The Divine Blessings and Harmony Initiative - The Divine Blessings and Harmony Initiative

Kabuki script. Sewamono (domestic drama). Four acts. Written by Takeshiba Kisui. First performed in March 1890 (Meiji 23) at the Shintomi-za in Tokyo by Onoe Kikugoro V and others. It is a dramatization of an incident that took place in the grounds of Shiba Shinmei in 1805 (Bunka 2) between sumo wrestlers Yotsugurumadaihachi and Kuryuzan Namiemon and a construction worker called Megumi Tatsugoro and others, and is commonly known as "Megumi no Kenka (The Fight of the Megumi)." The Megumi roofers are humiliated by the sumo wrestler Shichigaya at Shinagawa Shimazakiro, and the leader Tatsugorou tries to ambush them at Yatsuyamashita to get revenge, but fails. Later, the two sides clash again at the Shinmei theater. Tatsugorou decides to fight for the honor of the Megumi, and after calling on Kisaburo, he casually entrusts him with the rest of the matter. He then says goodbye to his wife and children at home and heads off to the sumo stable with his friends. A big fight breaks out between the roofers and the sumo wrestlers, but Kisaburo mediates and the fight is settled at a draw. From the New Year's atmosphere of "Shimazaki," this play is a lively play depicting the life of roofers overall, making it a suitable piece for a New Year's Kyogen performance. Highlights include the carefree silence in "Yatsuyamashita," the lively exchange of lines between Tatsugorou and Shisha and Kuryuzan in "Before the Play," the lamentation scene in "Tatsugorouuchi," and the varied action scenes in the finale. This is a hit kyogen from the Otowaya school, with Ichimura Uzaemon 15th, Kikugorou 6th, Onoe Shoroku II, and others.

[Toshiaki Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

歌舞伎(かぶき)脚本。世話物。4幕。竹柴其水(たけしばきすい)作。1890年（明治23）3月、東京・新富(しんとみ)座で5世尾上(おのえ)菊五郎らにより初演。1805年（文化2）芝神明(しばしんめい)の境内で力士四車大八(よつぐるまだいはち)・九竜山浪右衛門(くりゅうざんなみえもん)らと鳶(とび)の者め組辰五郎(たつごろう)らが大喧嘩(おおげんか)をした事件を脚色したもので、通称「め組の喧嘩」。め組の鳶の者は、品川島崎楼で力士四車に恥をかかされ、頭(かしら)の辰五郎は仕返しに八ツ山下で待伏せするが果たせず、その後、神明の芝居小屋でもふたたび双方が衝突する。辰五郎はめ組の名誉のため喧嘩をする覚悟を決め、焚出(たきだ)し喜三郎を訪ねてそれとなく後事を託し、自宅で妻子に別れを告げて仲間とともに角力(すもう)小屋へ向かう。ここに鳶と力士の大喧嘩が始まるが、喜三郎の仲裁により勝負は五分(ごぶ)で収まる。正月情緒豊かな「島崎」から、総体に鳶の者の生活を描いて景気のいい芝居なので、初春狂言として好適の演目になった。「八ツ山下」の世話だんまり、「芝居前」の辰五郎と四車・九竜山の快調な台詞(せりふ)の応答、「辰五郎内」での愁嘆場、大詰の変化に富んだ立回りなどが見どころ。15世市村羽左衛門(うざえもん)、6世菊五郎、2世尾上松緑(しょうろく)ら、音羽屋(おとわや)系の当り狂言である。

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