Kishida Kunio - Kishida Kunio

Playwright, director, and novelist. Born on November 2, 1890 in Yotsuya, Tokyo. Aiming to become a soldier like his father, he went to the Army Academy, but he was interested in literature and rebelled against military life, so he retired and studied French literature at the Imperial University of Tokyo. He went to France to study theater, and returned to Japan in 1923 (Taisho 12) under the influence of Copeau. The following year, he published a play he had written in Paris called "Old Toys" and entered the literary world, but his interests were in criticizing the existing new theater movement and transplanting the view of theater he had learned in France to Japanese soil. He asserted that the essential appeal of theater lies above all in the charm of the spoken words and the "subtle melody of the human soul" that they create, and published plays such as "Autumn in Tyrol" (1924) and "Paper Balloon" (1925). His sharp and delicately nuanced dialogue attracted attention. His works include Ushiyama Hotel (1929) and Sawa's Two Daughters (1935). He stopped writing plays for a time and wrote newspaper novels such as Yurihatae (1929-30) and Warm Current (1938). During this time, he translated many modern French plays, including The Carrot by Renard, whom he admired.

In 1932 (Showa 7), he led the Tsukijiza Theatre under Kyosuke Tomoda and Akiko Tamura, and launched the magazine Gekisaku in the same year. In 1937, he founded the Bungakuza Theatre with Mantaro Kubota and Toyoo Iwata. During World War II, he was appointed head of the Cultural Department of the Imperial Rule Assistance Association. After the war, he wrote social satire comedies such as Shiitake to Yuben and Michi to Karan (both 1950), and formed the artist group Kumo no Kai, in an attempt to develop a broad theatrical movement. In 1953, he became a member of the Japan Art Academy, but died suddenly on March 4, 1954 (Showa 29), while directing the Bungakuza production of Donzoko. His contributions as the theoretical leader of the so-called "art faction" of the new drama movement were great, and in his memory, Shinchosha established the Kishida Drama Award, which was transferred to Hakusuisha from the 8th award and became the Kishida Drama Award, becoming a gateway for new playwrights. Her eldest daughter was the poet Kishida Eriko, and her second daughter was the actress Kishida Kyoko.

[Shinkichi Kato]

"The Complete Works of Kishida Kunio, 10 volumes (1954, Shinchosha)" ▽ "On Kishida Kunio, by Watanabe Kazutami (1982, Iwanami Shoten)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

劇作家、演出家、小説家。明治23年11月2日東京・四谷(よつや)に生まれる。父と同じ軍人を志し、陸軍士官学校に進んだが、文学に親しみ、軍隊生活に反発し、退役して東京帝国大学仏文科に学ぶ。演劇研究のために渡仏、コポーの影響を受けて1923年（大正12）に帰国。翌年、パリで書いた戯曲『古い玩具(がんぐ)』を発表して文壇に登場したが、彼の関心事は、在来の新劇運動を批判し、フランスで学んだ演劇観を日本の土壌に移植することにあった。なによりもまず、語られることばの魅力、それによる「人間の魂の微妙な旋律」に演劇の本質的な魅力があることを主張して、『チロルの秋』（1924）や『紙風船』（1925）などの戯曲を発表した。その犀利(さいり)で繊細なニュアンスの会話は注目された。『牛山ホテル』（1929）、『沢氏の二人娘』（1935）はその集大成である。一時、戯曲の執筆を中断し、新聞小説『由利旗江(ゆりはたえ)』（1929～30）、『暖流』（1938）などを書く。この間、私淑するルナールの『にんじん』をはじめ、近代フランス戯曲の翻訳も多い。

　1932年（昭和7）友田恭助(きょうすけ)・田村秋子の築地(つきじ)座の指導、同年『劇作』を創刊。37年に久保田万太郎、岩田豊雄(とよお)とともに文学座を創設。第二次世界大戦中には大政翼賛会文化部長に就任。戦後は『椎茸(しいたけ)と雄弁』『道遠からん』（ともに1950）などの社会風刺喜劇を書くとともに、芸術家集団「雲の会」を結成、幅広い演劇運動を展開しようとした。53年、芸術院会員となったが、翌54年（昭和29）3月4日文学座公演『どん底』の演出中急逝。新劇運動にあって、いわゆる「芸術派」の理論的指導者としての功績は大で、それをしのんで新潮社が「岸田演劇賞」を創設、第8回から白水社に移って「岸田戯曲賞」となり、新人劇作家の登竜門となっている。長女は詩人岸田衿子(えりこ)、次女は女優岸田今日子(きょうこ)。

［加藤新吉］

『『岸田国士全集』全10巻（1954・新潮社）』▽『渡辺一民著『岸田国士論』（1982・岩波書店）』

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