Outside of Hokkaido

A role in Kabuki. Of the many roles, this is one of the oldest. Like a Western clown, this role makes people laugh by delivering humorous lines and skillfully imitating others. It is a type of "Saruwaka" from early Kabuki, and was established as a role during the Yaro Kabuki period. In Genroku Kabuki, he was entrusted with an important scene in the drama structure, where he had a chance to perform a humorous performance, and was recognized as an important role that also served as the host. From the mid-Edo period onwards, the clown-like elements were gradually absorbed into the performances of leading and supporting actors, and the role began to decline. After the first Otani Tokuji, who lived during the Tenmei and Kansei periods (1781-1801), was praised as a master of Dogaikata, the style almost disappeared. Since then, traces of the name can be found in terms such as "Hando" or "Handogataki" and "Charigataki". It is said that the reason Dogaikata are called "third-rate actors" comes from the custom of placing the star actor of the troupe first in the signboard or ranking, the young men as second-rate actors, and Dogaikata as third-rate actors, but this is not entirely clear. I think the word may have been born from the fact that wagotoshi were called second-rate actors.

[Yukio Hattori]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

歌舞伎(かぶき)の役柄の一つ。数多い役柄のうちで、きわめて古く成立したものに属する。西欧の道化師のように、滑稽(こっけい)な台詞(せりふ)や物真似(ものまね)を巧みに演じて人を笑わせる役。初期歌舞伎における「猿若」の系統を引いて、野郎(やろう)歌舞伎時代に役柄としての確立をみる。元禄(げんろく)歌舞伎においては、劇構成のなかに重要な一場面を任されて、滑稽な演技を見せる場があり、司会役も兼ねる重要な役柄と認識されていた。江戸中期以降、しだいに立役(たちやく)や端役(はやく)の芸のなかに道化的な要素が吸収されていき、役柄としては衰退に向かった。天明(てんめい)・寛政(かんせい)期（1781～1801）の初世大谷徳次が道外方の名人とうたわれたのを最後に、ほとんどなくなってしまった。それ以後は、「半道(はんどう)」または「半道敵(はんどうがたき)」「チャリ敵(がたき)」などにその名残(なごり)がある。道外方を「三枚目」というのは、看板や番付に、最初に一座の花形役者、二枚目に若衆方(わかしゅがた)、三枚目に道外方を並べる習慣があったことに基づくというが、かならずしも明らかでない。和事(わごと)師を二枚目とよんだのに引かれて生まれたことばではないかと思う。

［服部幸雄］

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