A Review of Masako Yuasa's A Bilingual Edition of Three Sewa-mono Plays by Chikamatsu Monzaemon: Woman-Killer in Oil Hell, Drumbeats over the Horikawa, Love Suicides at Imamiya. (Taiyaku Yuasa-ban Chikamatsu Monzaemon sewa-mono gikyoku shu) Tokyo: Shakaihyoronsha 2014.

Abstract

Presented in a bilingual framework, this book is a documentation of Masako Yuasa's Chikamatsu Theatre Project (2004-08), a highly commendable series of full stage productions in English of the 18^th century bunraku puppet plays by esteemed playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon so that they may reach and cultivate a diverse international audience. The reviewer analyzes the intricacies of Yuasa's method in honouring Chikamatsu's dramaturgy and themes while radically contemporizing the language and staging.