Figures of Modern Stage #9 – Ichikawa Sadanji III is in the role of the 47 Ronin leader, Oboshi Yuranosuke

Series
Figures of Modern Stage

Series Number
9

Title in English
Figures of Modern Stage #9 – Ichikawa Sadanji III is in the role of the 47 Ronin leader, Oboshi Yuranosuke

Title in Japanese
現代舞台藝蕐(9) 大星 三代目市川左團次
Gendai Butai Geika 9 – Oboshi Sadanji III

Title in French
Portraits de la scène moderne No.9 – Ichikawa Sadanji III dans le role du chef des 47 ronin Oboshi Yuranosuke

The play
The play Kanadehon Chûshingura (The Revenge of the 47 Ronin, also known as the Treasure of the loyal retainers) was originally written for the Bunraku puppet theater in 1748, then adapted for the kabuki stage the same year in Osaka. It is based on a real event that occurred in 1701 between Lords Asano Naganori and Kira Yoshinaka. Asano had injured Kira who had insulted him and was sentenced to ritually kill himself by seppuku. 47 of the samurai of the house of Asano who had become “ronin” (samurai without a master) avenged him by killing Kira, then committed suicide at their lord’s grave.
For censorship reasons, the action was transposed to the 14th century and the play’s character names were modified, Asano becoming Enya Hangan and Kira taking the name Ko no Morono. The full play includes 11 acts (and lasts 18 hours), but usually only 8 acts are performed (1,3,4,5,6,7,9 and 11).

The story