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This drama was written by Kimura Kinka based on a real vendetta. That vendetta was an unusual case, because the target of revenge was a tradesman and the revengers were samurai, bushi.

The vendetta was thought that one of the moral ways of the warriors class in the middle ages in Japan. The most famous example is called 'Chushingura' that was the vendetta of the 47 lord-less loyal retainers of Ako. If you need more information, please click above this.

This time, the play is directed by Noda Hideki who is a famous director of ordinary stage plays. It is a very rare case at Kabukiza Theater, because usually Kabuki doesn't have a director. Moreover, some people don't think him as an ordinary director. His fanatic fans are called 'Noda-believer'.

I hadn't seen this play before, and this was the first time for me. It might not be wrong to say that I haven't seen a real 'Togitatsu no Utare' yet. So please think that this essay is about its Noda-version only.

Kankuro, one of the leading Kabuki actors asked Noda to direct this play in order to be more interesting as an entertainment. I think that it was succeed. It is a really rare case.

Kankuro is a leading Kabuki actor, and he has great numbers fans. He didn't give me a special impression before, but I think that he is the most able actor to play a character as a miserable man. He plays as Tatsuji this time, and Tatsuji was a really miserable man.

I think that Tatsuji would have liked to live just happily. Then the 47 lord-less retainers' vendetta has happened. The vendetta was an unusual incident that happened at an usual day. It was an unnatural matter, and it gave the unnatural effect to people.

Hirai brothers had to go on the revenge-journey, because other retainers got excited of the vendetta. When Hirai brothers had known their father's death, they didn't think about the vendetta. They said just 'e?' then, and it means 'what?' or 'why?' in Japanese. Although it was the shortest word in this play, I think that its timing was the best. If Hirai brothers had missed the timing of the word, this play would have ruined.

When I write about Kabuki, I tend always to write my impression about its story. But this time, I would like to write about Kabuki actors. I think that I would like to give much applause to Somegoro and Kantaro who played Hirai brothers.

And Fukusuke showed very good performance. He played as a 'marvelous' wife of lord Awazu at scene-1. When the wife of the lord said 'marvelous', it made audiences laugh very much.

Fukusuke played as Oyoshi who is a daughter of the warrior's class from scene-2. Oyoshi looked rash, careless, thoughtless, but so lovely and cute. I think that everyone would forgive Oyoshi, even if she was so thoughtless. Oyoshi also made audiences laugh a lot. I would like to give much applause to Fukusuke.

I think that one of the key points of this play was spectators. Every Kabuki actor has been trained as a Kabuki actor since he was a child. They can play their best performance at every part of the play, even the most minor part. Sometimes I feel that minor actors are noisy at the ordinary stage plays. But I think that Kabuki actors know how to do the best as a minor part. I think that spectators made this play sophisticate more.

I liked the marionette the best this time. Kamezo performed it very well, and I would like to say that it was 'marvelous'. I would like to give a lot of kiss to the marionette.

Anyway, Kankuro and Noda directed this play very well. Some theatre critics might write that this play isn't Kabuki. But audiences were joying very much. If it was accepted by audiences, it must be a good Kabuki play. I think that Kankuro and Noda have won clear obviously. It was really interesting.

Although Kabuki doesn't have a curtain call usually, there was a curtain call this time.

Actually I think that it wasn't necessary.

(2001,8,18,sat)