In this issue of "Kikunosuke Diary: Hearing Good Things," we bring you a report on the "Itseikai" performance, which was held at the Cerulean Tower Noh Theater in Shibuya from August 8th to 18th, as well as a look at the rehearsals.
A revival of past works with special guests. A new attempt to celebrate the 15th anniversary
"Itseikai" is a duo founded by Onoe Kikunojo and Shigeyama Ippei with the aim of exploring the new possibilities that arise from a collaboration between Japanese dance and Kyogen.
This year marks the 15th anniversary, and the show will run for nearly a week. In addition to the usual new performances, guests will be re-performing selected pieces from the Itseikai's accumulated works, incorporating new ideas unique to the 1th anniversary.
In addition to such great figures as the two actors' father, Onoe Bokusetsu, and Shigeyama Shigegosan, the cast also includes such renowned names in the Kabuki world as Matsumoto Koshiro, Onoe Matsuya, Nakamura Ichitaro, Onoe Ukon, Nakamura Takanosuke, and Nakamura Tsubametama, as well as many other distinguished guests from the Noh world, such as Shigeyama Sengoro, Tanimoto Kengo, and Sakaguchi Takanobu. In addition, Kikunosuke's children, Ichiko and Yoshito, and Ippei's son, Yoshikazu, will also be appearing, making for an all-star line-up befitting a 15th anniversary performance.
Ushiwakamaru's son Yoshito appears in "Hashi Benkei"
I visited the rehearsal on August 8th, the day before the opening.
On the stage, rehearsals were taking place for "Hashi Benkei," scheduled to be performed on the 24th and 25th. Benkei will be played by Kikunojo, and Ushiwakamaru will be played by his son Yoshito. When I visited, Yoshito was in the middle of his final rehearsal, wearing the same costume as the performance.
The Nagauta piece "Hashi Benkei," based on the Noh song "Hashi Benkei," has the opposite plot to the commonly-known story of Ushiwakamaru and Benkei. Benkei attempts to kill Ushiwakamaru, who is committing street slashing, but in the end is defeated by Ushiwakamaru, surrenders, and swears an oath to be master and servant to him.
A scene from the performance of "Hashi Benkei." The look in Ushiwakamaru's eyes as he defeats Benkei is truly manly.
Yoshito-kun appears from the bridge. He is wearing a robe. His father, Kikunojo-san, is waiting on the stage with a long sword in his hand. Ushiwakamaru and Benkei start their fight. His movements as he dodge the long sword are already graceful and cute. The loud footsteps are also well-timed.
The rehearsal went smoothly, but when it came time for Ushiwakamaru to defeat Benkei and return from the main stage to the bridge, Kikunojo called out, "Not in that direction. Go closer to the center." Yoshito, who was walking closer to the shite pillar, was being told that he should walk closer to the center of the bridge.
It's no wonder. Although they had been practicing for nearly two months in their home studio, today was the first time they performed on the stage at the Cerulean Tower Noh Theater. It may be inevitable that they won't know which direction to walk until they actually step on stage. On the other hand, I felt that I had caught a glimpse of Kikunojo's strict attitude towards the arts, as he pointed out even the slightest difference in direction.
"The lion's head is quite heavy, so it's quite difficult to dance while holding it," said Ichiko. During the performance, she danced gracefully without showing any sign of this.
I had a chance to talk to Yoshito after the lesson. His sister, Ichiko, was also there. Ichiko will be performing "Renjishi" with Kikunojo. Both "Hashibenkei" and "Renjishi" are new roles for both of them.
"I get nervous before I go on stage, but if I get nervous on stage, I can't remember the choreography, so I try not to get nervous. On the Noh stage, not only does it make a great sound when you step on it, but it also vibrates a lot, so it feels great," Yoshito said clearly. It's hard to believe he's just 7 years old.
Ichiko is a first year junior high school student and plays tennis in her school's club activities.
"Usually I practice two or three times a week, but as the performance draws near I practice every day, so I won't be able to participate in club activities much this summer. But I've been practicing dance since I was little, so it's something very important to me. I'm looking forward to playing tennis."
Both Ichiko and Yoshito started lessons at the age of 2, before they could even speak.
"You build LEGO and then program it to move."
Ichiko-san looks at Yoshito with tenderness as he smiles innocently like a 7-year-old boy. They are a truly endearing brother and sister pair, but it is clear that they are both determined to become dancers.
It's almost time for the performance. Kikunojo gently places his hand on the back of the nervous Yoshito. The curtain rises and the performance of "Hashi Benkei" begins.
We interviewed the siblings during a break in practice. Their serious expressions during practice were completely different to their carefree smiles. The photo was taken with a smartphone after the interview.
"Do stupid things without making them stupid"
On the rehearsal day, I had the opportunity to talk with Kikunojo and Ippei.
"As always, the final form of the new work, 'Ofuda', is not yet completely visible. We still have a lot of work to do. On the other hand, the old work that the guests will perform is almost finished. When we finished rehearsing the old work, it felt like we had reached a turning point, and we didn't have time to focus on our own work..."
Kikunojo said. Ippei immediately replied,
"When I watch other people performing our previous works, I think it's a good piece and praise myself for it. The lines, costumes, and choreography are all the same, but when the performers are different, the work takes on a completely different feel, which is interesting. And more than anything, the atmosphere in the rehearsal room is fun. It's not just us, everyone is enjoying it, and just watching that makes me happy."
When asked what the secret to their success for 15 years was, Kikunojo answered:
"We didn't miss the parts that shouldn't be missed. We were careful about that, and other than that, we didn't get too worked up, and we just did trivial things very seriously. I think it all comes down to that. We felt like we'd reached a turning point with our 10th anniversary performance of 'Kagami no Matsu,' and when I was a little unsure about what to do next, Ippei said to me, 'Let's do silly things, but make sure they don't become silly,' and I think that gave me the determination to go for it. It's also very reassuring that the members of the Nagauta and Hayashi groups, including composer Takao Tosha, have remained the same for the past 15 years, and I think that's another factor in our longevity."
"Doing something pointless without making it pointless." This is undoubtedly a difficult thing to do. However, the fact that they continue to do this difficult thing without worrying about it may be the greatest charm of Itseikai.
Koshiro Matsumoto plays the ghost of Genji with great enthusiasm in "Itarikitari"
The evening performance on the 19th will feature the dance "Yoshiwara Suzume" by Onoe Kikunosuke and Onoe Kyo, a revival of the Itseikai work "Itari Kitari" with guest appearance by Matsumoto Koshiro, and a new piece "Gorei" featuring Onoe Kikunosuke and Shigeyama Ippei.
In the Kiyomoto piece "Yoshiwara Suzume," a man and woman come to the brothel to sell birds, depicting the customs and prostitutes of the brothel. The well-coordinated dance of Onoe Kikunojo and Onoe Kyo is glamorous yet exudes a gentle elegance and calm, creating a dignified atmosphere in the venue.
Onoe Kikunojo and Onoe Kyo perform a perfectly coordinated dance as a married couple who come to Yoshiwara to sell birds.
The atmosphere suddenly changed, with one roar of laughter after another, and the entire venue was filled with laughter after laughter at the performances of "Itari Kitari" and the new piece "Ofuda."
In "Itarikitari," a traveling monk and the dead of the Heike and Genji clans appear. The dead of the Heike and Genji clans ask the traveling monk to perform a funeral service for them, but each has their own thoughts, and in the end they start fighting with swords in front of the traveling monk. The banter and gestures between the two are so funny, like a manzai comedy act, that you will laugh endlessly.
Koshiro Matsumoto plays the role of a Heike ghost. During the fight scenes, Munehiko Shigeyama, who plays the Genji ghost, blurts out a line that may have been ad lib, "You Hasegawa Heizo," a parody of "Onihei Hankacho," a story that Koshiro Matsumoto has been performing in recent years and has been garnering a lot of attention. It's hilarious.
Just when you think that's what you're thinking, a white curtain is spread on the stage and used as a screen to show another hilarious movie footage that had been shot separately, featuring Yoshitsune and Nasu no Yoichi, played by Onoe Ukon, and the story unfolds in a fantastical and bizarre way.
While the ghosts of the Heike and Genji clans spoke and acted comically throughout the performance, Takanobu Sakaguchi, who played the traveling monk, was always serious and spoke in the grave tone that is characteristic of the shite actor in Noh. This contrast also drew even more laughter. And it was very impressive to see Koshiro Matsumoto, who played the ghost of the Heike clan with such joy and vigor.
Koshiro Matsumoto, who plays the ghost of Genji, overwhelmed the stage with his sometimes comical and sometimes beautiful movements that only a Kabuki actor can perform.
The only one who remains extremely serious is the traveling monk, which also adds to the laughter.
A new piece, "Gorei," utilizing the unique space of the Noh stage
The new play, "Ofuda," tells the story of a man named Taro who is worried about his upcoming wedding and receives an "ofuda" (talisman) from a monk to remove any negative feelings. He then sticks the talisman in his house and stays in seclusion for seven days. His fiancée, Hanako, comes to visit him, but is unable to enter the house because of the ofuda.
The first three days of the seven-day performance are the "first half," with Kikunojo playing Hanako and Ippei playing Taro, and the last four days are the "first half," with the roles swapped. The performance on August 7 was the "first half."
The "ofuda" are pasted on three pillars: the shite pillar, the metsuke pillar, and the side pillar. In other words, the main stage is inside the house. Taro is sleeping at home, relieved after pasting the ofuda he received from the priest (played by Kikunojo in a dual role).
The first person to visit is none other than Koshiro Matsumoto, dressed as a delivery man. He is not allowed to enter the house, but the audience erupts in laughter at his hilarious lines, almost entirely ad lib, as he crosses the bridge.
And finally Hanako arrives. Naturally Hanako cannot enter either, but what's interesting here is that while he is sleeping, Taro's "back" leaves Taro's "front" as if he had astrally projected, and goes outside of Ieno. Ippei, who has become the "back" Taro, also leaves Kizahashi and wanders around. (The "front" Taro is a voice actor dressed in the same costume as Ippei, and Ippei's eldest son, Yoshikazu, is fast asleep in the center of the stage.)
Neither of them can enter the stage, so they walk along the very edge, leaning out towards the white sand as if holding onto the metsukebashira pillar. Their movements are comical, and the strange situation of a person having both a positive and negative side simultaneously, plus the honest words that "back" Taro blurts out, "I want to play more," make for an indescribably funny performance.
The play was written by rakugo writer Akane Kumazawa. Making good use of the unique theatrical space of the Noh stage, the play is innovative and funny, while still retaining the essence of classical performing arts, making it a fitting piece for the 15th anniversary of the Itseikai.
Because of the effectiveness of the charm, the two are unable to enter the house and end up wandering around the Metsukebashira. It's so hilarious.
After the performance, there is the customary photo session. This frankness, which is not often seen in traditional performing arts, is one of the charms of "Itseikai."
Kyogen and Japanese dance. Kikunojo once said that one of the secrets to their longevity is that they respect each other but do not overly consider each other.
The show ran for seven days from the opening day on August 8th to the final day on the 18th, excluding Wednesday. A Kyoto performance is also planned for March. I'm looking forward to seeing how this show will be received in Kyoto.
After the final performance was successfully completed, all the performers, led by Onoe Bumiyuki and Shigeyama Shimegosan, took a commemorative photo.
Kikunojo Onoe
■ Onoe Kikunojo III, fourth-generation head of the Onoe school
Born in 1976. He started studying under his father at the age of two and made his debut on stage at the age of five. In 2, he inherited the fourth head position of the Onoe school and took on the stage name Onoe Kikunojō III. He hosts his own recital, "Onoue Kikunojō no Kai," and the "Itsusei-kai" with Kyogen master Shigeyama Ippei. He also devotes himself to creating new works and has presented a wide range of works. He has directed and choreographed in a variety of genres, including new Kabuki, Hanamachi dance, the Takarazuka Revue, the OSK Nippon Revue, and ice skating shows "Hyouen" and "Luxe."
Part-time lecturer at Kyoto University of the Arts / Director of the Japanese Dance Association
Related Links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kikunojoonoe3
Kikunojo FAN CLUB: https://fanclove.jp/club/kikunojo3
Text by Masao Sakurai (Office Clover)
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