Nakamura Kichiemon, Bandô Tamasaburô, Nakamura Tomijûrô, Nakamura Shikan, Nakamura Shibajaku, Nakamura Fukusuke, Ichikawa Sadanji, Nakamura Karoku, Nakamura Kashô, Ichikawa Kamejirô, Ichikawa Somegorô, Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Nakamura Tamatarô, Nakamura Takanosuke, Nakamura Yoshio

This is the 3rd edition of a special program called "Shûzan Matsuri" (the festival of Shûzan), which is produced at the Kabukiza to commemorate the great actor Nakamura Kichiemon I, whose's haimyô was Shûzan. The star of this program is his adopted son Nakamura Kichiemon II.

Ryôma ga Yuku: this is a dramatization of the middle section of the tremendously popular historical novel by Shiba Ryôtarô (1923~1996) about Sakamoto Ryôma (1836~1867), a visionary revolutionary at the end of the Tokugawa Period who brought various rival factions together to battle the Shogunate and would have led Japan boldly, if he had not been assassinated in a bloody battle. Starring Somegoro as Ryôma with Ichikawa Kamejirô, Onoe Shôroku and Nakamura Kinnosuke.

Sakaro:
(The Rise and Fall of the Heike Clan - Reverse Rowing)
A period play taken from the Bunraku puppet theater which combines a historical tale with the daily life of commoners. Matsuemon (Nakamura Kichiemon) has married into the family of a country boatman. Having learned the special rowing skills of his father-in-law, he is invited to transport the Genji general Yoshitsune. But Matsuemon is actually the warrior Higuchi Kanemitsu, a leading retainer of a general killed by Yoshitsune and he sees this as a perfect opportunity to take his revenge. Before he can put his plan into action, though, his identity is discovered and he is captured in a spectacular battle on sea and land. Featuring Living National Treasure Nakamura Tomijûrô in the role of Hatakeyama Shigetada.

Nihon Furisode Hajime: this dance is a rare example of a story from ancient Japanese mythology in a puppet play by Chikamatsu Monzaemon adapted for the Kabuki theater. As part of an annual ritual, Princess Inada has been chosen to be sacrificed to a fierce serpent that lives in the mountains of Izumo. The serpent arrives in the guise of a beautiful princess, but before it can attack it is attracted to eight jars full of sake. The jars are a trap planted by the god Susanoo, who confronts the beast in its true form as an eight-headed serpent, to save the princess. Starring Bandô Tamasaburô as the serpent, with Ichikawa Somegorô and Nakamura Fukusuke in the roles of Susanoo and Princess Inada.

Moritsuna Jin'ya: this play is one of the greatest classics of the jidaimono historical play style. Two brothers, Moritsuna and Takatsuna are generals on opposing sides. Moritsuna's forces are greater in number and strength, but his brother's brilliant strategies allow him to escape by preying on Moritsuna's psychological weaknesses. Ruthlessly, Takatsuna has his son sacrifice his life to force Moritsuna to identify the head of an imposter as that of his dead brother. Starring Nakamura Kichiemon as Moritsuna, with Nakamura Shikan as Mimyô, the mother of the two brothers, Nakamura Fukusuke as Kagaribi, the wife of Takatsuna, and Ichikawa Sadanji as the crafty general Wada no Hyôe.

Tobae: tobae are light, comical sketches drawn by the monk of Toba. This dance shows a man awakened late at night to see what he imagines is the pestle from a kitchen mortar and pestle growing wings and flying -an image worthy of a tobae -only to find that it is a giant rat. He performs a series of comical dances with the rat, including a highly exaggerated love scene. Starring Living National Treasure Nakamura Tomijûrô as the man and his son Nakamura Takanosuke as the rat.

Kôchiyama: the tea priest Kôchiyama (Nakamura Kichiemon) is a skilled thief and extortionist, but cannot turn down a request to help those in need. He disguises himself as a high-ranking priest to try to gain the freedom of a girl held by a powerful samurai lord (Ichikawa Somegorô) because she will not become his mistress. Using the famous poetic cadences of the late 19th century playwright Mokuami, Kôchiyama not only succeeds in his mission to rescue the girl, but he manages to extort a fair amount for himself.

Source: Earphone Guide website

Ichikawa Ebizô, Nakamura Tokizô, Ichikawa Kamejirô, Ichikawa Danzô, Kawarazaki Gonjûrô, Ichikawa Unosuke, Ichimura Kakitsu, Ôtani Tomoemon, Ichikawa Monnosuke, Kataoka Ichizô, Ichikawa Omezô, Onoe Matsuya, Nakamura Baishi

Yoshikata Saigo: a play about the early days of the rivalry between the Genji and Heike warrior clans, and the early rise of the Genji clan after a time of oppression. Yoshikata (Ichikawa Ebizô) is the lone member of the Genji clan and pretends to have no interest in reviving its fortunes, but Yukitsuna (Kawarazaki Gonjûrô) a good-humored footman who is actually a spy, realizes his true intentions. Yoshikata is about to have a son, the general Yoshinaka, who will lead the Genji to victory, but Yoshikata himself is attacked and surrounded and dies in a spectacular scene where he falls from the top of a flight of stairs.

Chikubushima Yûran: the Heike dictator Kiyomori is attempting to eliminate all the heirs to the rival Genji clan and has sent The warrior Saitô Bettô Sanemori (Ichikawa Ebizô) to search them out, unaware that Sanemori feels a strong bond of loyalty to the Genji clan. Sanemori comes to a pleasure boat on Lake Biwa when a woman (Ichikawa Monnosuke) comes swimming, holding a white banner. She is named Koman and being pursued and to prevent the banner from going to the Heike, Sanemori accuses her of being a hateful woman and cuts off her arm, which sinks into the lake together with the banner.

Sanemori Monogatari: Sanemori (Ichikawa Ebizô) has been charged by Kiyomori with finding Aoi Gozen, the pregnant wife of the leader of the enemy Genji clan. He is to kill her child if it is a son who can succeed to head of the clan, but old loyalties to the Genji lead him to protect the boy. Sanemori tells the story of how Koman (Ichikawa Monnosuke), the daughter of the old couple who is protecting Aoi Gozen, bravely fought to protect the sacred standard of the Genji from the Heike. Koman mysteriously comes back to life when her severed arm is rejoined to it.

Makura Jishi: the keisei Yayoi performs a dance expressing her bitterness toward her dreary life in the gay quarters, but she gradually finds herself under the control of the lion spirit. In the second half of the dance, the lion spirit itself appears and performs its crazed dance among peonies and fluttering butterflies. Starring Nakamura Tokizô as both the courtesan Yayoi and the spirit of the lion.

Kagamiyama: "Kagamiyama" is the ultimate play about rivalry and revenge in the women's quarters of a samurai mansion. It is said to be based on life in the Shôgun's castle since the original play was written by a doctor familiar with things in that exalted realm far from the eyes of the common people. Starring Ichikawa Ebizô, Nakamura Tokizô and Ichikawa Kamejirô in the roles of the evil Iwafuji, the gentle Onoe and the valorous Ohatsu.

Kasane: one can never escape past evils. Yoemon is fleeing to the countryside, but Kasane, the woman he abandoned, refuses to let him go. She catches up with him at a lonely river bank. A skull stabbed with a scythe appears and Kasane is possessed by its spirit, actually the spirit of her dead father, and her face suddenly becomes disfigured. She pours out her feelings of jealousy and resentment and Yoemon kills Kasane, but even after her death, he cannot escape her vengeful spirit. Starring Ichikawa Kamejirô as Kasane and Ichikawa Ebizô as Yoemon.

Source: Earphone Guide website

Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Baigyoku, Ichikawa Komazô, Nakamura Matsue, Matsumoto Kingo, Nakamura Utae, Bandô Kametoshi

Kuzu-no-Ha: Abe no Yasuna, a court astrologer in disgrace, has married a beautiful woman named Kuzu-no-Ha, not knowing that she is actually a fox that has taken human form to repay his kindness in saving his life. The couple has a child and lives happily together until the real woman whose form the fox borrowed appears. Knowing that she can no longer stay, Kuzu-no-Ha writes a tearful farewell poem on the paper screen and returns to the wilderness. Starring Nakamura Kaishun as Kuzu-no-Ha and Ichikawa Komazô as Yasuna.

Kanjinchô: probably the most popular Kabuki play today, it includes dance, comedy and the heart-warming pathos of a band of heroes during their last days. Disguised as a band of traveling priests the fugitive general Yoshitsune and his small band of retainers are stopped at a road barrier. They escape only through the quick thinking of the head retainer, a warrior priest named Benkei, who improvises the text of an elaborate imperial decree. Having escaped dancer Benkei and the others describe their days of glory and hardships on the road to escape in a moving dance. This program stars Matsumoto Kôshirô in the role of Benkei, with Nakamura Kaishun and Nakamura Baigyoku as Yoshitsune and the barrier keeper Togashi.

Source: Earphone Guide website

Nakamura Kanzaburô, Nakamura Senjaku, Ichikawa Kamejirô, Bandô Yajûrô, Kataoka Kamezô, Nakamura Kantarô, Nakamura Shichinosuke

Korikori Banashi:
(Bewitching Foxes and Badgers)
In Japan, foxes and tanuki badgers are said to have the power to take the shape of humans, and in that form, they play mischievously, sometimes causing great harm. In this play by the contemporary playwrite Hôjô Hideji (1902~1996), foxes and badgers do not appear, but the scheming of human beings is no less crafty than that of those magical creatures.

Bô Shibari: ???

Source: Earphone Guide website

Nakamura Hashinosuke, Kataoka Takatarô, Nakamura Kikaku, Bandô Kamesaburô, Bandô Shingo, Nakamura Kazutarô, Nakamura Muneo, Nakamura Kunio

"Mitsukoshi Kabuki", a special Kabuki program at the Mitsukoshi Theatre, starring some young rising stars.

Arashi Keishi, Kawarazaki Kunitarô, Segawa Kikunojô, Fujikawa Yanosuke, Arashi Hironari, Yamazaki Tatsusaburô, Anegawa Shinnosuke

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