetada forces Akoya to play three instruments since the slightest disturbance in the sound would indicate that she is lying. This is a showpiece for an 'onnagata' who must actually play the koto, the bowed kokyū, and the shamisen flawlessly as part of the drama.

SHINREI YAGUCHI NO WATASHI

['Miracle at Yaguchi Ferry']

CAST :

Tonbē, a ferryman

Onoe Shōroku

Ofune, Tonbē’s daughter

Nakamura Baishi

Utena, a courtesan

Nakamura Kotarō

Rokuzō, Tonbē’s servant

Nakamura Mantarō

Nitta Yoshimine

Bandō Kamezō

STORY :

This is a history play by Fukuchi Kigai (also known as Hiraga Gennai) who was also a famous scientist and inventor. As the exile Nitta Yoshimine and his lover Utena beg for a night’s lodging at Tonbē’s house, young Ofune falls in love with him at first sight and welcomes them. However, her evil father Tonbē who is the keeper of a river crossing wants to capture the exile in return for a reward. Tonbē stabs Ofune, mistakenly thinking she is Yoshimine. She lets Yoshimine escape and pounds a drum to raise siege of the village. Tonbē tries to pursue Yoshimine, but is shot with an arrow by the spirit of Yoshimine’s brother Yoshioki.

HONCHŌ SHIRAYUKIHIME MONOGATARI

[An Adaptation of Grimms' Fairy Tale ''Snow White'']

CAST :

Snow White

Bandō Tamasaburō

The spirit of the mirror

Nakamura Baishi

Nowaki no mae

Nakamura Kotarō

Prince of Teruhi

Nakamura Utanosuke

Urakaze, a senior lady-in-waiting

Nakamura Kamenojō

Harenoshin, Prince’s footman

Bandō Hikosaburō

Satomura Shingo, Nowaki’s rear vassal

Nakamura Shidō

STORY :

This is a brand-new kabuki play adapted from Grimms’ fairy tale “Snow White.”
Nowaki no mae gives birth to a sweet baby and there are celebrations throughout the mansion. However, Nowaki no mae is cold towards the baby Snow White for she suspects that her own beauty is declining. She inquires of the mirror who is the most beautiful. The spirit of the mirror answers ‘She is.’
Sixteen years later, Snow White grows up to be a beautiful princess and Nowaki feels more and more uneasy. The spirit of the mirror finally says that Snow White is more beautiful than Nowaki. Nowaki plays the koto zither with Snow White, but Snow White plays better. Nowaki orders Shingo to kill Snow White, but he is moved by Snow White’s beauty and ….