KYOGEN & Lov- LeCinq No. 9

[kyanited]

I've been meaning to do this for a looooooong time now. The post is long, but there is a cut somewhere, if you read look carefully. It's probably one of those posts that take hours to prepare and no one cares. Oh well. I want to do this. I need to do this.
The original plan many months ago was to post it on the main comm, but I'm not so sure anymore. So I'll just post it here. Big pictures are friends-only.
You see, there are different kinds of traditional theater in Japan, and I'm no expert of them and was never particularly interested before I found out that Mami took part in one of the special lessons/recitals.
Besides Kabuki with it's *cough* changeful history, there is also Noh. (Lengthy Wikipedia Article Here). Basically some sort of traditional japanese theater that is much older than Kabuki and said to be the oldest traditional form of japanese theater. Noh are performed with specials masks (see article) and on a special stage (see article), on which also Kyogen are performed, the comical little brothers of noh plays. If I got it right, kyogen were traditionally performed between noh to avoid massive /wrist's in the audience (noh are sad/serious plays).
(I realize this is like the revue part of Takarazuka performances. XD)

The main character of a kyogen play is a witty servant named Taro Kaja. The butt of his jokes is usually his master. And sometimes Taro has a complice named Jiro Kaja. Reading about Taro Kaja and his stories I'm reminded of popular folklore characters like Nasreddin, Eulenspiegel or Hershele.

I only know of one explicitly advertised noh performance in Takarazuka, that was the 1990's Matsumoto Yuri Recital. Noh are traditionally only performed by men, so I think this is a rather curious instance. (I'd also be interested in knowing if there were masks involved.) The same goes for kyogen, BUT. BUT BUT BUT.

There are several different schools in which noh and kyogen are taught and the tradition, techniques and scripts are handed down in families. One of the largest and most well-known families is the Shigeyama family, and Shigeyama Chuuzaburou started teaching kyogen to Takarasiennes in 1980.

In the 1990's they started to have "Kyogen no Kai Bow Hall Recitals" every 4 years with mostly otokoyaku ('men' ;)) from one troupe (1991: Star, 1995: Moon, 1999: Flower), lead by the sanbante (Mariko, Mami, Charlie). And Suzuka Teru was Shigeyama-sensei's assistent. :D Most prominent 'girl' to take part was Ootori Rei, who played the Master in the 7th/last play, "Snail", at the side of Takumi Hibiki. :D
(In each recital, 7 kyogen were performed.)

I have the programs for the first and second recital, but they have no pictures. And I have pictures of the third recital, but no program...~ :(

And for all who made it this far: the reason for the this post is HANAGUMI PICSPAM. Yays. For an idea what the short plays are about, I tried to summarize them on the respective wiki pages, but the one you need now is the Hanagumi one. :D



(Click for bigger, unmarked versions)

1. "Pins and Needles"
     morning cast: Misuzu Aki & Renjou Runa



afternoon cast: Aine Harei & Shima Arata



2. "The Fan of Felicity
     Mizu Natsuki, Masaki Kazusa



Mizu Natsuki, Mayazuki Kou



3. "Two in one Hamaka"
     Ayabuki Mao, Sena Jun, Kazeo Ibuki, Masaoka Nao



Ayabuki Mao, Sena Jun



4. "The Mimic"
     Saki Nozomi, Ouka Reiya, Ayukawa Natsuki



5. "Sword Stealing"
     Suzuka Teru, Matake Suguru, Yuuma Rin



6. "Two Deliver One Letter"
     Ranju Tomu, Sou Kazuho, Mihiro Seisa



7. "The Snail"
     Takumi Hibiki Ootori Rei Asazono Miki



Any corrections or additions are welcome, of course. :)

All pictures are from Le Cinq #9, which is highly recommendable as it features:

1. Second Matsumoto Yuri Bow Hall Recital. WITH TAMO AND MAMI *cough* my applogies to certain royalty. Mieko-sama is featured on several full pages in this Le Cinq and is a truly impressive vision even in mere photographs.
2. Third Kyogen no Kai Recital.
3. 40th(?) Buyoukai. With full-page picture of Ishii-sama.
4. Utakata no Koi / Bravo! Takarazuka XD XD XD <3
5. EPIPHANY - Ayaki Nao Bow Hall lead
6. The Man Called Bacchus - HAMAKO's shinko lead <3 She looks so shiny and awesome.
7. Say It Again - Komu & Naru classmate doublelead squee.
8. Icarus. Chubby Touko. XD
9. Various Dinner Shows (Tom, Minoru Kou, Shiokaze Kou) and a concert (Ban Akira)
   

Not so much luck with the respective Foursome of 1995 (#130). Only two tiny pictures of the kyogen recital and three tiny pictures of the buyoukai.
Links:
Kyogen in English (Script of "The Mimic")
Nipponia Special Feature: Kyogen
Dwarf Potted Trees in Kyogen XD
Traditional Japanese theater (Google Books, complete script of "The Snail" and "Delicious Poison")