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Ise Ondo Koi no Netaba (view source)
Revision as of 04:15, 22 November 2010
, 04:15, 22 November 2010continued expansion..
==Plot==
==Plot==
===Act I===
===Act I===
====Scene One: The Chase<ref>Some of the scene numbers may have been changed, as the translations omit scenes that were in the original.</ref>====
The play opens on a country road, where Daizô and Jôshirô provide exposition, describing their plot to trick Manjirô into pawning the heirloom Aoi-Shimosaka sword, and getting disowned for losing it, so that their master can take control of Awa. They reveal that Tokushima no Iwaji has the certificate of authenticity for the sword, and Jôshirô gives Daizô a letter to deliver to Iwaji.
Rinpei, a footman in the service of Manjirô, sneaks up on the pair and overhears everything. He tries to grab the letter, but it drops to the ground, and in the course of an elaborate chase scene, Daizô makes off with the letter, with Jôshirô close behind; the curtain closes as Rinpei chases after the pair.
====Scene Three: Futami-ga-ura====
====Scene Three: Futami-ga-ura====
The next scene takes place at Futami Bay, a site famous throughout Japan for the wedded rocks in the bay, tied together by large ropes. This is one of the more frequently performed scenes from this play.
It opens with Mitsugi and Manjirô entering along the ''[[hanamichi]]'' at night, Mitsugi holding a lantern and leading Manjirô carefully along the dark road as they discuss their search for the sword. Reaching ''[[shichisan]]'', Mitsugi briefly introduces himself, and then the couple enter the stage proper. Jôshirô runs on, bumping into Manjirô, and then running off; Manjirô explains to Mitsugi that Jôshirô was the one who took the Shimosaka sword from him, to pawn it for him. Rinpei then enters, and gives Manjirô half of the letter, which has apparently been torn, before continuing off after Jôshirô, seeking to obtain the other half.
Manjirô reads the half of the letter he has - it describes the basics of the plot, but does not mention any names. Just then, Rinpei returns, restraining Jôshirô with both hands, and holding the remaining half of the letter in his mouth. Mitsugi takes it and passes it to Manjirô, holding up the lantern, but before Manjirô can read the remainder of the letter, Daizô sneaks up behind them, knocking the lantern to the ground, dropping all the characters into darkness, and marking the beginning of a long ''[[danmari]]'' sequence.
While the characters onstage are perfectly visible to the audience, within the context of the play, it is all but pitch black. The characters grope around in the dark, with Daizô and Jôshirô seeking to attack Mitsugi, Manjirô and Rinpei, and to get the letter back, while Mitsugi and Rinpei try to protect Manjirô. They cut ''[[mie]]'' several times in the course of the sequence. Eventually, Mitsugi grabs two figures in the dark, and calls out for Manjirô and Rinpei. Determining that Manjirô is safely with Rinpei, and that he is holding Daizô and Jôshirô, he calls for Rinpei to take Manjirô away, and then continues to fight Daizô and Jôshirô in the dark, deftly avoiding their attacks, and eventually throwing them to the ground. He sits atop them just as the sun rises, allowing him to read the letter, which he then dangles just out of Daizô's reach, establishing a set group pose as the curtain closes.
===Act II===
===Act II===
Act Two is rarely, if ever, performed today. [I have been unable to find a plot summary of this Act.]
===Act III===
===Act III===
====Scene One: Aburaya====
====Scene One: Aburaya====
The Aburaya scene, among the most frequently performed scenes from the play, is among the most popular and famous examples in kabuki of an ''[[enkiri]]'' scene, in which two lovers cut off (''kiri'') their relationship (''en'').
The Aburaya scene, among the most frequently performed scenes from the play, is among the most popular and famous examples in kabuki of an ''[[enkiri]]'' scene, in which two lovers cut off (''kiri'') their relationship (''en'').
It takes place at the Aburaya teahouse, and opens with Kitaroku, a merchant in league with Tokushima no Iwaji, arriving back at the teahouse from enjoying a kabuki performance. He heads into the back room (not visible on stage) to join Iwaji's party, which is already ongoing.
Manjirô enters at the end of the ''hanamichi'', explaining aloud that it has been several days since he saw Mitsugi, and has no idea where the sword or the letter are, so he has come here to visit his lover, Okishi, in the hopes that she might know something, or that a lead might otherwise come up.
====Scene Two: Okuniwa====
====Scene Two: Okuniwa====