NANIWAZA - ÔNISHI NO SHIBAI
   
Names Naniwaza
Ebisuza
Chikugoza
Chikugo no Shibai
Ônishi no Shibai
City Ôsaka
History

1st lunar month of 1742: premiere at the Ônishi no Shibai of the play "Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura", which is produced by Sadoshima Chôgorô I and stars Ichikawa Ebizô II with the following casting:

Roles Actors
Narukami, Kumedera Danjô, Fudô Myôô Ichikawa Ebizô II
Princess Taema Onoe Kikugorô I
Hayashi Dennai Yamamoto Kyôshirô I
Hata no Minbu, Hakuunbô (the Buddhist monk white cloud) Sadoshima Chôgorô I
Takino Yamashita Kinsaku I
Bun'ya Toyohide, Harukaze's concubine Koiso Shibazaki Taminosuke
Hayagumo no Ôji Nakamura Jiroza I
Yatsurugi Genba Arashi Shichigorô I
Ishihara Sehei Yamanaka Heijûrô I
Ono no Harukaze Bandô Toyosaburô I
Harukaze's sister Nishiki-no-Mae Yamatogawa Akashi

12th lunar month of 1745: the drama "Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami" is staged at the Ônishi no Shibai for the first time, produced by Arashi San'emon IV with the following casting:

Roles Actors
Danshichi Kurobê Nakayama Shinkurô I
Issun Tokubê Sakurayama Shirosaburô II
Tsuribune Sabu Arashi Shinpei I
Otatsu, Okaji Arashi Koroku I
Mikawaya Giheiji Fujikawa Hanzaburô II

The same play is simultaneously produced at the Naka no Shibai [casting], Kado no Shibai [casting] and Ônishi no Shibai.

1st lunar month of 1757: premiere at the Ônishi no Shibai of Namiki Shôzô I's drama "Tenjiku Tokubê Kikigaki Ôrai", which was staged with the following casting:

Roles Actors
Tenjiku Tokubê, in reality Shôrinkei from Kôrai Nakayama Shinkurô I
The Shôgun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, the kon'ya Shirokurô, Fuchibe Rokurô Nakayama Bunshichi I
The sendô Matasaku, Hosokawa Katsumoto Takenaka Heikichi
Miyoshi Chôkei, the taikô Tabê, the yakko Akinai Kiriyama Monji I
Miyoshi Nuinojô Matsuya Raisuke II
The yakko Haruhei Bandô Kunigorô I
Kuwanaya Tadahachi, the yakko Fuyuzô Minakawa Yaheiji
Matsunaga Wadanosuke, Shirokurô's mother Okuma, the yakko Natsusuke Bandô Iwagorô
The taiko mochi Butsuhachi, the komeya Yasubê Daimatsu Kyokusuke
Tenjiku Tokubê's nyôbô Ofune, the keisei Kashiwagi Tatsuoka Hisagiku
Yoshiteru's midaidokoro Asaka Gozen, Shirokurô's nyôbô Omoto Asao Motogorô I
Ishidô Genba, the kutsuwaya Heiroku Nakayama Gonjûrô
Kuretake, Kuwanaya Tadahachi's nyôbô Oiku Hanagiri Saizô

12th lunar month of 1768: the play "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki" is simultaneously staged at the Ônishi no Shibai and the Naka no Shibai. The actors Arashi Hinasuke I and Nakayama Bunshichi I, compete for the best performance in the role of Nuregami Chôgorô and the title of Ôsaka best tachiyaku. "Futatsu Chôchô Kuruwa Nikki" is produced at the Ônishi no Shibai by Yamashita Yaozô I with the following casting:

Roles Actors
The sumô wrestler Nuregami Chôgorô Arashi Hinasuke I
Hanaregoma Chôkichi Fujikawa Hachizô I
Hashimoto Jibuemon, Okô Arashi Kichisaburô I
Jûjibê Nakayama Raisuke I
Azuma Sawamura Kunitarô I
Oseki, Yogorô Arashi San'emon V

5th day of the 2nd lunar month of 1827: a fire breaks out in the Kado no Shibai, destroying the Naka no Shibai, Ônishi no Shibai and Kadomaru no Shibai.

8th lunar month of 1841: great performances of the Edo star Onoe Kikugorô III at the Ônishi no Shibai; he plays the roles of Ôboshi Yuranosuke, Kô no Moronô, Hayano Kanpei and Tonase in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura". He also plays the roles of Sakuramaru, Takebe Genzô and Kan Shôjô in "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami". The roles of Okaru, Tonami and Yae are played by Arashi Tokusaburô III.

9th lunar month of 1841: Onoe Kikugorô III plays at the Ônishi no Shibai the roles of Tokubê and Kikuichi in the drama "Tenjiku Tokubê Ikoku Banashi". He also plays the roles of Oiwa, Kohei and Yomoshichi in "Tôkaidô Yotsuya Kaidan".

11th lunar month of 1843: Arashi Tokusaburô III takes the name of Arashi Rikan III at the Ônishi no Shibai.

2nd lunar month of 1847: Nakamura Shibazô I takes the name of Nakamura Gizaemon at the Chikugo no Shibai.

8th lunar month of 1852: premiere at the Chikugo no Shibai of the dance "Ayatsuri Sanbasô"; the role of Sanbasô is performed by Arashi Rikaku II.

5th lunar month of 1854: Ichikawa Danzô VI plays for the first time the role of Shunkan in the drama "Heike Nyogo no Shima", which is staged at the Chikugo no Shibai. His stage partners are Nakamura Tamashichi I (Chidori) and Arashi Rikaku II (Senoo Tarô).

Spring 1860: Nakamura Jakuemon I becomes zagashira at the Chikugo no Shibai and successfully produces the drama "Hime Kurabe Futaba Ezôji".

4th lunar month of 1871: Nakamura Umenosuke joins the star Arashi Rikan IV and takes the name of Arashi Kitsusaburô IV, playing 3 roles in the drama "Katakiuchi Midô Mae", which is staged at the Chikugo no Shibai.

1872: Jitsukawa Enjaku I becomes zagashira at the Chikugo no Shibai.

October 1873: premiere at the Chikugo no Shibai of Katsu Genzô II's drama "Kimi-wa-Fune Nami no Uwajima", which is staged with the following casting:

Roles Actors
Yanbe Seibê, the yakko Dôsuke Nakamura Fukusuke III
Wake Sanzaemon, Okaku Nakamura Shichigasuke

End of February 1876: a fire breaks out in the Western wing of the Chikugoza and destroys all the Dôtonbori theaters.

September 1876: the theater is rebuilt and is renamed Ebisuza.

October 1881: premiere at the Ebisuza of Katsu Genzô III's drama "Ogasawara Shorei no Oku no Te", which is staged with the following casting:

Roles Actors
Okada Ryôsuke, Ogasawara Tôtômi-no-Kami Jitsukawa Enjaku I
Ogasawara Haito, the yakko Kikuhei (in reality the fox of Mt. Myôjin), Ohaya Nakamura Fukusuke III
Inugami Hyôbu Ichikawa Aragorô III
Odai-no-Kata, Koheiji Arashi Kitsusaburô IV
Ogasawara Buzen-no-Kami Jitsukawa Enzaburô III

October 1887: the Ebisuza is renamed Naniwaza.

November 1893: the puppet drama "Kamiko Jitate Ryômen Kagami" is adapted for Kabuki for the first time, in Ôsaka at the Naniwaza; it is staged with the following casting:

Roles Actors
Yorozuya Sukeemon, the bantô Gonpachi Kataoka Gatô III
Omatsu Sawamura Gennosuke IV
Daimonjiya Eizaburô Ichikawa Ichizô IV

29 April 1904: the Naniwaza is destroyed by fire.

April 1912: premiere at the Naniwaza of Okamoto Kidô's "Heikegani", which stars Onoe Baikô VI and Sawamura Sôjûrô VII.

March 1934: "Ôishi Saigo no Ichinichi", the tenth and last play of Mayama Seika's cycle "Genroku Chûshingura" is staged for the first time in Ôsaka, at the Naniwaza from the 3rd to 16th of March, and in Kyôto, at the Minamiza from the 17th to the 27th of March [casting]. It is staged at the Naniwaza with the following casting:

Roles Actors
Ôishi Kuranosuke Bandô Jusaburô III
Isogai Jûrôzaemon Nakamura Senjaku I
Shizuma, in reality Omino Matsumoto Kingo II
Araki Jûzaemon Arashi Kichisaburô VII
Akabane Genzô Arashi Kakuzô V
Hosokawa Naiki Bandô Junosuke
Hisanaga Naiki Bandô Hôsuke
Horiuchi Den'emon Ichikawa Dan'en I

October 1919: premiere at the Naniwaza of the drama "Tôjûrô no Koi", which was staged with the following casting:

Roles Actors
Sakata Tôjûrô I Nakamura Ganjirô I
Okaji Nakamura Baigyoku III
Kirinami Senju I Nakamura Kaisha
The nadai Miyako Mandayû Onoe Tamizô III
A taiko mochi Ichikawa Ichizô IV

13 March 1945: the Naniwaza is destroyed during the bombing of Ôsaka.

Illustrated program for the 1887 opening of the Naniwaza

 
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