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The sanbusei tripartite system, which is usually used only in August,
is used in December as well!
The newly-created Kabuki drama "Arashi no Yoru ni", which was premiered in September 2015 in Kyôto at the Minamiza [more details], is staged for the first time in Tôkyô with almost the same casting.
The highlights of the second program is "Terakoya" with Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Onoe Matsuya and Nakamura Baishi in the roles of Matsuômaru, Chiyo, Genzô and Tonami.
The star of the third program is Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô, who performs in "Ninin Wankyû" and in a special version of "Musume Dôjôji" with 5 shirabyôshi.
Arashi no Yoru ni: it is a series of picture books written by Kimura Yûichi.
The first edition was published in 1994. As many people wanted to read a sequel to the story,
it lasted to the seventh volume and became a best seller. More than 3,000,000 books have been sold.
It became so popular that it has been turned into a game and made into plays.
In 2005, it was made into an animated movie (the voice for the main character Gabu was supplied by Nakamura Shidô)
by Sugii Gisaburô, an esteemed movie producer in the animation industry.
It was adapted to Kabuki for the first time in September 2015 in Kyôto at the Minamiza.
On the night of a storm, a wolf Gabu (Nakamura Shidô) and a goat Mei (Onoe Matsuya) encounters in a mountain hut
in pitch darkness by chance. They talk through night not knowing their identity and become friends.
They determine their password as 'On the night of a storm' and promise to meet again.
They are shocked when they meet again, but they nurture friendship keeping it secret to their each group.
But their friendship is at last known to both groups and meets with violent opposition.
The two are pushed to the edge ... Featuring Kawarasaki Gonjûrô, Ichimura Manjirô, Ichikawa En'ya and Ichikawa Chûsha.
Fubuki Tôge: Oen and Sukezô, an adulterous couple, have to take refuge
in a mountain hut built for pilgrims because of a violent snow storm.
Oen was the wife of the gambler Naokichi, who was Sukezô's boss. They fell in love
and, in order to escape death (a normal punishment for their immoral conduct),
they had to elope. They now live as fugitives, in great fear of revenge by Naokichi.
Fate has something in store for them as, this very night, Naokichi, who goes on
pilgrimage, turns up and an interesting encounter takes place.
A play by the modern playwright Uno Nobuo that shows the characters in a complex
love relationship all thrown together in a house on a mountain pass in a snowstorm.
Featuring Ichikawa Chûsha, Nakamura Shichinosuke and Onoe Matsuya in the roles of Naokichi, Oen and Sukezô.
Terakoya: Genzô and his wife Tonami run a small school and are
protecting Kan Shôjô's son and heir, saying that he is their son. However,
word has gotten out Kan Shôjô's son is there and Genzô has been ordered to
behead him. Moreover, Matsuômaru is to come to inspect the head. Their only
alternative is to kill one of the other students as a substitute, but all of
the students are farmer's children who could never pass for the son of a court
aristocrat. However, a new boy arrives that day and Genzô makes the terrible
decision to kill him in the place of his lord. As it turns out, Matsuômaru has
sent his own son to be sacrificed, because of his family's long loyalty to
Kan Shôjô. But he must face the most terrible situation for a father,
inspecting the head of his own son and lying when he says that it is the
genuine head of the son of Kan Shôjô. Finally Matsuômaru reveals his true
feelings to Genzô and he and his wife Chiyo mourn their dead son.
Starring Nakamura Kankurô as Matsuômaru, Onoe Matsuya as Genzô, Nakamura Shichinosuke as Chiyo and Nakamura Baishi as Tonami.
Featuring also Ichikawa En'ya as Shundô Genba.
Ninin Wankyû: the fabulously wealthy Wan'ya Kyûbê (nicknamed Wankyû) is disowned by
his family for falling in love with the courtesan Matsuyama.
Then, when she dies, he goes mad with grief and wanders through the countryside.
This dance shows him as he imagines meeting Matsuyama again and there is a
lively dance recalling their happiness together before the vision fades
and he is left alone. Starring Nakamura Kankurô as Wankyû and Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô as Matsuyama.
Gonin Dôjôji: this is a variation of "Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji"
which was adapted from a Nô play "Dôjôji".
"Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji" is the most famous of all Kabuki dances and
considered to be the pinnacle of the art of the onnagata female role specialist.
There was a young woman called Princess Kiyo who had fallen in love with a monk. The monk soon left her and
knowing this betrayal, she changed into a snake from jealousy. The snake followed him, and coiling itself
around the bell of the Dôjôji temple it burned him and itself to death.
A few years later, a new bell was made for the Dôjôji temple, and the
dedication ceremony was being held. A woman suddenly appeared and asked to have a look at the new bell.
Dôjôji temple was closed to women ever since Princess Kiyo's incident,
but promising to dance for the ceremony, she was admitted to enter. She danced a beautiful dance
representing many aspects of a woman in love. However, she is actually the spirit of Princess Kiyo
hoping to destroy the bell again. In the original "Kyôganoko Musume Dôjôji",
the woman is played by one actor and the actor dances the whole dancing part but in this special version,
5 actors will be playing the woman and dance the dancing part. Starring Living National Treasure Bandô Tamasaburô, Nakamura Kankurô, Nakamura Shichinosuke, Nakamura Baishi and Nakamura Kotarô.
Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website
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