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| The late Nakamura Kichiemon II as Ichijō Ōkura Nagashige in Ichijō Ōkura no Monogatari. Photo: Shinoyama Kishin. |
Here, as promised, is the cover for the penultimate issue of
the great monthly kabuki magazine, ENGEKIKAI, which has preserved kabuki
history in text and image since early in the 20th century, when it
began as ENGEI GAHŌ. This is vol. 3 (March 2022), recording the productions of
January, as seen in the lower right headline covering shows at four kabuki theatres:
Tokyo’s Kabuki-za, Kokuritsu Gekijō, and Shinbashi Enbujō, and Ōsaka’s Shōchiku-za.
But, as the cover photo signifies, the issue’s major contribution is its
memorialization of Nakamura Kichiemon II, one of the greatest modern stars, from the
1960s until his death in November of last year. Designated a Living National
Treasure, he was the son of Matsumoto Hakuō (previously Matsumoto Kōshirō VIII),
a giant of postwar kabuki, and the brother of the still active star, Matsumoto
Hakuō II (previously Kōshirō II). The cover shows him in the role of Ichijō
Ōkura Nagashige in Ichijō Ōkura no
Monogatari.
Among other items in the issue is the most recent in
Matsumoto Kōshirō X’s backstage series, “One Thousand and One Nights.”
Coming soon: the final issue of ENGEKIKAI.
