The Spider

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The Spider

June 1881, Tokyo

This show is based on the ancient Noh play of the same name, which was in turn taken from the 13th-century epic The Tale of Heike. Onoe Kikugoro V created the Kabuki adaptation on the occasion of the 33rd memorial service of his grandfather to create a counterpart to the Ichikawa family’s signature Kanjincho. Following a revival in 1887, it was adopted as one of the Onoe family’s “Ten New Classic Plays”. The simple setting with a lone pine tree, the costumes and other aspects recall the austerity of the Noh piece. However, the maid’s dance and the monk’s story about his journey are pure Kabuki inventions that now stand among the show’s highlights. There are also numerous actions suggesting the evil spirit of the spider, such as the creepy appearance of the priest from the hanamichi, his animal-like mie pose with the prayer beads, and, most beautifully, the casting of the spider’s web across the stage. The piece is now part of the established repertory of the Onoe family. Performers in other households, including the current Nakamura Kichiemon II (related to the Onoes by marriage) and Nakamura Kankuro VI, have also won acclaim in the role.

●main graphic Chichu, actually Spider Spirit（Onoe Kikugoro）　June 2013　Kabukiza Theatre

●publication date　December 2016