コンテンツにスキップ

A female college student is going! ~Female Gidayu Takemoto Komanosuke performance in KAAT~

女子大生が行く!~ 女流義太夫 竹本駒之助公演 in KAAT~

Hello everyone!
The days are still cold, but this is the first Magcal report in a while!
This time, the performance was performed at KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theater by two female university students, Takiko Izumi and Juri Fukushima.
KAAT Takemoto Komanosuke's second performance "Taiheiki Loyal Subject Commentary" 7th stage "Shoki no Dan"
We received a report.
This time, based on the suggestions of the two of us, we have created a report in the form of a conversation.
Please take a look at the interview report, which contains the honest impressions of the two men, who said it was their first time seeing classical performing arts up close.
 
□KAAT Takemoto Komanosuke's second performance "Taiheiki Loyal Subject Commentary" 7th stage "Shoki no Dan"
 
32341_1
 
 
Fukushima : Mr. Izumi, why did you decide to attend this “KAAT Takemoto Komanosuke Performance”?
 
Izumi : I like musicals, but at university I studied business administration, which is completely unrelated, and my hobby is going to theater. I don't have a chance to see classical performing arts,
I had always been interested in seeing what it was like. I went to this performance because the ticket price was reasonable. What about Fukushima?
 
Fukushima : I often go to see musicals and plays, but when I heard about classical performing arts, I had the impression that it was far away from me.
However, recently I have become interested in Kabuki, and as I watched it, I realized that Kabuki was a popular entertainment during the Edo period, and that people back then would have cried and laughed while watching it.
It became easier to relate to them...even though the Edo period was a long time ago, I felt like they were close to me.
I became interested when I learned that the female gidayu in this article was also popular and idol-like in the past. Izumi-san, did you actually watch it and find it different from what you had imagined?
 
Izumi : When I first heard Gidayu without knowing what it was all about, I was overwhelmed...it was so powerful and I was so surprised.
This time I was closer to the stage, so I was able to feel Tayu-san up close and enter the world of the story.
The attitude of listening to the story came naturally to me. I wonder if I was able to enjoy this time in many ways.
 
Fukushima : I had the impression that Gidayu was just a reading drama where people just read the script, but it was different from what I had imagined!
It's still reading, but in a rhythmic flow...
 
Izumi : It's a play itself. I'm just sitting and talking, but the scene comes to mind! I thought I had created a complete worldview.
 
Fukushima : This time, Komanosuke played eight roles by himself, including the narrator, from a nursing baby to an old man.
There was a flow that didn't make you feel like you were playing eight roles, and the way the story progressed had a nice rhythm to it.
 
Izumi : Each voice has a different expression, so it was very easy to grasp that ``this person is speaking'' and ``this is the kind of conversation''.
 
Fukushima : My impression was that the shamisen would be played sparingly, with a role like background music, but
Hisashi Tsuga's shamisen seemed to stand alone as a performance. I think there are other ways to enjoy just listening to the shamisen.
 
Izumi : That's right. However, the timing of shamisen players Hisashi Tsuga and Komanosuke is amazing.
 
Fukushima : I agree completely. The whole story gradually builds up, and the sound rings out at the perfect timing!
I had the impression that the sound of the shamisen was simple, but it can produce a variety of sounds, and when played vigorously, I was overwhelmed by its power.
 
Izumi : The way you coordinate your breathing is perfect. Komanosuke is the one who will be exposed to the media, but I want people to enjoy the sound of the shamisen as well.
 
Fukushima : Also, when you see Komanosuke-san in videos online , you get the impression that she's a soft and gentle person, like the kind and gentle grandmother from your neighborhood, right?
 
Izumi : Yeah, I thought he was a really easy person to get along with. However, the expression on his face when he stood on stage was completely different from what I had imagined...
The powerful gap when he was talking was amazing! You won't know unless you watch it, so please watch it! (lol)
 
komanosuke
©KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theater
 
Fukushima : If you watch the video before going to the theater and then watch Komanosuke's performance, you will be surprised at the gap between the two, and you will be able to appreciate Komanosuke's charm even more.
 
Izumi : ``Takemoto Komanosuke: A Chronicle of Female Gidayu'' was also posted on the website and I read it...Gidayu has no connection to our lives at all, so it's a different world, right?
It was exciting to learn about the life of someone who has no connection to me.
 
Fukushima : Knowing that ``this kind of life exists in a place that I don't know about'' was in itself interesting, like watching a taiga drama.
 
Izumi : It's interesting that we live in the same era. Knowing Komanosuke's roots will change the way you look at the stage.
I once again realized that people who have had experience since childhood are different after all.
 
Fukushima : This program was a story about a family surrounding the attack on Chushingura, so it was easy for students like us to imagine it just by hearing the keyword "Chushingura."
I was able to get into the story. I was also interested in the story of how each family member has something hidden from someone.
 
Izumi : Also, the story itself is a tragedy in which the main character, Jutaro, kills his son to avenge his lord, and his wife also commits suicide.
I thought that the characters other than the main character also had their own stories, which added depth to the story.
It makes me think about the life of Orie, the wife who turns into a prostitute to support her family, as a woman like her, and the scenes where she kills her own child for her own aspirations.
It was impressive because it was so far removed from our current sensibilities. The tone of the story was surprisingly easy to understand...I was glad that I was able to catch each and every word.
 
Fukushima : Also, this performance was on a special stage, which I think created a space that made it easy to get into the story.
I felt that the closeness of the stage and audience seats created a sense of unity. It was a very comfortable space.
 
stage
©KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theater
 
Izumi : Yeah. As expected, I was drawn into the story because they were so close together, and I could feel the power of the two of them.
 
Fukushima : I think it's a valuable experience to be able to feel things like breathing. You could even see the movements in Komanosuke's face and the changes in his muscles.
There was a lot of fun in paying attention to their facial expressions, watching their movements, and not just listening to the story.
 
Izumi : I thought it was amazing how each character's feelings could be conveyed through changes in their faces. Even though one person is watching and speaking from the same script, they are creating the world of eight people.
I think it was because they were so close that I could feel the change in their expressions.
 
Fukushima : It was a very simple stage with no wasted space, but I thought it was a tasteful modern space that skillfully blended modern elements with the classic parts of a Noh stage.
I think that special stage is worth seeing.
 

 
Izumi : Also, don't you think it's difficult for us students to get into classical performing arts? With a formal image.
 
Fukushima : That's right. You start to wonder, "What should I wear?" and "How should I behave?"
 
Izumi : On that point, KAAT is a theater that also performs musicals and plays, so it was easy to come see.
 
Fukushima : I didn't have to prepare, or rather, I was able to go with a casual attitude.
Also, since we are under 24 years old, we were able to attend this performance for only 2,000 yen, and being able to just drop by KAAT and experience classical performing arts is something special.
(*Discounts for those under 24 years old vary depending on the performance.)
 
Izumi : Really! I'm sure college students don't know that you can see a performance like this at this price, but I can definitely say it's worth seeing!
 
Fukushima : Most of the customers were elderly, and there were probably many repeat customers, but I think even beginners like us would be able to absorb a lot of things and come back.
 
Izumi : When we saw it, about half of the audience were listening to Gidayu for the first time, and it was nice to have an explanation for them.
 
Fukushima : Even if the synopsis is written in the program, you don't really read it carefully and prepare for it, right?
Whether you can get into the story or not is completely different depending on whether you listen to the commentary and watch it or not.
 
Izumi : I felt it when I saw it at KAAT this time, but it's a little sad that people of my generation don't come to see it that often.
I think most of the people were elderly.
 
Fukushima : Since you are living in Japan, I hope you can experience at least one of the traditional Japanese performing arts and feel something.
 
Izumi : Being in that space is special, so it's definitely something you should see.
 
Fukushima : I think it's cool to have listened to Gidayu in your 20s.
 
Izumi : ``I've listened to Gidayu.'' That's wonderful.
 
Fukushima : In the future, I think there will be many situations where I will talk to older people even after I enter society.
I think just by saying, ``I've listened to Gidayu,'' the other person will have a different impression of us.
 
Izumi : I think people who like musicals like us will also enjoy it.
 
Fukushima : I think most people are wondering, "What is Gidayu?", but it's not that different from a musical!
It's a musical in that it has songs and words, and the story progresses to the sound of a shamisen, and it's a play in its own right because one person plays multiple roles.
 
Izumi : That’s true! I really want you to feel Komanosuke's passion for yourself. There are less than 30 people in Japan who are female gidayu, right?
I think it's a very valuable experience to be able to see the performances of living national treasures.
 
Fukushima : I think you should see it at least once in your life, and I think there are people who will get hooked after seeing this performance. I also wanted to go to the third edition in October.
 
Izumi : I'm planning to go in October too! (lol) You will be able to see a performance by a female gidayu up close, which you don't often get a chance to see!
Opportunities like this are rare, so you should definitely watch it while you're still a college student! Let's all become wonderful adults by listening to Gidayu!
 
 
<Writer profile>
□Takiko Izumi
Tokyo University of Science, Faculty of Business Administration
2nd year policy major
I mainly like watching musicals such as Takarazuka and Shiki.
 
□Fukushima Juri
Ferris University
3rd year, Department of Communication, Faculty of Letters
I love being on stage and watching.