Product Description
NTSC, Region Code All, English Commentary and booklet notes. 75 mins (main programme) + 23 minutes (special feature on 50 selected works of Kabuki). Black & White. Filmed January 1963.
Features some of the greatest actors who were in their pomp fifty years ago. Ichikawa Danjuro XI (1909-1965) died only three years after taking this prestigious name. He was one of the top talented tachiyaku (male role) actors of the Showa era. Nakamura Utaemon VI (1917-2001) was probably the leading onnagata at the time. Nakamura Kanzaburo XVII (1909-1988) was a renowned kaneru yakusha (able to play any role). Ichikawa Ennosuke II (Ichikawa En'o I 1888-1963) was a revolutionary figure, creating many new dances. He died a few months after the filming of this performance.
Yowa Nasake Ukina no Yokogushi (commonly called Kirare Yosa) was a Kabuki adaptation of a kodan (traditional storytelling tale) and is based on a true story. First performed in 1853, only three acts have survived, although only 2 scenes are often performed. It is a Sewamono, depicting the changes in the characters of Yasaburo and Otomi. In 'Misome' Otomi and Yoshaburo meet on Kisarazu beach. In 'Genjidana' Yosaburo looks completely different and meets Otomi three years later.
