○

×

"Kaka" is haiku name of Ennosuke who directs "Kaka Saiyuki". This story is well known as "Saiyuki". "Kaka" means clearly that Ennosuke directs it.

I thought that Ennosuke performed Songoku, when I heard he would direct the stage. But Ukon performed Songoku. When he appeared on the stage as Songoku, I was surprised and delighted very much. Because Ukon is young enough to do acrobatic performance.

Sometimes I wrote that I didn't like kabuki performance that he directed. I felt Ennosuke always directed himself, he didn't direct the stage. When the stage needed some acrobatic performances, it was an unreasonable request for Ennosuke. Then the acrobatic performances were done by young actors. But audiences had to applaud Ennosuke. I couldn't accept it before.

I think his direct is interesting. So I want to see actors who have enough skill on the stage. Youthfulness is not the most important factor, but I think important enough. This time, I really enjoyed "Kaka Saiyuki" that Ennosuke didn't appear on the stage.

Ennosuke presented "Sangokushi" that was a historical drama of China this year. He invited Chinese actors for the stage. Ukon and other actors learned Chinese traditional acrobat from them. It gives really good effect to Japanese Kabuki actors performing the Chinese drama "Saiyuki".

By the way, this drama is based in real trip of a Buddhism priest. In the days of Tang Dynasty (618-907) of China, a Chinese Buddhist priest Hsuan-chuang departed from China in 629. He crossed the Taklamakan desert, entered North India and returned to China in 645. He brought to China the highly treasured Buddhist sutras.

In Japan, he is well known as Sanzo Hoshi with his pupils. And this story well known as "Monkey Magic" to Westerners. Every media has presented Songoku a lot of times until today. I thought there is no method to direct the stage "Saiyuki", because Songoku is too popular. Ennosuke directs it with conservative method, but it really interested me very much.

I wish I could see the stage that youthfulness, modern, conservative, traditional and like those factors combine each other.

Is this essay in English? Can you read this?