会場でお客様にご挨拶されていた、歌昇さんの奥様、信乃さん。初日は薄水色に鷺草を描いた涼しげな装いで。 
毎年、評判が評判を呼んでお客様が増え、すでに来年の8月4日（土）、5日（日）には第四回が開催されることが発表されて、歌舞伎ファンの間では8月の定例公演として定着している「双蝶会」ですが、「おかげで、絽のきもののワードローブばかり増えていきます（笑）」と、信乃さん。 ご結婚前から箏曲家としても活躍してきた信乃さん。舞台では黒留袖ですが、歌昇さんの奥様としてお客様にご挨拶する時は、年齢にふさわしい淡い色のきものが多いそう。 気温も暑く、舞台も熱い公演でしたが、涼しげなきもの姿が、一服の清涼剤になっていました。 今回の公演でも古典歌舞伎を継承していこうという思いと確かな成長を感じさせた中村歌昇さん、中村種之助さん。フォトグラファーの笹口悦民さんがお二人を撮影した写真展が、9月1日〜14日にソニーイメージングギャラリー銀座で開催されます。 
『きものSalon』でも表紙をはじめ女優さんやモデルさんの素敵なきもの姿を撮影していただいている笹口さんが切り取る、歌昇さん・種之助さんご兄弟の貴重なバックステージでの姿。撮り下ろしのスペシャルムービーの上映もあるそうです。ぜひ皆さま、お出かけください！ 笹口悦民写真展「双蝶のうたたね – 中村歌昇・種之助 –」 会場：ソニーイメージングギャラリー 銀座会期：2017年9月1日(金)～9月14日(木)
開館時間：11時～19時(定休日なし)住所：〒104-0061 東京都中央区銀座5-8-1 銀座プレイス6階 TEL： 03-3571-7606入場料：無料 Bettyoko’s Kimono Diary
Go to the Theatre in Kimonos Vol.34
SOCHOKAI at the National Theatre
I went to see SOCHOKAI recital of Nakamura Kasho and Nakamura Tanenosuke, the young Kabuki actor brothers at the small hall of National Theatre on August 5 and 6. It’s their study stage where they challenged the great role with Harimaya style acting techniques in gidayu kyogen (a kind of Japanese theatrical art) with being supervised by Nakamura Kichiemon, the great Kabuki star. At the press conference held prior to the stage performance they appeared in stylish suits.
In the ICHIJO OKURA MONOGATARI (The Tale of Aristocrat Ichijo Okura) Tanenosuke showed excellent skills of delivering his lines, which fascinated the audience. On the other hand, Kasho played his role of Matahei enthusiastically in KEISEI HANGON KO (Stuttering Matahei). This role was played by Nakamura Kichiemon at Kabukiza Theatre during April program and Kasho had seen Kichiemon’s performance every day to learn everything from him. More over Tanenosuke also challenged to play the role of Otoku, wife of Matahei, and the audience were moved to tears by the loving wife whom he played.
Mrs. Shino, wife of Kasho, welcomed the audience at the lobby and she looked cool in the fringed orchid designed light blue kimono. She said, “The number of ro-kimono (a kind of summer kimono) is going up in my wordrobe.” Because SOCHOKAI with good reputation increased the audience, then it was announced that it will be held August 4 and 5 in the next year. So, this recital came to stay August regular Kabuki performance among the fan. She is a koto (a Japanese string) player. She usually wears kuro tomesode (black colored formal kimono) on the stage as a koto player, but when she behaves to the visitors as wife of Kasho she mainly wears light colored kimono which is suitable for her age. Her cool-looking in kimono gave a breath of fresh air in such hot day with hot stage.
Nakamura Kasho and Nakamura Tanenosuke showed both passion for the succession to the classic Kabuki performance and surely growth as Kabuki actors. The Photo exhibition of the brothers photographed by Yoshihito Sasaguchi, the photographer who does extremely well in taking the photo shoot of actresses, models and the cover of Kimono Salon magazine, will be held at Sony Imaging Gallery in Ginza Tokyo from September 1 through September 14. There are some precious pictures of the brothers in back stage and the special original movie. Please don’t miss it!
Photo Exhibition by Yoshihito Sasaguhi “Dreaming butterflies Nakamura Kasho・Tanenosuke
Place: Sony Imaging Gallery
Date: September 1 through September 14, 2017
Time: 11:00-19:00
Address: 6F Ginza place, 5-8-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061
Tel: 03-3571-7606
Admission: Free
