Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba
- Genre: Sewamono
- Premiere: 1796/7, Kado no Shibai, Osaka
- Writers: Chikamatsu Tokuzô, Tatsuoka Mansaku, Namiki Shôzô II
- Japanese: 伊勢音頭恋の寝刃 (Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba)
Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba is a kabuki sewamono play by Chikamatsu Tokuzô, Tatsuoka Mansaku, and Namiki Shôzô II, which debuted in 1796 at the Kado no Shibai in Osaka. The title roughly translates as "The Ise Dances and Love's Dull Blade"[1], though it has been given the English titles "The Quest of Shimosaka"[2] and "The Vengeful Sword"[3] as well.
The play takes place primarily at the Aburaya, a house of assignation in the town of Furuichi[4] near Ise Shrine, and features a cursed Shimosaka sword which, once it is drawn, must taste blood. Like many sewamono, it is based on a real incident, in this case a mass murder which occurred near Ise that same year.
The debut performance was produced by Kado no Shibai zamoto Fujikawa Hachizô III, and featured Nakayama Bunshichi II, Yoshizawa Iroha I, and Nakayama Bungorô I in the lead roles of, respectively, the samurai Mitsugi and the courtesans Okon and Mannô.[5]
In a reverse from the more common situation of kabuki plays being based on those from the puppet theatre, a ningyô jôruri version of Ise Ondo first debuted in 1838.
Characters
- Manjirô - a samurai, who has lost the sword and is seeking it (nimaime)
- Mitsugi - a samurai in the service of Manjirô's father
- Okon - a courtesan; Mitsugi's lover
- Okishi - a courtesan; Manjirô's lover
- Oshika - a homely courtesan
- Mannô - the conniving proprietess at the Aburaya
- Sennô - a courtesan
- Kisuke - the head cook at the Aburaya, who is loyal to Mitsugi
- Rinpei - a yakko (footman) in the service of Mitsugi
- Daizô and Jôshirô - two men in the service of Tokushima no Iwaji, seeking to keep the sword from Manjirô
- Tokushima no Iwaji and Aidamaya Kitaroku - two men from Awa no kuni, who have stolen the sword
Plot
References
- Ise Ondo at Kabuki21.com. Accessed 20 November 2010.
- Jones, Stanleigh H. "The Ise Dances and Love's Dull Blade." in Brandon, James and Samuel Leiter (eds.) Kabuki Plays on Stage: Villainy and Vengeance, 1773-1799. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2002. pp318-350.
- ↑ Jones. p319.
- ↑ Theatrical Events at the University of Hawaii. University of Hawaii at Manoa Department of Theatre and Dance. Accessed 20 November 2010.
- ↑ Kennedy Theatre 2010-2011. University of Hawaii at Manoa Department of Theatre and Dance. Accessed 20 November 2010.
- ↑ Today part of Ise City.
- ↑ Kadoza. Kabuki21.com. Accessed 20 November 2010.