Overview
| Title | Kokusenya Gassen (The Battles of Koxinga) |
|---|---|
| Writer | Chikamatsu Monzaemon |
| Premiere |
Bunraku: 1715, Osaka |
| Overview |
The original Bunraku puppet play in Osaka in 1715 proved a blockbuster hit, enjoying a three-year run. The Kabuki version the next year competed with itself in several simultaneous productions in Kyoto and Osaka. This is regarded as one of the greatest works by Japan’s greatest playwright. The puppet version has five acts, but Kabuki performances now rarely perform scenes other than Acts II and III. During the Edo Era, when the nation was closed to foreign countries, the story was an unusually large-scale piece set overseas, where a hero of Chinese and Japanese descent raises soldiers to resurrect a Chinese dynasty. The stage is full of exotic elements, but the appeal to Japanese lies in the loyalty and compassion of the hero. It remains a frequently performed show.
●main graphic ［from left］Watonai（Onoe Shoroku）、Nagisa（Kataoka Hidetaro）、Kinshojo（Nakamura Shibajaku）、Roikkan（Nakamura Karoku） October 2012 Shimbashi Enbujo Theatre
●publication date June 2016 |
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