Kabuki Plus
Two Wankyus?
notable!The play’s title comes from the fact that Matsuyama wears Wankyu’s overcoat, making it look as though there are two of the main character. In the show’s premiere, Matsuyama also carried a pair of swords on one side, representing a male figure. She would reveal one side and dance male choreography, then turn around and dance female choreography. This was an adaptation of a Kyoto puppet dance. This dual dance is no longer performed, but there are several variations, such as Matsuyama wearing a short male haori overcoat (choreographed by Onoe Kikunojo I) and an overcoat that turns into Matsuyama’s long female uchikake overcoat (choreographed by Hanayagi Juraku I). Wankyu’s haori is sometimes a translucent black jittoku overcoat used by tea masters and monks.
Female dancing in male clothing
notable!Matsuyama’s dance in Wankyu’s haori follows the tradition of a woman wearing a lover’s clothing and recalling his memory. In the Noh play Izutsu, the daughter of Ki Aritsune (woman of the well) wears the robe of Ariwara Narihira. As she looks into the well, she thinks of her lover in a typical tableaux. Another Noh drama Matsukaze shows a female diver Matsukaze wearing the keepsake hat and hunting robe of Arihara Yukihira. By wearing his clothing, she virtually becomes one with him and can visualize his image within herself. Ninin Wankyu incorporates key verses from Izutsu in the pas de deux between the couple. The name hints at two separate people.
Famous dance, famous couples
This romantic dance between lovers has given rise to numerous famous pairings. Particularly well known was Nakamura Tomijuro V as Wankyu and Nakamura Jakuemon IV as the courtesan. Their emotional performance solidified the piece’s place in the repertory. In recent days, the stylish performance of Kataoka Nizaemon XV and Bando Tamasaburo V created a dreamy world that won tremendous popularity.
Model for Wankyu
Wankyu is modeled after a real-life ceramic merchant named Wanya Kyubei, who lived in Osaka in the early Edo period. He associated with a courtesan named Matsuyama in the Osaka pleasure district of Shinmachi. Due to his excessive spending, his family put him into a detention house, where he went mad. Some say that he drowned after leaving the home, while others say that he spent his days in Kyoto during his recuperation. The stories of his debauchery are notably wild. For example, he insisted on playing New Year’s games during the summer Obon holidays, putting New Year’s decorations on pleasure houses all over Osaka. On another occasion, he threw money instead of beans at a special event.
