ENGEKIKAI #9 (September) 2019: Cover and Contents

This issue—showing the cover of ENGEKAI (the kabuki periodical of record) for September (#9)—arrived late, which is why I’ve already posted the cover for #10. The present cover shows Ichikawa Ebizō in the character of the medicine seller whose profession is embedded in the play’s title, UIRŌURI. It’s famous as a tongue-twisting role from the Kabuki Jūhachiban collection of hit plays in the Danjūrō family. Ebizō, who played the part in July at the Kabuki-za, will become Ichikawa Danjūrō XIII next year. The issue’s main section, headlined on the cover under the title “Reiwa no Waka Bushatachi” (Young Warriors of the Reiwa Era), is about the cohort of adolescent kabuki actors between 12 and15 who will one day become stars. This includes Ichikawa Danko, Ichikawa Somegorō, Onoe Sakon, Ōtani Tatsuo, and Ichikawa Ukon. There’s also a section devoted to illustrations of Japanese hand towels (tenugui) autographed by kabuki stars. As usual, there are a number of interviews included, those noted being with actors Ichikawa Shichinosuke, Onoe Ukon, and Sawamura Kuniya. Reviews of July’s productions cover those at the Kabuki-za, the National Theatre (Kokuritsu Gekijō), Osaka’s Shōchiku-za, etc. Actor Matsumoto Kōshirō’s continuing series, “Kōshirō’s Thousand and One Nights,” is here, and, for a special treat, there’s an extended section of old, archival photos showing scenes from a wide variety of scary ghost plays.  

Photo: Sasayama Kishin.