Sukeroku, Flower of Edo
By Shay • Mar 8th, 2006 • Category: Japan, Opinion, art, historyI recently took up a more substanstial interest into Kabuki. I am actually interested in all the major Japanese play types, Noh, Bunraku, & Kyogen. But Kabuki strikes me as particularly intruiging. The hanamichi, mie, kata dances, and kumadori make up…so cool.
Specifically, I’ve been interested in a particular Kabuki play. The play is titled “Sukeroku, Flower of Edo”.
“Sukeroku, Flower of Edo” is about a handsome man (Soga no Goro, a popular character in disguise) and his quest to find the man who murdered his father. He is particularly looking to recognize the man’s sword. Sukeroku is quite popular with many courtesans, particularly the woman, Agemaki. Later, an older man named Ikyu tries to solicit Agemaki’s services. The story goes on and when Sukeroku forces Ikyu to draw his sword, he recognizes Ikyu’s sword as the one that his father fell to. Supposedly, this is where the story usually abruptly ends.
This summary is merely how I understand it too be after reading much about it. Now, the next thing to do is actually see it. Yeah, that’d be great for sure. When I go to Japan, I’d love to watch a Kabuki play, specifically “Sukeroku”.
Shay is hanging out with a soccer-playing buffalo.
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They had a great Noh theater play here in Copenhagen last year, celebrating the 200th anniversary of HC Andersen, featuring a Japonized version of his stories. That was really interesting, and hopefully I’ll get to see some Kabuki and Bunraku too when I head over to Japan.
WOW Anders, Copenhagen sounds like a great place! Noh plays? Ozu film festivals? When can I go there? :P
I think I might just be completely childish for this, and I know it, but I can’t watch a Noh play without snickering at least a few times, even when it isn’t meant to be funny. I consider kabuki a successful graduation of the artform.
Central Illinois doesn’t have the biggest culture center though… Although, we do have “Japan House” which is a Japanes style house and garden (small garden) where they host tea ceremony and other such things, but then they started allowing chairs at the tea ceremony because people didn’t want to sit in seiza. Americans can ruin just about anything.
Hehe, end of the month, another film festival is coming up, this time featuring movies like Otaku in Love, Takeshis, Innocence and Hana & Alice. Really looking forward to it!
hi … I am actually studying theatre as a subject in grade 12 … one of my major assignments this year is to do a detailed research on kabuki theatre make - up … with reference to Sukeroku … if you have any information on this will you please forward it to me … i will really appreciate it … thank you …
my e - mail address is sanaa_jhurani@hotmail.com