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2024.9.1
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The Storm's Nightmare" press conference 01

Left: Nakamura Ichitaro, Right: Nakamura Shido

A blockbuster hit! Kabuki "Arashi no yaroni" will be performed again for the first time in 9 years at the Minami-za Theater where it was first performed by Shido Nakamura and Ichitaro Nakamura on September 4, 2024 (Wednesday).

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the publication of the long-selling picture book "Arashi no yoroni" (published by Kodansha Ltd.), a best-selling series that has sold more than 3.5 million copies in total, including sequels. The story depicts the friendship between "Gabu," a wolf with a good temperament, and "Mei," a goat with a lovely but strong core, who transcend their positions to deepen their friendship, and the beautiful heart of caring for the other. The kabuki play "Arashi no yoroni" based on this picture book was staged at the Minami-za Theater in September 2015 and became a hot topic of conversation for its powerful stand-up routine between the wolf and the goat, spectacular group dancing, gidayu and nagauta, and other techniques and staging unique to kabuki.

the night of a storm

November, 2008 Hakata-za" (Ⓒ Shochiku)

At a press conference held in Osaka in August this year, Shido, who plays the role of "Gabu," said, "The first performance was held nine years ago at the Minami-za Theater in Kyoto, and I am very happy to return to Kyoto for the first time in nine years," while Ichitaro, who plays "Mei," said, "This is my first time participating in 'Stormy Night'. I am very happy to be back in Kyoto for the first time since the first performance nine years ago. I remember seeing the play at the Minamiza nine years ago when it was first performed. The role of Mei is a role that Matsuya-san has played and cherished for a long time, so I will cherish that feeling and enjoy the world of "Arashi no yoru ni" to the fullest," he said enthusiastically.

For Shidou, this was his first experience in creating a new Kabuki play from scratch. I was anxious about whether this play would be accepted in Kyoto, where there are many customers who like the classics," he said. At the time, I wanted to see the reaction of the young audience, so I asked a group of students to join us, but at the end, the audience stood up in unison for the curtain call. I vividly remember talking with Matsuya-kun, "This play might have a chance. The next week, the tickets were sold out, and the manager rushed backstage to say, "The tickets are sold out! (laughs). I think the success of the production was due to the unification of the feelings of everyone, including Minamiza, Tokoyama, and the costumers, as well as my mother's feelings, which were conveyed to my co-stars, and I think this unification of feelings was even more important.

Conference for "Stormy Night" (Japanese text only)

My mother's wish," he said, "was that my mother and I had talked about doing this someday," but she passed away in 2013. However, about 10 years before she passed away, she actually wrote a handwritten proposal and gave it to Shochiku, saying, "If there comes a time when Shido can do something, please let him do this.

When I was young, I used to come to the "Omise," but my performance lasted only about 15 minutes, and there were many roles where I just stood in line for a long time. When my mother would come to see the show, I would feel a bit depressed or childish, not that I was bending the navel, but there were times when I felt as if I was about to give up on my dream or that it was not good enough. At that time, my mother told me, "Believe in yourself. You can do it. That was also at the Minami-za Theater," he said, sharing his memories of his mother at the theater.

Shido is also a father of two children. I hope that as many children, fathers, mothers, grandfathers, and grandmothers as possible, and people of all ages, will see this play. I know there are many parents who say they cannot go to see kabuki because they have small children, but I hope they will come with their children and make memories of their own. [When I saw parents and children laughing and crying together at the first performance at the Minami-za Theater, I was really glad that we did it.

Conference by Storm 03

To Ichitaro, who will be his buddy this time, Shido said, "Matsuya-kun said, 'You're going to do this without me. What are you going to do? (laugh)." They looked at each other and laughed at each other. The two seem to deepen their trust in each other, just as they do in the story "Bubutomei".

Ichitaro is one of the "Heisei generation kabuki actors" who is becoming more and more polished and is showing a wide range of activities. . I remember very well how moved I was to see elementary school children enjoying watching this play, even though classical works are often difficult even for middle-aged and older people," he said.

Ichitaro, who read the original picture book again, said, "If I say that there is absolutely no friendship because it is a wolf and a goat, that is the end of the story. This is a work that makes us think neutrally and straightforwardly about preconceived notions, selfish beliefs, and other hardened things that we have in our daily lives," he said with deep emotion. The film is about a very important friend, not because of any reason, but because of the way he says, "That's all there is to it! I really felt that they are important friends, not because of any reason, but because they are just that! The picture book and the Kabuki script are a little different, but I want to cherish the feelings I had when I first started acting.

This touching film depicts the secret friendship between "Gabu" (Nakamura Shido), a wolf but good-natured, and "Mei" (Nakamura Ichitaro), an adorable but strong-minded goat. The heartwarming story will bring tears to your eyes as you watch the compassion the rough-looking wolf shows for his partner and the straightforward feelings the soft-looking goat expresses for her partner. Experience this story at the Minamiza Theater, where you will be filled with a sense of caring for someone after watching it.

September Hanagata Kabuki "Stormy Night

  • Kugatsu Hagatakabuki, "Storm's Nightmare
  • Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto
  • A short walk from Exit 6 of Keihan "Gion-Shijo" station
  • Tel. 075-561-1155 (to Nanza and sales sales sales)
  • September 4 (Wed.) - 26 (Thu.), 2024 Daytime Session / 11:00~, Nighttime Session / 16:00~.
  • Closed: September 9 (Mon.), 17 (Tue.)
  • Price: 13,000 yen for first-class seats, 8,000 yen for second-class seats, 4,000 yen for third-class seats, and 14,000 yen for special seats
  • https://www.kabuki-bito.jp/theaters/kyoto/play/864
*Please note that the information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
*Since this site uses automatic translation, the translation may differ from the original Japanese content.

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