Kabuki Performances celebrating the Name Succession of Onoe Kikugorō VIII and Onoe Kikunosuke VI will be seen in June this year at the Hakataza Theater.

＜Matinee＞

Act 1 : Kotobuki Shiki Sanbaso
Act 2 : Kurumabiki
Act 3 : Ibaraki

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Act 1 : Kotobuki Shiki Sanbaso

　This celebratory dance, performed to pray for peace and harmony throughout the land and a bountiful harvest, opens the curtain on this name succession performance. Sanbasomono are Kabuki adaptations of the Noh play Okina, in which the main character is recast from the elderly Okina into the dynamic Sanbaso. Among the many works created in this genre, this piece is distinguished by its refined elegance, retaining the solemnity and ceremonial dignity of Okina while also embodying a celebratory spirit.

　This dance, performed to pray for a bumper crop, is a celebratory dance congratulating the simultaneous name succession of two generations of Kabuki actors of the Otowaya guild.

Act 2 : Kurumabiki

　Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami is one of the three great masterpieces of gidayu-kyogen. Kurumabiki, the third act of this play, is a scene brimming with the vivid stylistic beauty of Kabuki and the bombastic aragoto style of acting.

　Kikunosuke VI first played the role of Umeomaru during his name succession performance at last year’s June Program at the Kabukiza Theater. Over the past year, Kikunosuke VI has gained considerable experience through numerous major roles, and anticipation is high for his return as Umeomaru.

Act 3 : Ibaraki
　One of the Shinko Engeki Jusshu (Ten New and Old Theatrical Performances) compiled by Onoe Kikugorō V, this is a signature piece of the Otowaya guild. It is based on a legend in which Watanabe no Tsuna, one of the four chief retainers of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, vanquished a demon that appeared at the Rashomon gate.

　After cutting off the demon’s arm at the Rashomon gate, Tsuna is advised by court diviner Abe no Seimei to observe a period of ritual seclusion, so he shuts himself away in his residence. He is visited by his aunt, Mashiba─who is, in fact, none other than Ibaraki Doji, the demon whose arm Tsuna had severed, in disguise!

　Highlights of this dance include the scene where Mashiba, having lost her left arm, dances using only her right arm, as well as thrilling choreographed fight scenes in which she transforms into the terrifying demon. Kikugorō VIII will take on the role of Mashiba for the first time as part of his name succession performance.

　

＜Soiree＞

Act 1 : Jiisan Baasan
Act 2 : Otokodate Hana No Yoshiwara
Act 3 : Shumei Hiro Kojo
Act 4 : Renjishi

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Act 1 : Jiisan Baasan

　Adapted from a short story by Mori Ogai, this heartwarming new Kabuki production was written and directed by playwright Uno Nobuo.

　Minobe Iori, a retainer to the shogun, and his wife Run, lived happily in Edo’s Bancho with their child. However, when Run’s younger brother Kyuemon is injured in a brawl, Iori is sent to Kyoto for a year in his place, forcing the couple to live apart.

　This masterpiece depicts the unwavering love between a husband and wife amid the twists and turns of life. Kikugorō VIII and Nakamura Jakuemon V will both take on the roles of Iori and Run for the first time.

Act 2 : Otokodate Hana No Yoshiwara
　This dance drama, performed to the accompaniment of nagauta, traditional Japanese music for Kabuki played on the shamisen, is modeled after Gosho no Gorozō, the protagonist of Kawatake Mokuami’s masterpiece Soga Moyo Tateshi no Goshozome.

　Gosho no Gorozō, Edo’s foremost heroic samurai, arrives in Yoshiwara’s Nakano-cho.
　This production captures the atmosphere of the pleasure district and Edo, as well as the refined spirit of this man of chivalry. It also features a spectacular choreographed fight scene using umbrellas, a major highlight of the performance. Ichikawa Danjūrō XIII’s portrayal of Gorozō adds a special touch to this performance celebrating the Otowaya guild’s name succession.

Act 3 : Shumei Hiro Kojo
　This ceremony brings to a close Hakataza Theater’s performance celebrating the name succession of Kikugorō VIII and Kikunosuke VI. In the kojo, actors in formal kimono gather on stage to make a verbal announcement informing the audience of the name succession and celebrate the duo’s new chapter. It is a truly joyous occasion not to be missed!

Act 4 : Renjishi
　This major matsubame-mono, a Kabuki dance drama which incorporates elements influenced by Noh or Kyogen using the symbolic backdrop of a large pine tree, is based on the Noh play Shakkyo.

　Set in the sacred mountain Seiryozan, said to be the dwelling place of Manjusri Bodhisattva, the Kyogen performers Ukon and Sakon appear on a stone bridge. There, they perform a dance depicting the legendary tale of a father lion who kicks his cubs into the ravine below, raising only the cub that manages to crawl back up. Eventually, father and son depart as if lured away by butterflies.

　The depiction of the father and son lions in the first half of the dance reflects the harsh realities of artistic succession, mirroring the figures of Kikunosuke VI, who is diligently honing his craft, and Kikugorō VIII, who watches over him. The vigorous shaking of the lion’s mane in the second half is another major highlight. This sublime dance drama serves as the grand finale of the name succession performance.