Sumida River Memories - Memories of the Sumida River

A Kabuki play. Sewamono (domestic story). Four acts. Written by Nakagawa Shimesuke. Commonly known as "Hokkaibo." It premiered in May 1784 (Tenmei 4) at Kado in Osaka. This play portrays the comical renegade monk Hokkaibo, who lived in the Edo city streets and built bell-like buildings, and is set in the world of "Sumida River Stories." It is a comical rewrite of the role of Dainichibo, which Nakamura Nakazo I played in "Iromoyo Aoyagi Soga" in 1775 (An'ei 4), for Ichikawa Danzo IV. The fallen priest Hokaibou falls in love with Eirakuya's daughter Okumi and pursues her relentlessly, becoming a minion of the evil magistrate and teaming up with the head clerk Choukuro to frame his love rival, the assistant clerk Yosuke, who is actually Matsuwaka of Yoshida, but is instead beaten up by Yoshida's former retainer, tool maker Jinza. Later, he also falls in love with Matsuwaka's fiancée, Nowakehime, and kills her when she resists his wishes, and is then killed by Jinza himself. When Matsuwaka Okumi disguises herself as a swindler and falls into the Sumida River, the spirits of Hokaibou and Nowakehime combine and appear in an identical form to Okumi, tormenting the two of them, but are driven away by the power of the Kannon statue. The script, which has three acts and five scenes, the opening act "The entrance to restaurant Daishichi, its inner room, and Mimeguri Kappa Drying Ground", the second act "Migo Bank", and the important act "Sumida River Ferry" (the dance "Futa Omote"), has become standardized today, and is a masterpiece of Kabuki comedy that skillfully depicts the humorous side of Hokaibou, who is close to being delusional. The important act "Futa Omote" is an important series of dance dramas, and in addition to the famous Tokiwazu piece "Futa Omote Mizu Terutsuki", there is also the Kiyomoto piece "Futa Omote Shinobu Sugatae".

[Toshiaki Matsui]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

歌舞伎(かぶき)脚本。世話物。四幕。奈河七五三助(なかわしめすけ)作。通称「法界坊」。1784年（天明4）5月大坂角(かど)の芝居初演。江戸市井に多くみられた釣鐘建立の乞食(こじき)坊主の風俗を写した滑稽(こっけい)な破戒僧法界坊を、「隅田川物」の世界のなかで活躍させた作で、初世中村仲蔵が1775年（安永4）に『色模様青柳曽我(いろもようあおやぎそが)』で演じた大日坊の役を、4世市川団蔵のため喜劇的に書き直したもの。堕落坊主法界坊は永楽屋の娘おくみに横恋慕して執拗(しつよう)に追い回し、悪代官の手先となり、番頭長九郎と組んで、恋敵の手代要助、実は吉田の松若を陥れようとするが、かえって吉田の旧臣道具屋甚三(じんざ)に痛めつけられ、その後、松若の許嫁(いいなずけ)野分姫(のわけひめ)にも懸想したすえ、意に従わぬ姫を殺し、自分も甚三に殺される。松若・おくみが荵(しのぶ)売りに身をやつして隅田川まで落ちてくると、法界坊と野分姫の霊が合体して、おくみとそっくりの姿で現れ、2人を悩ますが、観音像の威力で退散する。序幕「料亭大七(だいしち)入口・同奥座敷・三囲合羽干場(みめぐりかっぱほしば)」、二幕目「三囲土手」、大切(おおぎり)「隅田川渡船」（舞踊「双面(ふたおもて)」）の三幕五場が今日定型化した台本で、妄執に近い法界坊の滑稽味を巧みに描いた歌舞伎喜劇の傑作。大切「双面」は舞踊劇の重要系列で、常磐津(ときわず)の名曲『双面水照月(みずにてるつき)』のほか、清元(きよもと)に『双面荵姿絵(しのぶすがたえ)』がある。

［松井俊諭］

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