In our first in-depth look into a sewamono play by Kawatake Mokuami, we cover the play Shiranami Gonin Otoko (“The Five Chivalrous Thieves”), also known by the formal title Aoto Zōshi Hana no Nishikie, or by the more common ones Benten Musume Meo no Shiranami or, simply, Benten Kozō.
We cover here the most often seen acts, III through V, including the famous Hamamatsuya and Inasegawa Seizoroi scenes. I hope to cover, at the very least, the acting traditions for the role of Benten in the future, mainly developed by Kikugorō V, Kikugorō VI and Uzaemon XV.
The Five Chivalrous Thieves EXPLAINED・Shiranami Gonin Otoko (1862)
Kabuki In-Depth – Mar 24
In our first in-depth look into a sewamono play by Kawatake Mokuami, we cover the play Shiranami Gonin Otoko (“The Five Chivalrous Thieves”), also known by the formal title Aoto Zōshi Hana no Nishikie, or by the more common ones Benten Musume Meo no Shiranami or, simply, Benten Kozō.
Kabuki-za January 2022・Early Spring Kabuki
Kabuki In-Depth – Mar 19
The January performances at the Kabuki-za theatre in Tokyo, celebrating the hatsuharu or “early spring”, included performances of classic historical dramas such as Ichijo Ōkura Monogatari and Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura and the celebratory dances Iwau Haru Genroku Hanami Odori
and Haru no Kotobuki, with a younger cast of actors including Nakamura Kankurō VI, Nakamura Kankuro VI and Matsumoto Kōshirō X in the leading roles.
Beijing Paralympics end with closing ceremony
NHK – Mar 14
The Beijing Paralympics concluded on Sunday night. The Games were unusual as Russian and Belarusian athletes were not allowed to participate because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
