Danjûrô and Tôjûrô at the National Theatre

Kabuki at the National Theatre of Japan. Two of the most famous and historic names in kabuki are performing together until Thursday: Ichikawa Danjûrô XII and Sakata Tôjûrô II.  Kabuki actors names are a kind of credential or degree and they are passed down through generations usually from teacher to student.  Both of these names stem from the Genroku period and the current actors carry the performance traditions of these names. It was pretty incredible to see them performing together.

Uirô Uri  (The Medicine Peddler) – Danjûro as Soga Gorô in disguise as a medicine peddler, villains and courtesans (one of whom was played by Nakamura Gannosuke, a friend of mine).  Fantastic aragoto –style tongue twisting monologues, comic battles…much fun.

Keisei Hangonkô (Matahei, the Stutterer) – by Chikamatsu Monzaemon - Danjûro as Matahei and Tôjûrô as his wife Otaku.  I love this story. Matahei is so desperate to succeed as a master painter and held back by his speech impediment.  Danjûro was lovely as Matahei – charming and lovable. 

Ôtsu-e Dôjôji (Five Ôtsu-e Pictures) – by Kawatake Mokuami, choreography by Fujima Kanso II – OK.  This was the most interesting from my point of niew as I have never seen this dance play and it was BIZARRE.  It was created as a parody of the famous shosagoto (dance play) Musume Dôjôji inserting characters from Ôtsu-e, or small cartoon paintings sold as souvenirs.  It was first staged in 1965, reconstructed form a script written in the late 1800s: Fujimusume dances bits of Musume Dôjôji (but at Miidera, a different temple!), there is a bind masseur dancing with a dog, a falconer, a demon that looks like she’s right out of Momijimgari, then Benkei shows up, followed by Soga Gorô in his costume from the play Ya-no-ne Gorô. CRAZY!

Check out:
http://www.naritaya.jp/english/compendium/18_12.html
http://www.ntj.jac.go.jp/english/