Complete guide to actors from ancient times to the present

Japanese: 古今役者大全 - ここんやくしゃたいぜん

A commentary on Kabuki. The main author was Tada Nanrei. The names of Yamozuya Sosho and Yamozuya Zuisho are listed as editors. Published in 1750 (Kan'en 3), 6 volumes and 6 books. It covers the origins of plays, the origins of theater customs, biographies of famous actors, discussions on the art, and genealogies of masters and disciples. While theater reviews such as "Yakusha Hyōban-ki" were usually published once a year, this book aims to provide a standard for theater reviews on a 10-year cycle and to provide general knowledge about Kabuki. This work, which combines theatrical materials accumulated by the publisher Yamozuya and the author's vast knowledge, is the first so-called theater book, and has been reprinted for over 70 years in the late Edo period.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

歌舞伎の解説書。中心となった作者は多田南嶺。撰者として八文字屋其笑，八文字屋瑞笑の名が記される。1750年(寛延3)刊，6巻6冊。芝居の起源，劇場習俗の由来，著名役者の評伝，芸談，師弟系図などを記す。従来，劇評の書〈役者評判記〉が，年に一度の出版が普通であったのに対し，10年をサイクルに劇評の基準を示し，歌舞伎一般の知識をも提供しようとした書。出版元の八文字屋に蓄積された芝居資料と作者の博識によって成った本書は，いわゆる劇書の嚆矢（こうし）であり，江戸後期70年以上にわたって版を重ねている。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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