This paper explores the adaptations of the Dōjōji Temple Legend in kabuki, clarify the questions of how and why the Dōjōji Temple Legend appears in so many different historical and seasonal settings. The legend about a woman transforming into a serpent because of unrequited love for a young priest has been reinterpreted across various theatrical forms. While the core narrative remains rooted in metamorphosis and the female passion for love, the kabuki staging frequently incorporates changing historical backdrops. This study investigates how and why these contextual transformations occur and explores core of the relationship between the legend and the historical backdrop. The analysis examines three key adaptations of the legend within kabuki across different periods. The first is Sanze Dōjōji (Three Generations at the Dōjōji Temple, 1701), first performed during the Genroku era (1688–1704), the first vertex for kabuki. This play obscures the legend’s connection to historical settings but incorporates acrobatic elements, such as water tricks and midair stunts. Since the performance is for the seventh month, its story and visually striking enactments provide a refreshing and exhilarating experience for theater. The second, Kyō ganoko musume dōjōji (The Maiden at the Dōjōji Temple, first enacted in 1753) and its popularity are connected to the historical world of the 12th century Soga Brothers vendetta. As a New Year production, incorporating the Tale of the Soga Brothers coordinates with the kabuki tradition of featuring the Soga Brothers’ revenge during the New Year season. Finally, Kinnozai Sarushima dairi (Gold Paper Streamers from Sarushima County, first enacted in 1829), the final work of Tsuruya Nanboku IV (1755–1829), sets the tale against the backdrop of the Jōhei-Tengyō Rebellion (931–947) and intertwines the serpent-woman motif with a male vengeful spirit. As a kaomise production, it utilizes the rebellion’s setting and the Dōjōji Temple Legend to provide a platform for all casts to showcase their theatrical skills and artistry. By examining these adaptations, this paper clarifies that while the core storyline of the Dōjōji Temple Legend remains conserved, the works are continually reimagined to coordinate with the seasonal theatrical conventions of their respective periods.

抄録全体を表示

The Tsukiji Little Theater, located in Tokyo, the capital of Japan, was inaugurated in 1924. This theater was the inaugural permanent theater in Japan dedicated to the presentation of shingeki (new theater), which was modeled after Western spoken theater. It was also equipped with a theater company. Previous studies have predominantly regarded the Tsukiji Little Theater as a theater or theater company that staged plays by contemporary Japanese playwrights in Tokyo, and it is believed to have presented the works of prewar Japanese theater artists. However, the Tsukiji Little Theater is noteworthy for its commitment to international theater exchange, evidenced by its presentation of numerous translated plays, its expansion beyond Tokyo to other cities, and its active engagement with theater artists from various countries. This commitment has had a significant impact on the development of Japanese theater in the postwar era. A reexamination of the activities developed at the Tsukiji Little Theater is imperative, one that considers the broader spatial and temporal context.

抄録全体を表示

In what might be seen as a rebellion to the “Good Wife and Wise Mother” – role reserved for them, a new way of being woman emerged in the 1910s – the New Woman later succeeded by the Modern Girl of the late 1920s. Despite being a very limited, urban phenomena, Japanese young women trying to look like Gloria Swanson, and defying feminine ideals of the day, stirred much commotion. In the light of the influence of American popular culture in general (movies, jazz and baseball) of the times, it is intriguing to examine the reception of modern Western theater in the same period. This paper investigates the reception of the plays by August Strindberg set up at the Tsukiji Little Theater in 1924-1925 and how the content of the texts was transformed in the process of retranslation from the Swedish originals and its performance. August Strindberg is famous for having reformed the Swedish language, with the motto of “write as you speak”. The dialogue in his plays is characterized by a direct, straight communication in a language spiced with interjections. How does this relate to the language that the Japanese audience were exposed to? Translation is sometimes characterized as a manipulation of the original text, perhaps even more so here as Mori Ôgai and other translators had to do with German or English translations of the Swedish original. Strindberg’s drama focuses on the battle between the sexes, the stage setting often being the bourgeois home. Considered an ideological construct of Western modernity, the leaders of Japan in the midst of a nation-building process readily embraced the moral importance of the home. The beginning of the 20th century witnessed the import en masse of Western literature, in the mid-1920s the Tsukiji Little Theater opted for a repertoire consisting of only translated drama in the first years of its existence. The plays by Strindberg were not translated from Swedish but via a relay translation from German with Mori Ôgai and Kusuyama Masao being the main translators.

抄録全体を表示

The Tsukiji Little Theater is a theater company founded in 1924, one year after the Great Kanto Earthquake, by Kaoru Osanai, Yoshi Hijikata, and others. The troupe split up the following year when Osanai died in 1928. The theater was located in Tsukiji, which is the center of Tokyo. This theater had a capacity of ~500 people and was equipped with the latest facilities. The audience of this theater mainly comprised young intellectuals. This theater was also the center of the new theater movement, staging a series of foreign plays. This paper will focus on the performances outside of the Tsukiji Little Theater, that is, regional performances, to reconsider the diverse activities of this theater as a theater company and its influence. Many previous studies on Tsukiji Little Theater have been conducted. However, the actual situation of performances outside the theater, especially in regional areas, has not been sufficiently clarified. Thus, research on the attempts of the troupe to expand its audience nationwide can still be conducted. This paper aims to provide an overview of the external theater performances of the troupe considering the Hiroshima performance as regional performances. Specifically, this paper shows that the Tsukiji Little Theater’s attempts to expand its audience base as a theater company, starting with its performances at the Kotobuki-za Theater in Hiroshima City. The Hiroshima performance was the catalyst that prompted Haruko Sugimura to join Tsukiji Little Theater, and a local new theater company called Juichinin-za supported the theater by hosting a roundtable discussion. Hiroshima is well known as the city where the atomic bomb dropped in World War II in 1945. As symbolic damage in Japanese theater, Sadao Maruyama, who had been an actor at the Tsukiji Little Theater, had just toured Hiroshima in 1945 as part of a wartime theater unit and lost his life in the atomic bombing. This tragedy was described in a play by Hisashi Inoue after the war and is still often performed today. In brief, this paper will attempt to reconsider the context of performing arts by focusing on the relationship between Tsukiji Little Theater and Hiroshima.

抄録全体を表示

After the war, Japanese theatre director Hijikata Yoshi worked to popularise the Stanislavsky system and attempted to create a socialist-realist theatre that broke away from the pre-war ‘Meyerholdism’. In fact, in writing about Meyerhold’s death, Hijikata wrote after the war that the ‘Biological or mechanical emancipation of theatre and acting techniques was no longer effective, and superficial posters were no longer possible’, and that the purpose of his visit to the USSR in 1933 was ‘to break away from all the influences of the past which had resulted in deficiencies in his directorial approach, particularly the influence of Meyerhold, and to learn new and authentic creative techniques’. However, Hijikata’s students attested that even after the war, the core of his theatrical thought remained within the Meyerholdian aesthetic. However, even if the Meyerholdian elements in Hijikata’s work were to be noted, post-war Hijikata behaved as a ‘socialist realist’ and publicly denied any affiliation with Meyerhold’s theories. Regarding Hijikata’s post-war attitudes, those in his inner circle have described him as ‘too reserved about “socialist realism” and the “Stanislavsky system”’ and ‘his self-regulation was very strong’. In his later years, Hijikata reflected on his past attitudes as being ‘overly sensitive’. The question that arises is what was behind this attitude? In this regard, considering the relationship between Hijikata and the ‘official’ ideology in the Soviet Union is important. This study focuses on Hijikata’s experiences at the Moscow Revolution Theatre in the Soviet Union in the 1930s, his evaluation of the socialist-realist writer Konstantin Simonov immediately after the war, and his re-evaluation of Meyerhold in the late 1950s, in relation to Soviet ideology, which has not been discussed in detail. By examining Hijikata’s activities, the study clarifies the historical factors that precipitated the shift in attitude towards Hijikata.

抄録全体を表示

This paper clarifies how Senda Koreya contributed to the establishment of public theaters, with a particular focus on the National Theatre, the New National Theatre, Tokyo, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. The primary emphasis is on the construction and opening of the New National Theatre, Tokyo, Japan’s first national theater dedicated to Shingeki. However, as efforts to establish a national theater for Shingeki predate the opening of the National Theatre in 1965, this discussion is structured around four stages: the period before the National Theatre’s opening, the National Theatre itself, the preparations for the New National Theatre, Tokyo, and the final steps leading up to its opening. Additionally, this paper provides a supplementary analysis of the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, which was developed concurrently with the New National Theatre, Tokyo. Through this examination, it explores Senda’s vision and values regarding theater-building.

抄録全体を表示

This paper presents an introductory overview of the complex interplay between politics and theatre in Asia, highlighting how historical, colonial, and postcolonial contexts have shaped theatrical traditions across the region. Asian politics, deeply influenced by colonial histories, exhibits a common legacy of European and Japanese imperialism that transformed indigenous states into colonial ones while maintaining a formal semblance of traditional governance. This duality of colonial and indigenous influences extended to theatre, where traditional forms such as Noh, Kabuki, and Kathakali coexisted with European-style theatres introduced during colonization. Using examples like the Malaysian play Sri Mersing, the paper examines how colonial and postcolonial narratives inform theatre's layered meanings, often reflecting implicit political tensions. The duality in theatre is further explored through case studies like Singapore’s Chaozhou Opera, which illustrates the intersection of local traditions and political affiliations, as well as Taiwan's Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, which transitioned from depicting Chinese classics to exploring Taiwan’s identity within the Cold War context. The paper also discusses how Japanese imperialism influenced East and Southeast Asian theatre differently, leaving behind anti-Japanese dramatic works that contrast with the symbolic critiques of Western colonialism, such as Roestam Effendi’s Bebasari. Additionally, Japanese postwar theatre, exemplified by Shuji Terayama’s ambivalent portrayal of U.S.-Japan relations, reveals how theatre navigated national identity and modernity without overt nationalism. Finally, the paper situates these dynamics within broader questions of nation-building in Asia’s multi-ethnic societies, which faced significant challenges of ethnic conflict and political instability during the post-independence period. As the Cold War thawed in the latter half of the 20th century, increasing international mobility gave rise to intercultural theatrical exchanges, marking a shift towards new artistic dialogues. This paper serves as a foundation for exploring how politics and theatre in Asia continue to evolve in response to historical and contemporary forces.

抄録全体を表示

This paper describes the interplay between the performative aspects of theatre and the contemporary scenario of Malaysian politics. It narrates the theatrical dynamics of political actors and their constructs of political narratives complete with [political] stage settings and spaces involving the peoples of Malaysia who have become the unwitting audience of these political entanglements. As they witness the engagements/disengagements and the intertwined web of political parties and political leaders, who are engaged and obsessed in their inherent quest for legitimacy to secure power and maintain control of their leadership, Malaysians not only unravel the intricate web of Malaysian politics, they in fact become the audience of real political theatre unmatched by the fictional theatricalization of political reality. This paper will also explore the propagandization of race, religion, culture and identities of the actors and audiences of Malaysia’s political scene as theatrical representation. Focussing on the 2018 and 2022 General Elections as backdrops of contemporary political theatre, this paper explores how politics impacts governance, policy-making, and public discourse which in turn has become a unique spectacle of theatrical representation. The juxtapositions and contestations of theatrical elements and Malaysian politics form the core of this paper's exploration. By analysing the performative nature of political processes, the myriad roles of key political actors, the narratology of political constructions presented to sway, persuade, or completely change public perceptions, this paper exhibits the intriguing parallels between political manoeuvres and the dynamics of a theatre spectacle. Seen through the lens of political events, especially of the 2018 and 2022 General Elections, this paper showcases the twists and turns of Malaysian politics as a compelling real-life drama even better than the fictionalized plays created by dramatists. Nowhere is the adage “truth is stranger than fiction” more relevant than in the current Malaysian political scene/theatre. This will be proven by the history of theatrical representations both traditional and modern which has always reflected and refracted multi (-racial, cultural, religious) Malaysia. The paper focusses on two playwrights; Fasyaly Fadzly and Mohd Khairi Anwar bin Jailani with a brief mention on Mark The and his performance/ participatory, non-text theatre presentations. The paper concludes by analysing the mismatch of political reality and theatrical representation and posits the notion of new theatre mediums and the coping mechanisms of playwrights to compete with a new generation of social media savvy audiences and traditional audiences rooted in their tastes of old theatre forms even as they yearn for new trajectories in theatre.

抄録全体を表示

This essay intends to present a panoramic overview of subaltern theatre and voices in the current situation of increasing socio-political intolerance and to assess and underline the mood of Indian theatre to encounter the changes and its efforts to protect the ethnic originality.

抄録全体を表示

Gao Xingjian’s Snow in August is based on the life of Huineng (633-713), the Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism and founder of the Sudden Enlightenment School. Snow in August is the first time in Chinese drama that Zen has been successfully integrated into a play. Drawn from Huineng’s Platform Sutra (《壇經》) and various koan (《公案》) cases, the play, on the one hand, is about Huineng’s life and teachings, and on the other hand, demonstrates Gao Xingjian’s politics of resistance. In the play, Huineng is first referred to as “the barbarian from the south” and the episodes of Huineng’s life are highlighted in Snow in August. What is the portrayal of Huineng in the play of Gao Xingjian’s Snow in August? Is Huineng, an illiterate Chinese Zen Buddhist master, an enlightened monk? a religious nonconformist? Or a freewheeling political thinker? Is he a mouthpiece of the Chinese quintessential intellectual freedom and spontaneous truth? Is Huineng’s life the perfect vehicle to manifest Gao’s worldview, theatre vision, and philosophy of life? Is Huineng’s life an embodiment of Gao Xingjian’s self-exile, anti-establishment thinking, and politics of resistance? Snow in August suggests that both Huineng and Gao share the same belief that the primal thing a person needs to accomplish is to look inward, to scrutinize oneself, and to look for one’s atman. Refusing to assume the playwright’s role as a spokesman for humanity who engages in political intervention, Gao’s politics of resistance sees the process of self-exile not as a dissident gesture or a means of resisting totalitarian politics, but as a path to self-salvation and to total independence and freedom. Gao’s play sets up a framework for alternativeness and dissident unorthodoxy. However, Gao’s politics of resistance carefully depoliticizes it in his dramatic adaptation. In this paper, I propose to deal with the issues of characterization, dramaturgy, and theatricality which have strong bearings on the question of politics of resistance in Snow in August. I argue that instead of heightening the political issues and debates, Gao’s politics of resistance does not endorse any political moves and views, in spite of the fact that the characterization of Huineng as a nonconformist thinker has made him an archetypal representative of resistance against norm and orthodoxy in Buddhism.

抄録全体を表示

Kong Shangren's (孔尚任) The Peach Blossom Fan（《桃花扇》） is a seminal work in Chinese traditional theatre literature. composed in 1699, it marked the culmination of a flourishing theatrical tradition over four centuries. The play encapsulates a narrative set against the backdrop of the collapse of the Ming Dynasty, illustrating the profound impact of imperial decline on individual lives. Over the centuries, audiences and scholars alike have been drawn to its themes and the enduring relevance of the play lies in its exploration of how individuals navigate a world fraught with political corruption and societal upheaval. This essay aims to analyze three adaptations of the play spanning from the mid-20th century to contemporary times, saying Ouyang Yuqian’s（欧阳予倩）Jingju and drama adaptations in the 1930s and 1940s, the 1963 film adaptation by Sun Jing （孙敬） and Mei Qian（梅阡） based on Ouyang Yuqian’s drama version, and the recent contemporary theater rendition directed by Xiao Jing（肖竞） in 2022-2023. By analyzing these adaptations, the essay argues that while Kong Shangren's original served as an important intellectual resource in Chinese traditional culture, subsequent interpretations have enriched the thematic depth of the play, offering new insights that resonate with different historical epochs and societal contexts. By investigating the themes of the three versions, we can take a glimpse of the structures of feelings which have emerged at some crucial historical moments in the nation. Before delving into the adaptations, the essay starts with a revisit to Kong’s original play.

抄録全体を表示

To help readers understand the relationship between politics and theater in Vietnam, the author of the article has introduced an overview of Vietnam's modern historical era; At the same time, the author also introduces an overview of traditional and modern theater arts of Vietnam. Since the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 1945), later renamed the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (from July 2, 1976), Vietnam has only one political leader party - the Communist Party of Vietnam. In every period of history, literature and art, including theater, are considered a propaganda tool for Party and State policies. The censorship regime for literary and artistic works is very strict. In that context, a number of authors and theatrical works were affected in the process of reaching the public. Since 1986, the Communist Party of Vietnam has implemented the Doi Moi policy, opening up more favorable opportunities for artists to create art... The article shows that, in the specific context of Vietnam, the relationship between politics and theater is quite complex, and it is a process that changes over time.

抄録全体を表示