FEBRUARY 2021
Cancellation of one Kabuki program in February 2021 due to coronavirus (COVID-19)!!!

3 shows in Tôkyô (Kabukiza), 2 in Fukuoka (Hakataza), 1 in Midori (Nagame Yokyôjô) and 1 in Naruto (Ôtsuka Museum of Art)!

  • Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Kataoka Takatarô, Nakamura Kankurô, Onoe Shôroku, Bandô Minosuke, Nakamura Karoku and Bandô Hikosaburô perform at the Kabukiza !
  • ??? perform at the Hakataza!
  • Kabukiza (Tôkyô)
    Dates 2 ~ 27 February 2021
    Nigatsu Ôkabuki
    February Grand Kabuki
    1st program

    Honchô Nijûshikô (Jusshukô)

    Dorobô to Wakatono

    2nd program

    Osome Hisamatsu Ukina no Yomiuri
    (Dote no Oroku ~ Kimon no Kihê)

    Kanda Matsuri

    3rd program

    Ôshû Adachi-ga-Hara (Sodehagi Saimon)

    Renjishi

    Casting

    Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Kataoka Takatarô, Nakamura Kankurô, Onoe Shôroku, Bandô Minosuke, Nakamura Karoku, Bandô Hikosaburô, Bandô Kamezô, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Nakamura Kikaku, Kawarasaki Gonjûrô, Ichikawa Omezô, Nakamura Matsue, Nakamura Kangyoku, Nakamura Fukunosuke, Nakamura Mantarô, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Nakamura Tsurumatsu, Nakamura Tamatarô, Nakamura Utanosuke, Ichikawa Otora, Onoe Sakon, Nakamura Kichinojô, Nakamura Kantarô, Nakamura Chôzaburô, Terajima Maholo

    Comments

    The February Grand Kabuki at the Kabukiza. The third program commemorates the 32nd anniversary (33rd memorial services) of the passing away of Nakamura Kanzaburô XVII.

  • Jusshukô: Princess Yaegaki is mourning the death of his fiance Katsuyori, but as she burns incense in his memory, she notices the resemblance between the new gardener and her fiance's portrait. The gardener is in fact Katsuyori, who has entered the household of Yaegaki's father to regain the possession of a stolen family treasure, a famous helmet, with the help of Nureginu, a woman who also mourns for the man that died in the place of the real Katsuyori. Unfortunately, Yaegaki's father has also seen through the disguise and plans to kill Katsuyori. The role of Princess Yaegaki, one of the most important onnagata roles, is played by Nakamura Kaishun, supported by Ichikawa Monnosuke, Kataoka Takatarô and Nakamura Kinnosuke in the roles of Katsuyori, Nureginu and Nagao Kenshin.
  • Dorobô to Wakatono:
    (The Thief and the Samurai Lord)
    This is a new play that is a dramatization of a story by popular historical novelist Yamamoto Shûgorô which depicts the heartwarming bond between an ill-fated young lord and a good-natured thief. Matsudaira Narinobu (Bandô Minosuke), the second son of lord Matsudaira Ôinokami, is confined in a dilapidated house due to a conspiracy hatched by the evil chief retainer. The thief Denkurô (Onoe Shôroku) breaks into the house but finds nothing to steal. Feeling pity for Narinobu who has not enough to eat, he takes care of him. After that, the extraordinary coexistence of Denkurô and Narinobu begins... This is a heart-warming piece depicting the bond between the charming and sympathetic thief, and the pessimistic and ill-fated young lord.
  • Dote no Oroku/Kimon no Kihê: this is a play written by Tsuruya Nanboku IV, and these scenes in particular reflect the decadence and corruption found in the underbelly of ordinary society at that time. The scenes portray two outwardly charming characters who are filled with wickedness. There are several typical role types that appear in Kabuki, and akuba (wicked lady) is one of them. Oroku is an akuba and although beautiful, she is truly wicked. Trying to extort 100 gold coins, Oroku and her husband Kimon no Kihê visit a pawnshop carrying the dead body of Oroku's brother. The two insist that her brother died from an injury he incurred in a quarrel with its apprentice. However, the dead body suddenly becomes conscious and the extortion ends in failure. Although disappointed, the two leave the pawnshop without flinching in the slightest. Starring Living National Treasures Bandô Tamasaburô and Kataoka Nizaemon in the roles of Oroku and Kihê. Featuring also Bandô Hikosaburô and Kawarasaki Gonjûrô.
  • Kanda Matsuri:
    (The Kanda Festival)
    The gallant commoners of Edo's neighborhoods loved nothing better than a festival, and this performance is a dance based on one of the biggest festivals in Edo (Kanda Matsuri). In this dance, a gallant fireman (Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon) and a geisha (Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô) appear on stage and display their 'Edo-style' spirit. In the end, a young man comes out and a beautiful fighting scene unfolds on stage.
  • Sodehagi Saimon: a larger-than-life history play originally written for the puppet theater, this is an epic of the intrigues in the Tôhoku region of Japan. It shows the larger political movements of the region as the individual tragedies of various people that are caught in this turmoil. In the most famous section, this play tells the tragic story of Sodehagi (Nakamura Shichinosuke), a woman disowned by her family after falling in love with a man that they did not accept. Now she is alone and blind from weeping. She wanders with her child, supporting them as a musician and comes to her family's house. They do not let her in and sitting outside in the snow, she sings her tragic tale. Meanwhile, her husband Abe no Sadatô (Nakamura Kankurô) is inside the house, in a story of political intrigue. Featuring also Nakamura Baigyoku, Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Karoku and Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô in the roles of Hachiman Tarô, Abe no Munetô, Taira no Kenjô Naokata and Kenjô's wife Hamayû.
  • Renjishi: 2 entertainers dance a tale of the legendary shishi or lion-like spirits that live at the foot of a holy Buddhist mountain. There is a comic interlude with 2 Buddhist pilgrims. Then, the shishi themselves appear and perform their dance with wild shaking of their long manes. The dance shows a parent shishi forcing his cub to undergo harsh training in order to grow up strong. This theme is often associated with the training a parent actor gives his son. This performance features Nakamura Kankurô in the role of the parent shishi and his son Nakamura Kantarô in the role of the cub.
  • Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

    Hakataza (Fukuoka)
    Dates 11 ~ 24 February 2021
    Nigatsu Hanagata Kabuki
    February Young Actors Kabuki
    Matinée

    Shôfudatsuki Kongen Kusazuri

    Matsuura no Taiko

    Evening

    Genroku Chûshingura
    (Ohama Goten Tsunatoyo-kyô)

    Genroku Hanami Odori

    Casting

    Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Kazutarô, Ichikawa En'ya, Ichikawa Emiya, Sawamura Sônosuke, Nakamura Yonekichi, Nakamura Kashô, Ôtani Hirotarô, Arashi Kitsusaburô

    Comments

    Young actors performing at the Hakataza.

  • Kusazuri:
    (the Tug-of-War Over the Armor)
    A short dance in the oldest style of Kabuki, leisurely and full of humor, combining the charm of an onnagata female role specialist with the larger-than-life heroism of the bombastic aragoto style of acting. The strong woman Maizuru stops the powerful, but rash, warrior Soga no Gorô from rushing to a fight by pulling on the set of armor he is carrying. Starring Nakamura Yonekichi and Nakamura Kashô as Maizuru and Gorô.
  • Matsuura no Taiko: Lord Matsuura (Matsumoto Kôshirô) lives next door to the enemy of the loyal retainers and is disgusted because they do not seem to be interested in avenging the death of the lord. He is especially upset because he studied with the same fighting teacher as Kuranosuke, the senior retainer who should be leading the vendetta. Moreover, he learns from the haiku teacher Takarai Kikaku (Arashi Kitsusaburô) that his student Ôtaka Gengo (Ichikawa En'ya) who should be part of the vendetta left a poem suggesting that he was forgetting his former lord and going to take service with another samurai lord. Gengo's sister Onui (Nakamura Kazutarô) serves Lord Matsuura and in disgust he is about to dismiss her, when there is a disturbance from next door. The attack has begun, and in joy, Lord Matsuura counts out the strokes of the drum, struck in a pattern that is only known by students of his fighting teacher.
  • Ohama Goten: there are few plays more popular in Kabuki than "Chûshingura" or the Treasury of the Forty-Seven Loyal Retainers. In the modern period, this play was reworked by Mayama Seika as "Genroku Chûshingura", a play focusing on different incidents and different characters in this revenge classic adding historical details reflecting the Genroku period. One of the most popular parts of this play shows the man that will be the next Shôgun, seemingly detached from the vendetta, but in fact, intensely interested in the progress of the quest of the band of loyal retainers. Starring Matsumoto Kôshirô as Lord Tsunatoyo and Nakamura Kashô as Tominomori Suke’emon. With Nakamura Yonekichi as Okiyo, Nakamura Kazutarô as Ejima and Ichikawa En'ya as Tsunatoyo’s teacher Arai Kageyû.
  • Genroku Hanami Odori:
    (Viewing the Cherry Blossoms in the Genroku Period)
    It is in the Genroku period (late 17th century) and the cherry blossoms are in full bloom on the hill of Ueno in Edo (present day Tôkyô). Men and women dressed up in showy outfits gather to view cherry blossoms and begin to dance. After the song about the custom of flower viewing in Kyoto, the drunken people start a lively dance. The dance under the cherry blossoms continues endlessly. Starring Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Kazutarô, Sawamura Sônosuke and all the young members of the troupe.
  • Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website

    Nagame Yokyôjô (Midori)
    Dates 23 February 2021
    Yû no Kai
    Program

    Yuki no Sato Himeru Chûshin

    Sukeroku (Buyô)

    Casting

    Ôtani Keizô, Ôtani Ryûsei

    Comments

    2nd edition of the Yû no Kai, a gala which stars Ôtani Keizô and his son Ôtani Ryûsei, at the Nagame Yokyôjô (Nagame Entertainment Theater), a traditional wooden-built theater (1937) in the city of Midori in Gunma Prefecture. This gala was initially scheduled to happen in April 2020 but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis.

    Ôtsuka Museum of Art (Naruto)
    Dates ??? ~ ??? February 2021 [CANCELLED]
    Sistine Kabuki
    Program

    ???

    Casting

    ???

    Comments

    The 11th edition of the Sistine Kabuki, a Kabuki program within the Sistine Hall of the Ôtsuka Museum of Art, which is located in the city of Naruto (Tokushima prefecture), has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis.

     
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