A cypress stage for Kyogen artists living in the 21st century
Vol.7 What connects the children and me
Ozo doctrine (Noh performer Kyogen style Ozo school)
Mr. Hirata was my homeroom teacher when I was in the third grade of elementary school. After class ended early, he took everyone to the audio-visual room and told them a ``story candle.''
Close the curtains in your room and make it completely dark.
The story begins when you light a candle.
The teacher memorizes short stories and talks to each student while looking at each student's face.
That time was special to me.
Currently, the story of the kyogen ``Kakiyamabushi'' is included in sixth-grade elementary school textbooks. Thanks to this, I have more opportunities to visit schools and hold workshops.
The class is always held in small groups, so if there are more than 70 students in a grade, the class will be divided into two sessions. If I don't do that, I feel like I won't be able to connect with my children.
It's part of the class, but to be honest, I don't think it's necessary to learn what Kyogen is. It incorporates various elements of Kyogen, such as its comedic elements, moral values, richness of ideas, etiquette, exaggerated expressions, kimono, and the humanity of the performers, so any one of them will remain in the children's hearts. I hope you do, because that's what I think.
During the break, the children would make small talk and poke fun at me. When trying on a kimono, some children who have been quiet up until now may actively participate, and when it comes time to say their lines in Kyogen, some children come out in front of everyone and try it out loud.
One of the best parts of the workshop is being able to see such "chemical reactions."
We have been conducting these activities for about seven years, and earlier this year we received a very happy report from the principal of the school where we conducted the activities. The students who took the workshop wrote about the day in their graduation collections under the heading ``My Miraculous Kyogen Experience.'' The message was about feeling fascinated by Kyogen, valuing the culture that has been passed down over a long period of time, and wanting to make use of it in your personal life.
There are also other schools that have sent us videos of their children performing the Kyogen play ``Kakiyamabushi'', and we are feeling the joy that all of our hard work has paid off, as we have seen the fruits of our labor over several years. .
At the end of the workshop, Professor Hirata will give a talk.
It's because of Mr. Hirata that I can enjoy the workshop. When the children grow up, I would be very happy if they could remember the time they had with us and use the ``something'' they felt there.
I hope that the future of our children will always be bright.
