BOOK: Masterpieces of Kabuki – Eighteen Plays on Stage

Read time: 2 minutes

“Masterpieces of Kabuki – Eighteen Plays on Stage” by James R. Brandon & Samuel L. Leiter

The 18 Kabuki plays selected by the authors are presented here as their most famous scenes, translated into English.

The selection is derived from the 4 volume “Kabuki Plays on Stage” and are presented in chronological order, respecting the chronological order of plays through the 4 parent volumes.

Transcriptions

Each play transcription is remarkably detailed beginning with a historical overview, who created it, when was it first performed, who were the most famous performers etc.

As Kabuki is as much about the on stage performers as the musical accompaniments, all musical characteristics and nuances are deftly described. Just by reading all of the script and stage detail, you can visualise and hear the movements and sounds – the twanging shamisens, the clicking ‘ki’ wood blocks and the bouncing, tightly tuned drums.

The plays

1. 1697 Just a Minute! “Shibaraku”
2. 1730 The Stone-Cutting Feat of Kajiwara “Kajiwara Heizo Homare no Ishikiri”
3. 1745 Summer Festival: Mirror of Osaka “Natsu Matsuri Naniwa Kagami”
4. 1766 Japan’s Twenty-Four Paragons of Filial Piety “Honcho Nijushiko”
5. 1777 The Precious Incense and Autumn Flowers of Sendai “Meiboku Sendai Hagi”
6. 1781 The Revenge at Tegajaya “Katakiuchi Tengajayamura”
7. 1796 A Message of Love from Yamamoto “Koi Tayori Yamamoto Orai”
8. 1799 The Picture Book of the Taiko “Ehon Taikoki”
9. 1813 The Scandalous Love of Osome and Hisamatsu “Osome Hisamatsu Ukina no Yomiuri”
10. 1823 Kasane “Kasane”
11. 1836 Masakado “Masakado”
12. 1851 The Tale of the Martyr of Sakura “Sakura Giminden”
13. 1860 The Three Kichisas and the New Year’s First Visit to the Pleasure Quarters “Sannin Kichisa Kuruwa no Hatsugai”
14. 1877 The Woman Student “Onna Shosei Shigeru”
15. 1883 The Fishmonger Sogoro “Sakanaya Sogoro”
16. 1892 The Dropped Robe “Suo Otoshi”
17. 1893 The Mirror Lion, A Spring Diversion “Shunkyo Kagami Jishi”
18. 1905 A Sinking Moon over the Lonely Castle Where the Cuckoo Cries “Hototogisu Kojo Rakugetsu”

Detailed glance

Just a Minute! Shibaraku

Opening page

A bombastically performed scene with the arrival of Gongoro

The Stone-Cutting Feat of Kajiwara “Kajiwara Heizo Homare no Ishikiri”

Testing a blade for the Stone-cutting feat

Japan’s Twenty-Four Paragons of Filial Piety “Honcho Nijushiko”

Opening page

“Fox Fires In the Inner Garden” scene with the white fox

The Picture Book of the Taiko “Ehon Taikoki”

A photograph of Takechu Jubei Mitsuhide alongside a one-panel woodblock print of the character.