Kabuki Woogie is devoted to a variety of kabuki-related subjects. It began with a
series of essays, including photos and videos, of a research trip to Japan in
2010, subsequently added my 25-chapter history of the first Kabuki-za, and then
began a series on Japanese books about kabuki from my collection. It also posts
the monthly covers of Engekikai, the kabuki magazine
of record. It will soon add occasional essays by guest contributors based on
papers they delivered at conferences and symposiums. One can poke around in its
archives to find all of these past posts.
The cover for ENGEKIKAI, the kabuki magazine of record, for
July (#7) 2019, shows Onoe Kikunosuke as Benkei, and his son, Onoe Ushinosuke
VII, making his stage debut as Minamoto Ushiwakamaru, in EHON USHIWAKAMARU,
performed at the Kabuki-za in May 2019. The issue’s main contents, headlined on
the cover, is about kabuki depictions of characters considered fūunji (lucky
adventurers or soldiers of fortune). The issue also looks at the debut of young
Ushiwakamaru. There’s an interview with Ichikawa Emiya, and a discussion with playwright
Mitani Kōki and the actors Matsumoto Kōshirō, Ichikawa Ennosuke, and Bandō
Ainosuke about the production of Mitani’s new play, TSUKIAKARI MEZASU FURUSATO,
based on the manga FUUNJI TACHI (The Lucky Adventurers). Another article is an
interview with actor Bandō Minosuke about the manga kabuki play NARUTO, produced
at Kyoto’s Minami-za. One other item listed is an interview with Matsumoto
Hakuhō.
