ところで、自分の"色"を際立たせる技は、お芝居を観る側の私たちにとっても、頭に入れておくべき事項。 明治座をはじめ、歌舞伎座、国立劇場など歌舞伎の上演される劇場は、椅子や絨毯の色が華やかな朱色系のところが多いので、 劇場内では濃い朱色、赤系のきものが意外に映えません。
これからの季節の歌舞伎観劇におすすめしたいのは、淡い色、薄い色、きれい色。現在発売中の『きものSalon 2016春夏号』でも「きれい色の春きもの」を特集していますが 観劇に限らず、ホテルでのパーティやレストランでの会食などの際のきもの選びには、 役者さんが舞台効果を考えて化粧や衣裳に工夫をこらしてきたように、 ぜひ、背景ときものの色のバランスに気を配ることをおすすめします。 
●「明治座」公式サイトURL：http://www.meijiza.co.jp/
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/ Go to the theatre in Kimonos Vol.4
"ONNA GOROSHI ABURA NO JIGOKU"(The Woman Killer and the Hell of Oil) April Kabuki at the Meijiza Theater in matinee Three young popular Kabuki actors, Onoue Kikunosuke, Nakamura Kankuro, and Nakamura Shichinosuke are playing their role for the first time together at the Meijiza Theatre this month, so it is the challenging and exciting performance! This is "ONNA GOROSHI ABURA NO JIGOKU," the play where three actors are together on the stage. "ONNA GOROSHI ABURA NO JIGOKU," written by the great playwright Monzaemon Chikamatsu, was staged as a Ningyo Jyoruri (puppet show) in 1721 and was performed as the Kabuki play too. After that, the performance was stopped until the last half of the Meiji period. We can find the reality of the story today too. The main character, Yohei, was the son of Oil store and rude under the complicated family situation. He roughed up his stepfather, younger sister, and mother and left the home. Onoue Kikunosuke played the role of Yohei as prodigal and also expressed the young man's mentally unbalance. So we will understand why Yohei was so rough. His parents spoiled him so their behavior toward the son irritated us. But we actually see such a kind of parents nowadays. Yohei was in trouble. Since the due date of the loan was coming soon, but he did not have enough money. Then he asked Okichi, the wife of another Oil seller, to lend him some money. Okichi, Nakamura Shichinosuke plays the role of, was a generous older woman and always paid attentions to Yohei, so he depended on her just like an elder sister. Then the murder happened! Okichi denied Yohei's demands for the money in despite of his many times requesting, so he took out his sword and tried to kill her. Okichi desperately tried to escape from him and Yohei followed her to the death in the spilled oil on the floor in the shop. The audience will forget to breath in watching this scene. It is the white faces of Yohei and Okichi that made the scene strongly impressive. "Shironuri" the Kabuki make-up was the attempt, which made the audiences to concentrate the actor's face in the dimly lit theater in the old days. The significantly white faces in the frightful murder scene will leave the audiences terror and beauty. By the way, we should learn the skill to stand out in the color of the kimono. The Meijiza Theater, the Kabukiza Theatre, and the National Theatre are installed the deep orange-red colored chairs. If you were in the red kimono, your color is not outstanding there. We would like to suggest picking up the light color kimonos for going to the theatres. "Kimono Salon" spring and summer edition, now on sale, has the featured column of "beautiful colored spring kimono". When you go to the theatre, party at the hotel, and lunch or dinner at the restaurant, please pay attention to the balance the color of the background and the color of your kimono. Just like as the Kabuki actors think about the effect of their costumes and make-ups.
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.
https://www.instagram.com/bettyoko.kbk/ 
