The Revenge of the 47 Loyal Samurai
English Kabuki production on YouTube, now fully captioned.
[photos: Hangan’s seppuku (Act IV); the secret letter at Ichiriki Tea House (Act VI)]
The Revenge of the 47 Loyal Samurai (1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mdOmTtxwZ4&t=3743s
The Revenge of the 47 Loyal Samurai (2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxQ_f3dQvzc
Friends and Colleagues,
Portland State University just reposted on YouTube our 2016 English Kabuki production of Chûshingura (The Revenge of the 47 Loyal Samurai). This is a fully realized 3-hour production of the epic story of Japan’s most celebrated revenge.
I directed a cast of over 50 students on-stage, with fifty more doing support tasks. It was gorgeously and authentically costumed. Professional musicians, assisted by students, provided the essential soundscapes for this play: gidayû and kiyomoto shamisen and recitation, nagauta shamisen and singing, geza percussion and flute, tsuke and ki percussion.
Central to the success of the production are the energetic and expressive acting and dancing by our student actors – performances I am proud to show even to kabuki actors and scholars in Japan.
This is the most complete kabuki version of this epic play available on YouTube. I invite you to watch it, share it with friends and colleagues, and make it available to your students.
PART ONE
ACT I: Hachiman Shrine, Kamakura—Helmet Inspection and Sexual Harassment
ACT II, Scene 1: Outside the Shogun’s Palace—The Rendezvous (Okaru & Kampei)
ACT II, Scene 2: The Pine Chamber in the Palace – The Sword Slash Incident
ACT III: The Fugitives (Kiyomoto dance drama) – Okaru, Kampei, & Bannai
ACT IV, Scene 1: Enya Hangan’s Mansion – Hangan Commits Seppuku
ACT IV, Scene 2: The Outer Gate – Relinquishing Hangan’s Mansion
PART TWO:
ACT V: On the Yamazaki Road – Two Gunshots
ACT V Postscript: Kampei’s Suicide
ACT VI: The Ichiriki Teahouse in Gion
ACT VII, Scene 1: Night Attack on Moronao’s Mansion, in a snowstorm
ACT VII, Scene 2: At the Charcoal Shed, in Moronao’s compound.
Wishing you a healthy and successful autumn during this very fraught year.
Larry
English Kabuki production on YouTube, now fully captioned.
[photos: Hangan’s seppuku (Act IV); the secret letter at Ichiriki Tea House (Act VI)]
The Revenge of the 47 Loyal Samurai (1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mdOmTtxwZ4&t=3743s
The Revenge of the 47 Loyal Samurai (2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxQ_f3dQvzc
Friends and Colleagues,
Portland State University just reposted on YouTube our 2016 English Kabuki production of Chûshingura (The Revenge of the 47 Loyal Samurai). This is a fully realized 3-hour production of the epic story of Japan’s most celebrated revenge.
I directed a cast of over 50 students on-stage, with fifty more doing support tasks. It was gorgeously and authentically costumed. Professional musicians, assisted by students, provided the essential soundscapes for this play: gidayû and kiyomoto shamisen and recitation, nagauta shamisen and singing, geza percussion and flute, tsuke and ki percussion.
Central to the success of the production are the energetic and expressive acting and dancing by our student actors – performances I am proud to show even to kabuki actors and scholars in Japan.
This is the most complete kabuki version of this epic play available on YouTube. I invite you to watch it, share it with friends and colleagues, and make it available to your students.
PART ONE
ACT I: Hachiman Shrine, Kamakura—Helmet Inspection and Sexual Harassment
ACT II, Scene 1: Outside the Shogun’s Palace—The Rendezvous (Okaru & Kampei)
ACT II, Scene 2: The Pine Chamber in the Palace – The Sword Slash Incident
ACT III: The Fugitives (Kiyomoto dance drama) – Okaru, Kampei, & Bannai
ACT IV, Scene 1: Enya Hangan’s Mansion – Hangan Commits Seppuku
ACT IV, Scene 2: The Outer Gate – Relinquishing Hangan’s Mansion
PART TWO:
ACT V: On the Yamazaki Road – Two Gunshots
ACT V Postscript: Kampei’s Suicide
ACT VI: The Ichiriki Teahouse in Gion
ACT VII, Scene 1: Night Attack on Moronao’s Mansion, in a snowstorm
ACT VII, Scene 2: At the Charcoal Shed, in Moronao’s compound.
Wishing you a healthy and successful autumn during this very fraught year.
Larry