Yesterday I went
to see Kabuki performance. It was my first experience and it was way better
than I expected. Usually it costs around 15000 yen for a ticket but it was the
special performance day for kids for free. My friend who has many connections
to Kabuki society invited me to this wonderful event.
The title was “RENJISHI”
（連獅子）. The story is about father
and his son. There was a hill on the mountain, and it was known for the place to
test the child. If child could climb up the hill, he has real brave heart. This
custom was originated from the old legend of Singh in this story. So father
pushed him down to the bottom of the hill. After son is gone, father couldn’t
stay calm worrying about his son. Despite all his concern, son climbed up the
hill alive. They hugged and danced hard to share the happiness for a long
time. Here, strange thing happen. They
are possessed by the spirit of the Singh while they were dancing.
Then, next scene
comes with two old men who believe different religious. This scene is a
contradiction of first scene which had almost no lines and funny situation, two
men battles over their religious in a funny way and it makes us laugh. They
became company to pass the hill together because of the legend that tells Singh
will appear and get you. On the way to the hill, suddenly they hear the weepy
sound of the wind.
Then, last scene comes with father and the son
who became the spirit of the Singh. The costume and their hair is completely
different and it looks real Singh. Long long hair that reaches their feet. They
sake their head to show the madness with that long hair, it is the high spot of
this performance.
It seems that
second part is not that important to this performance, but it is. The second
part makes time for actors of father and son to re-make up and change their costume.
Also gives the audience to refresh the dark moment of first scene. The performance starts suddenly without any
explanation of the background story, so I recommend to get some info before you
watch. You don’t have to know all the detail but just the situation, for
instance who is the character and the rough story line. I wouldn’t find out
that two main characters were father and son if I didn’t read the commentary. I
would thought they were couple, because son had a red hair and father had white
hair. One
important point to see Kabuki, female can’t be on the stage on Kabuki theatre.
So it is common to act female by male actor.
The
performing time was about an hour. I thought it will be longer but according to
my friend, the running time is different on each title. “RENJISHI” is great title for whom goes to
Kabuki first time. The new theatre for Kabuki（GINZA KABUKIZA） is open next April!!
※一番上のパンフレットの画像は中村屋のものですが、私が見に行ったのは音羽屋さんの公演でした。
