Figures of Showa stage #9 – Onoe Baiko VI as the demon-witch in “Momijigari” (Admiring the autumn red leaves)

Series
Figures of Showa Stage

Series Number
9

Title in English
Onoe Baiko VI as the demon-witch in “Momijigari” (Admiring the autumn red leaves) – Figures of the Showa scene #9

Title in Japanese
紅葉狩 – 六代目尾上梅幸丈 昭和舞台姿　その九
Showa Butai Sugata 9 – Momijigari Onoe Baiko VI

Title in French
Onoe Baiko VI dans le rôle de la Sorcière-démon dans “Momijigari” (Admirer les feuillages rouges d’automne) – Portraits de la scène de l’ère Showa, No.9

The play
This dancing drama “Momijigari” is the kabuki adaption of a dance Nô play of the same name. It was premiered in Tokyo in 1887 with Ichikawa Danjuro IX as Princess Sarashima, Nakamura Shikan IV as mountain god and Sawamura Gennosuke IV as Sarashina’s maid (See Toyohara Kunichika’s print here below).

The story
The play takes place in autumn in the Togakushi mountains where the nobleman Taira no Koremochi came to admire the red autumn foliage with two servants Ugenta and Sagenta. He realizes that there are other visitors and asks Ugenta to go and investigate. A lady-in-waiting tells him that her mistress is waiting for someone and Koremochi decides to leave. Then the lady-in waiting comes back and invite them to meet her mistress and enjoy the maple-viewing together. Princess Sarashina arrives with several lady-in-waiting. She is beautiful and offers sake to Koremochi while the ladies begin to dance. Koremochi asks the princess to dance for him and she does so. However thanks to the sake, Koremochi and his servants begin to doze off, then sleep in earnest.
The princess is insulted and leaves the stage furious. The Mountain Good appears and sees the three men asleep. He is afraid that the witch may come and eat them, so he tries to wake them up, but to no avail. He gives up and leaves. The princess comes in and changes kimono from a princess to the demon-witch. Koremochi wakes up. He had a strange dream where the Mountain God told him that Princess Sarashina is a witch. He asks his servants for help, but they take fright and flee. He finds himself face-to-face with the witch. He takes his magic sword and she loses her powers. He corners her against a tree and she is subdued.