Sesshu Gappo ga Tsuji (Gappo and His Daughter Tsuji)

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Sesshu Gappo ga Tsuji (Gappo and His Daughter Tsuji)

Bunraku: February 1773, Osaka

Kabuki: June 1835, Kyoto

A two-act period piece. An Indian tale of 250 BC tells of a prince who loses his sight because of his mother’s incestuous love, only regaining his vision after a period of exile. This tale also inspired the Noh play Yoroboshi (The Blind Monk), the sermon “Aigo no Waka” and other works. Sesshu Gappo ga Tsuji was crafted from several of these prior works. The original puppet version in 1773 was not brought to the Kabuki stage until 1835 in Kyoto, and then only the single scene “Gappo Anshitsu”.
After the start of the modernist Meiji Era in the mid 19th century, Bando Shucho II, Nakamura Utaemon V and Onoe Baiko VI were all known for their depictions of Tamate Gozen in this Kabuki work. Especially famous was Nakamura Baigyoku III, who moved from Osaka to Tokyo in the late 1940s. Later, Nakamura Utaemon VI and Onoe Baiko VII each created memorable interpretations based on their particular talents.
It was not until June 1968 at the National Theater that the play was performed in its entirety in Kabuki, 195 years after the original puppet show.
The situation in which a young woman falls in love with her beautiful stepson is also found in Racine’s tragedy Phèdre in 1677.

●main graphic ［from left］Princess Asaka（Onoe Ukon）、Tamate Gozen（Onoe Kikunosuke）、Shuntokumaru（Nakamura Baishi）　May 2015　Kabukiza Theatre

●publication date　 April 2016