Kojiro (Matsumoto Koshiro, left) struggles with a kappa (Nakamura Kansei, right) in a river over a leather purse filled with coins.
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The Osaka Shochikuza Theatre in Osaka is set to close after its May performances due to the building's deterioration. To mark the occasion, the historic venue has launched a final two-month run of consecutive kabuki performances as a farewell celebration.
The current program, "Farewell April Grand Kabuki," runs through April 26 and features comedies and dance pieces featuring a range of colorful characters.
Program Highlights
The daytime program opens with "Keyamura," a classic gidayu-kyogen play, starring Shido Nakamura in the lead role of Rokusuke, a master martial artist.
Also on the bill is "Yugiri Nagori no Shogatsu," a performance commemorating the seventh anniversary of the death of Sakata Tojuro IV, who passed away in 2020. His grandsons, Nakamura Kazutaro and Nakamura Toranosuke, perform graceful dances in his memory.
The comedy "Oatari Fushimi no Tomikuji" features an eccentric cast of characters, including a kappa (mythical river creature) and a cat. Matsumoto Koshiro X plays Kojiro, a scrap-paper dealer, while Nakamura Ganjiro IV takes on the role of the heroine Nioteru Tayu, the two trading humorous exchanges on stage.
The evening program includes "Terakoya," from one of kabuki's three great masterpieces, Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami, alongside the dance piece "Gojo Bridge," which depicts the legendary first meeting between Benkei and the samurai Minamoto no Yoshitsune.
The farewell season continues with the "Farewell May Grand Kabuki," running from May 2 to 26.
The theater's operator Shochiku has reached an agreement with Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City to preserve Shochikuza's functions in some form. The venue will temporarily close following the May performances, after which more concrete plans are expected to be announced.
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Author: Miyako Nagumo, The Sankei Shimbun
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