| Casting |
Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon, Living National Treasure Nakamura Tôzô, Living National Treasure Nakamura Karoku, Matsumoto Hakuô, Nakamura Kaishun, Nakamura Manju, Nakamura Shikan, Onoe Kikugorô, Matsumoto Kôshirô, Nakamura Jakuemon, Kataoka Takatarô, Nakamura Kinnosuke, Onoe Shôroku, Nakamura Matagorô, Bandô Hikosaburô, Ichikawa Omezô, Bandô Kamezô, Nakamura Kazutarô, Nakamura Tokizô, Nakamura Yonekichi,
Nakamura Matsue, Kamimura Kichiya, Ichimura Manjirô, Ichikawa Komazô, Matsumoto Kingo, Sawamura Sônosuke, Bandô Shingo, Nakamura Kashô, Nakamura Hashinosuke, Nakamura Mantarô, Nakamura Tanenosuke, Ôtani Hirotarô, Ichikawa Somegorô, Onoe Sakon, Ichikawa Otora, Nakamura Kichinojô, Arashi Kitsusaburô, Ichimura Kitsutarô, Kataoka Matsunosuke, Nakamura Tanetarô, Nakamura Hidenosuke
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The 4th edition at the Kabukiza of the new "Shûzan Matsuri" (the festival of Shûzan), which is staged to commemorate late Nakamura Kichiemon II. Shûzan was the haimyô used by both Nakamura Kichiemon I and Nakamura Kichiemon II.
There 2 different castings with 2 programs entitled A & B. Below, we've listed actors with a (Prog A/Prog B) format. If there is only one name, it means that the same actor performs the role in both programs.
Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami:
(Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy)
Sugawara no Michizane (known in this play as Kan Shôjô) was a high-ranking imperial court
minister who was a brilliant calligrapher and scholar. But political rivalries forced him to
be exiled to distant Kyûshû, where he died. After Michizane's death, a series of disasters
in the imperial capital were attributed to his angry spirit and he was appeased by being
made a god known as Tenjin, and he is now revered as the god of learning. His story was
dramatized as an epic puppet drama in 1746 and the play remains a favorite in both Kabuki
and the Bunraku puppet theatre.
Kamo Zutsumi:
(The Kamo Riverbank)
Young Sakuramaru (Nakamura Kashô/Nakamura Mantarô) serves imperial prince Tokiyo (Nakamura Yonekichi/Bandô Shingo) who has fallen in
love with Princess Kariya (Onoe Sakon/Nakamura Yonekichi), Michizane's beautiful daughter.
Sakuramaru and his wife Yae (Bandô Shingo/Nakamura Tanenosuke) are charmed by the affair, since
it reminds them of their own love. But the affair is discovered and Michizane's
rivals use it as proof that he is attempting to take over the imperial court.
This innocent love affair triggers the tragedies of the play. Featuring also Bandô Kamezô as Miyoshi Kiyotsura.
Hippô Denju:
(Calligraphy Instruction)
Michizane, in this play called Kan Shôjô (Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon/Matsumoto Kôshirô), after his title,
knows that he will soon be exiled. Before he goes, he hands over the scroll of his
secrets to his most talented student Genzô (Matsumoto Kôshirô/Ichikawa Somegorô). But Genzô was disowned forever for
having an affair with Tonami (Nakamura Tokizô/Nakamura Kazutarô), another servant in the household. Only the intervention
of Kan Shôjô’s wife Sonoo-no-Mae (Nakamura Jakuemon/Nakamura Manju) saved their lives. Even though Genzô receives his
master’s teachings, he is not forgiven. Sugawara is arrested, but as Genzô and his
wife leave, they rescue Kan Shôjô’s young son and take him to safety.
Dômyôji:
(At the Dômyôji Temple)
On his way to exile, Kan Shôjô (Living National Treasure Kataoka Nizaemon/Matsumoto Kôshirô) is allowed to stop at the home of his aunt,
Kakuju (Nakamura Kaishun). There he carves a statue of himself for his aunt.
But Princess Kariya (Onoe Sakon/Nakamura Yonekichi) is actually Kakuju's daughter and was
adopted by Kan Shôjô. She has come desperately hoping to say farewell
to him, but she is punished severely by Kakuju for having been responsible
for Kan Shôjô's downfall. At the same time, Kakuju has another daughter,
Tatsuta (Kataoka Takatarô) and Tatsuta's husband Sukune Tarô (Onoe Shôroku/Nakamura Kashô) and
father-in-law (Living National Treasure Nakamura Karoku/Nakamura Matagorô) are plotting to assassinate Kan Shôjô by
pretending to be the emissary to take him to exile and then killing him.
But miraculously, the statue Kan Shôjô carved comes to life and saves
his life. Finally, when the real emissary Terukuni (Onoe Kikugorô/Nakamura Kinnosuke) appears,
Kan Shôjô must part from his family as he goes into exile.
Featuring also Nakamura Shikan/Bandô Hikosaburô as the yakko Takunai.
Kurumabiki:
(The Tug-of-War Over the Carriage)
There are three brothers serving three masters. Umeômaru serves Kan Shôjô.
Sakuramaru serves imperial prince Tokiyo. Kan Shôjô has been sent into exile and Tokiyo
is in disgrace. Umeômaru (Ichikawa Somegorô/Onoe Shôroku) and Sakuramaru (Onoe Sakon/Nakamura Kinnosuke) lament the disaster that has overtaken their masters.
But they hear that the carriage of Fujiwara no Shihei (Matsumoto Hakuô/Kawarasaki Gonjûrô) is coming. Shihei is the villain
that has sent Kan Shôjô into exile. But when the two brothers confront the carriage,
they are stopped by their brother Matsuômaru (Matsumoto Kôshirô/Nakamura Shikan), who serves Shihei.
Nonetheless, they attack the carriage and are driven back by the magical powers of Shihei.
The three brothers agree to meet again at the seventieth birthday of their father, Shiratayû.
Ga no Iwai:
(The Birthday Celebration)
Shiratayû has long served Kan Shôjô and when he had three sons, he named them after
the favorite trees in his garden, the pine (matsu),
the plum (ume) and the cherry (sakura)
and had them all take service with important court nobles. However, the three lords of his
sons have all been torn to separate sides. Today is Shiratayû's birthday and all three sons
are to come. Chiyo (Bandô Shingo), Matsuômaru's wife, Haru (Nakamura Tanenosuke), Umeômaru's wife, and Yae (Nakamura Kazutarô/Nakamura Yonekichi), Sakuramaru's wife,
all prepare festive food for the happy event. Since the brothers haven't arrived yet, Shiratayû (Nakamura Matagorô/Living National Treasure Nakamura Karoku)
goes away with Yae to a shrine to pray. Matsuômaru (Nakamura Kashô/Bandô Hikosaburô) and Umeômaru (Nakamura Hashinosuke/Nakamura Mantarô) appear and immediately start
wrestling with each other, almost like mischievous children. They accidentally break the
branches of the cherry tree, an omen prefiguring the tragic conclusion of this act.
Sakuramaru (Nakamura Tokizô/Onoe Kikugorô) commits ritual suicide to atone for being responsible for Kan Shôjô's exile.
Terakoya:
(The Village School)
Genzô (Matsumoto Kôshirô/Ichikawa Somegorô) and his wife Tonami (Kataoka Takatarô/Nakamura Tokizô) 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 (Onoe Shôroku/Matsumoto Kôshirô) 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 (Nakamura Manju/Nakamura Jakuemon) mourn their
dead son.
Sources: Earphone Guide Website or Shôchiku Kabuki Official Website
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