Theater Improvement Movement - Engeki Kairyoundo

This was a movement to westernize theater that took place in the early Meiji period. It deemed the content of traditional Kabuki to be vulgar and absurd, and called for improvements in theater structure, hygiene, and even the cumbersome performance system based on the teahouse system. Strict historical research was used for the settings, characters, plots, costumes, and sets, and "katsurekimono" (live dramas) were created using real names for the characters, and these were performed mainly by Ichikawa Danjūrō ​​IX.

The movement became more prominent around the time the Shintomi-za Theatre was opened by Morita Kanya 12th in 1878 (Meiji 11), and the Governor of Tokyo Prefecture invited representatives of actors and playwrights to thoroughly implement the aims of the movement. In 1886 (Meiji 19), with the cooperation of Prime Minister Ito Hirobumi, Shibusawa Eiichi, and other political and business leaders, Suematsu Kencho and Toyama Masakazu formed the Theatre Reform Association, with Suematsu publishing "Opinions on Theatre Reform" and Toyama publishing "Personal Thoughts on Theatre Reform." In 1887, a play was performed for the Emperor at the residence of Foreign Minister Inoue Kaoru, and in 1888 the association was reorganized as the Japan Engei Kyofukai, and in 1889 the Japan Engei Kyokai opened the Western-style Kabukiza Theatre in the same year. This was the peak of the movement, which was linked to other reform movements. Yoda Gakukai and Fukuchi Ochi were deeply involved in the reform of theater, including in the creation of plays, but the aims of the movement were criticized by intellectuals such as Mori Ogai and Tsubouchi Shoyo, and were opposed by ordinary drama lovers, and the movement came to an end in the 1890s.

It is often thought of as a temporary enlightenment movement, but Ogai and Shoyo also spoke of the need for improvement, and it was connected to various cultures, including literature, art, music, and other related fields, as well as political situations. It also influenced the now-avoidable call for the preservation of Kabuki and the need for new productions, as well as the stage settings, costumes, character modeling, and performance formats of classical Kabuki.

[Akira Kamiyama]

"The History of Modern Theatre" by Akira Kamiyama (2006, Morihashisha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治前期に行われた演劇に関する欧化改良運動。従来の歌舞伎の内容を卑俗、荒唐無稽とし、劇場構造や衛生面、茶屋制度による煩瑣(はんさ)な興行制度まで改良の要ありとした。演目の設定、人物像、筋立て、扮装、装置などの時代考証を厳密にし、人物も実名とする「活歴物」が作られ9世市川団十郎を中心に上演された。

1878年（明治11）の12世守田勘弥(もりたかんや)による新富座の開場のころからその運動が顕著となり、東京府知事が俳優・作者の代表を呼び、趣旨の徹底を図った。1886年（明治19）には、首相伊藤博文、渋沢栄一ら政財界人の協力を得て、末松謙澄(すえまつけんちょう)、外山正一(とやままさかず)による演劇改良会が結成され、末松は『演劇改良意見』、外山は『演劇改良論私考』を出版した。1887年には外相井上馨邸で天覧劇を実現、1888年に日本演芸矯風会、1889年に日本演芸協会と改組され、同年、洋風建築の歌舞伎座が開場した。ここまでが、他の改良運動とも連動するピークだった。演劇改良には、依田学海(よだがっかい)、福地桜痴(ふくちおうち)らが実作も含め深くかかわったが、その趣旨には森鴎外、坪内逍遙ら知識人の批判、一般の好劇家の反発があり、1890年代に終息した。

　一時的な啓蒙運動と考えられがちだが、鴎外や逍遙も改良の必要を論じており、文学、美術、音楽等隣接分野を含めた諸文化、政治的状況とも関連していた。現在では自明化している歌舞伎の保存と新作の必要という提唱や古典歌舞伎の舞台装置、扮装、人物造型や興行形式にも、その影響は及んでいる。

［神山　彰］

『神山彰著『近代演劇の来歴』（2006・森話社）』

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