一転、七段目の幕が開くと、そこは華やかな祇園の一力茶屋。 大星由良之助は、敵の目をくらますため、祇園で遊興三昧の日々を送っています。 そこに、御台所から手紙が届きます。 由良之助が読む密書を、床下では敵のスパイとなった九太夫が、二階からは遊女となったおかるが盗み見する場面は、歌舞伎の舞台装置の面白さが存分に生かされた演出です。
写真提供／国立劇場この一力茶屋で、おかるは兄の平右衛門から、父も、そして最愛の勘平も死んでしまったことを知らされるのですが、最後は、おかるが九太夫を刺すことで手柄を立て、平右衛門も討ち入りに加わることを許されて、幕になります。 遊び人を演じ酔ったふりをしている由良之助が、時折、正気に戻って見せるリーダーとしての表情。中村吉右衛門さんが、そのめりはりを見事に演じられていて、見応えのある一幕でした。 ところで、この「七段目 一力茶屋の場」で、おかるが密書を盗み見ていたことが由良之助にわかってしまうのは、髪にさしていた珊瑚玉のかんざしを落とすことから。 実は、かんざしには、二階の窓から美しく身をそらすタイミングで、ぽとりと地面に落ちるよう、仕掛けが施されているのだそうです。 昨今は環境汚染や乱獲で、珊瑚の希少性はますます高まっていますが、 今も私たちがきものを着る時に髪に飾るアイテムが、お芝居の中でどのような役割を果たすのか、ぜひご注目ください。 当代一の“勘平役者”尾上菊五郎さんによる五段目、六段目と、 当代一の“由良之助役者”中村吉右衛門さんによる七段目。 国立劇場の創立50周年にふさわしい大舞台ですので、お見逃しなく。
Bettyokoジュエリージャーナリストとして活躍する傍ら、歌舞伎、文楽、バレエをはじめ観劇ライフを満喫中のBettyと、米国・ヒューストンでの生活経験を生かし、日本文化を海外に伝える活動をしているYokoによるユニット。
https://www.instagram.com/bettyoko.kbk/ Bettyoko's Kimono Diary
Go to the Theatre in Kimonos Vol.17
The full-length play of the KANADEHON CHUSHINGURA(The Treasury of Loyal Retainers) II At the National Theatre The full-length play of the KANADEHON CHUSHINGURA(The Treasury of Loyal Retainers) II is now playing at the National Theatre as the memorial performance of the 50th anniversary of the theatre during October, November and December. The three most popular Acts of the all 11 Acts are performing this month. It started with MICHIYUKI Dance Travel Scene performance. In ActⅢ, which played last month, Okaru (a lady-in-waiting) and Kanpei (a retainer) neglected their duty for their romantic love during their lord caused an incident in the Shogun's palace. They decided to tentatively escape to Okaru's parents' house. It is the Dance performance that shows their traveling to her parents' house. The traveling of the handsome man and beautiful woman in a tranquil sight seemed a momentary peace before the following tragedy. Act V and Act VI is following Kanpei was living with Okaru and her parents as a hunter and he needed a war fund in order to join the vendetta for his former lord. Okaru and her parents decided to raise the money to reinstate Kanpei as a samurai by selling Okaru to the brothel in Gion. One day Kanpei shoot a wild boar in hunting, but it was not a boar.... Unfortunately some accidents continuously happened, Kanpei had to commit ritual suicide. Onoe Kikugoro played the role of Kanpei and he completely expressed Kanpei's anguish and eagerness to join the vendetta. I felt the pathos of him. In Act VII as the curtain was opened, the stage changed to the sets of gorgeous pleasure house, Ichiriki-Chaya in Gion. Oboshi Yuranosuke, the main character, spent days with pretending to be a playboy in order to hide his secret plot there. Then his son brought a secret letter from the widow of his former lord. During Yuranosuke read the secret letter, Kudayu, who became a spy of the enemy, tried to read the letter from under floor. On the other side Okaru, who became courtesan in Gion, also tried to read the letter from the second floor. The specific Kabuki stage sets enable the staging to make the scene special and interesting. In this scene, Okaru heard that her father and beloved husband were dead from her brother, Heiemon. At the end she killed the Kudayu, the spy of the enemy, and she got a credit. Then her brother, Heiemon was allowed to join the vendetta. Nakamura Kichiemon completely performed the difference between a drunken playboy and a leader of the retainers, and it made this Act so impressed. I admired his excellent expressivity. In Act VII, the reason why Yuranosuke noticed that Okaru tried to read the letter he was reading was that she dropped her coral kanzashi hairpin and made a sound. There was a device to drop off the hairpin in the timing of the Okaru beautifully stretched her back from the balcony of the second floor. Lately the scarcity of the coral is increasing because of environmental contamination and overhunt. Please pay attention on how the hair item with which we also wear kimonos in modern days, work in the play. The best performer of the role of Kanpei, Onoe Kikugoro plays in Act V and VI. The best performer of the role of Yuranosuke, Nakamura Kichiemon plays in Act VII. This great performance is the perfect program as the 50th anniversary of the National Theatre, so don't miss it!
The unit of Betty and YokoBetty; jewelry journalist, enjoys watching stages of Kabuki, Bunraku, Balllet, and so on. Yoko; lived in the U.S.A for 10 years. Loves to introduce Japanese culture to abroad.
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