Kabukiza Theatre
February at the Kabukiza Theatre
Daily: Feb 02 (Sun) - Feb 26 (Wed), 2020
Matinee:11:00 AM
Evening Show: 4:30 PM
Time Schedule
On sale: from Jan 12 (Sun), 2020 10:00AM(JST)
Box Seat: 20,000 / First Class: 18,000 / Second Class: 14,000 / Upper Tier A: 6,000 / Upper Tier B: 4,000
Unit: Japanese Yen (tax included)
*Children over the age of 4 must purchase tickets to enter.
Kabukiza Theatre (at TOKYO) Theatre Information
This month’s performances commemorate the 27th anniversary of the death of Kataoka Nizaemon XIII and feature some of his most successful roles. In three of the works, you will see how his three sons, Kataoka Nizaemon, Kataoka Gatō and Kataoka Hidetarō, as well as their own sons, have succeeded to his art.
In the Evening Show, you will also be able to enjoy a very beautiful dance by Bandō Tamasaburō and a domestic play featuring Onoe Kikugorō adapted from San’yūtei Enchō’s comic storytelling.
SUGAWARA DENJU TENARAIKAGAMI
Kamo Zutsumi
['The Kamo Riverbank' from 'Sugawara's Secrets of Calligraphy']
CAST :
- Sakuramaru
- Nakamura Kankurō
- Prince Tokiyo
- Nakamura Yonekichi
- Miyoshi no Kiyotsura
- Arashi Kitsusaburō
- Princess Kariya
- Kataoka Sennosuke
- Yae
- Kataoka Takatarō
STORY :
Sugawara no Michizane (known in this play as Kan Shōjō) was a high-ranking imperial court minister who was a brilliant calligrapher and scholar.
But political rivalries forced him to be exiled to distant Kyushu, where he died. After Michizane's death, a series of disasters in the imperial capital were attributed to his angry spirit and he was appeased by being made a god known as Tenjin. He is now revered as the god of learning.
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 Michizane is attempting to take over the imperial court. This innocent love affair triggers the tragedies of the play.
SUGAWARA DENJU TENARAIKAGAMI
Hippō Denju
['Passing on the Secrets of Calligraphy' from 'Sugawara's Secrets of Calligraphy']
CAST :
- Kan Shōjō
- Kataoka Nizaemon
- Sonō no mae, Kan Shōjō's wife
- Kataoka Hidetarō
- Umeōmaru
- Nakamura Hashinosuke
- Katsuno, a lady-in-waiting
- Nakamura Kangyoku
- Mareyo, a court official
- Ichimura Kitsutarō
- Arashima Chikara
- Nakamura Kichinojō
- Miyoshi no Kiyotsura
- Arashi Kitsusaburō
- Lady Minase
- Bandō Shūchō
- Tonami, Genzō's wife
- Nakamura Tokizō
- Takebe Genzō
- Nakamura Baigyoku
STORY :
Michizane, in this play called Kan Shōjō, knows that he will soon be exiled. Before he goes, he hands over the scroll of his secrets to his most talented student Genzō. However, Genzō is a student who has been disowned for having an affair with Tonami, a servant in the household. Only the intervention of Kan Shōjō's wife Sonō no mae has saved their lives. Even though Genzō is the one to receive his master's teachings, he is still not forgiven. Kan Shōjō is arrested, but Genzō and his wife rescue Kan Shōjō's young son and take him to safety.
SUGAWARA DENJU TENARAIKAGAMI
Dōmyōji
['Dōmyōji Temple' from 'Sugawara's Secrets of Calligraphy']
CAST :
- Kan Shōjō
- Kataoka Nizaemon
- Terukuni, an administrative official
- Nakamura Shikan
- Tatsuta no mae, Kakuju's eldest daughter
- Kataoka Takatarō
- Takunai, a footman
- Nakamura Kankurō
- Princess Kariya
- Kataoka Sennosuke
- Yatōji, a false emissary
- Kataoka Kamezō
- Sukune no Tarō
- Bandō Yajūrō
- Haji no Hyōe
- Nakamura Karoku
- Kakuju, Shōjō's aunt
- Bandō Tamasaburō
STORY :
On his way to exile, Kan Shōjō is allowed to stop at the home of his aunt, Kakuju. There he carves a statue of himself for his aunt. Princess Kariya is actually Kakuju's daughter and was adopted by Kan Shōjō. She has come desperately hoping to say farewell to him, but she is punished severely by Kakuju for having been responsible for Kan Shōjō's downfall. Kakuju has another daughter, Tatsuta. At the same time, Tatsuta's husband Sukune no Tarō and his father are plotting to assassinate Kan Shōjō by pretending to be the emissaries who will deliver him into exile, though their real plan is to kill him. Miraculously, the statue that Kan Shōjō carved comes to life and saves his life. Finally, when the real emissary Terukuni appears, Kan Shōjō must part from his family as he goes into exile.
HACHIJIN SHUGO NO HONJŌ
['Masakiyo Defends the Heir of his Late Lord']
CAST :
- Satō Masakiyo
- Kataoka Gatō
- Ikaruga Heiji
- Kataoka Shinnosuke
- Marikawa Genba
- Kataoka Matsunosuke
- Masaki Daisuke
- Nakamura Mantarō
- Hinaginu
- Nakamura Kaishun
STORY :
This is a 'jidaimono' period piece that dramatizes true historical events. Katō Kiyomasa in this play called as Satō Masakiyo, was one of the fiercest generals under Toyotomi Hideyoshi and continued to defend the family and Hideyoshi's young heir Hideyori, even after the crafty Tokugawa Ieyasu had come to power. Ieyasu searched for any excuse he could find to destroy the clan of his most powerful rival. In this play, the aged warrior Kiyomasa defends the young heir of his late lord when he is summoned to a meeting with an old feudal lord. He does not budge from his post even when he is weakened by poison.
HAGOROMO
['The Feather Mantle']
CAST :
- A celestial maiden
- Bandō Tamasaburō
- Hakuryō, a fisherman
- Nakamura Kankurō
STORY :
A fisherman comes to the pine grove of Miho no Matsubara and finds a feather mantle hanging on a branch. After he gives it back to the celestial maiden to whom it belongs, she puts it on and dances for him before flying back to heaven.
NINJŌBANASHI BUNSHICHI MOTTOI
['The Bunshichi Paper Cord']
CAST :
- Chōbē, a plasterer
- Onoe Kikugorō
- Seibē, the owner of the Izumiya
- Ichikawa Sadanji
- Okane, Chōbē's wife
- Nakamura Jakuemon
- Bunshichi, a clerk of the Izumiya
- Nakamura Baishi
- Ohisa, Chōbē's daughter
- Nakamura Kangyoku
- Jinpachi, the landlord
- Kataoka Kamezō
- Tōsuke, a clerk of the Kadoebi brothel
- Ichikawa Danzō
- Okoma, the mistress of the Kadoebi brothel
- Nakamura Tokizō
- Ihē, a chief of a fire brigade
- Nakamura Baigyoku
STORY :
Adapted from a classical Rakugo story by San'yūtei Enchō, this play shows the gallant spirit of the commoners of Edo. Chōbē spends his days and nights gambling, but finally realizes his family's problems when his daughter takes a job in the pleasure quarters. Having received the money for her contract, he reveals his good heart by saving Bunshichi who is about to commit suicide. Chōbē feels sorry for Bunshichi and finally gives him the money. Returning home, nobody believes Chōbē, thinking instead that he has gambled the money away. Then, Bunshichi and his master Seibē come to Chōbē's home, and reveal the truth.
MICHIYUKI KOKYŌ NO HATSUYUKI
['Traveling Home in the First Snow']
CAST :
- Chūbē
- Nakamura Baigyoku
- A manzai performer
- Onoe Shōroku
- Umegawa
- Kataoka Hidetarō
STORY :
This is a dance adaptation of 'Ninokuchi Mura' ['Ninokuchi Village'] from the play 'Koi Bikyaku Yamato Ōrai ['The Love Messenger to Yamato']. In danger of losing his lover, the courtesan Umegawa, the money courier Chūbē broke the seals on a package of money entrusted to him, even though the use of such money was punishable by death. In this scene, on their way to commit a lovers' double suicide, the couple journey through the snow-covered landscape on their way to Chūbē's home town.