What is 'Taishu Engeki'?

Picturesque photo captured from a Taishu Engeki performance. This is my wallpaper. Beautiful shot indeed.

If you ask me what is my current muse, it would be Taishu Engeki.

Try asking people about traditional Japanese theater and the most common answers would be Kabuki, Noh (masked theater), or  Bunraku (puppet theater). These traditional Japanese theaters have been practiced over hundreds of years and today, these became the highest art forms in traditional Japanese theater. However, what most people don't know is the existence of a particular kind of theater in Japan that have been practiced also for over hundreds of years and survived as traditional theater and  at the same time also a modern theater. 

Etymology

An actor in the spotlight.

Taishu Engeki (大衆演劇) literally means "theater for the masses" but it is most commonly known as "Popular Theater", "Working-class Kabuki" or even "Japanese Vaudeville Theater". These names for this particular kind of theater may sound modern, however the origin of Taishu Engeki dates back in the Edo period around the time Kabuki existed. Originally, Kabuki, Noh and Bunraku were the "theater for the masses" back in the old Japan. Today, they have been known as sophisticated artistry that most people without the money can't afford to watch it. Because of that, Taishu Engeki filled that void that was left by other traditional Japanese theaters for the masses. In contrast to that, Taishu Engeki remained almost hidden from the outside world and it is only popular locally. Fortunately, this art form have not died even from seclusion and it has survived many emperors till this day.

Taishu Engeki is not really the exact name for this kind of theater, however, this is the term used to refer to these travelling troupes with the purpose of entertaining the regular people.

Definition

An onnagata dancing on stage with disco lights. Yeah.

Not many people from outside Japan know about Taishu Engeki. Perhaps, I'm one of the few gaijin who became a fan of it. 

Taishu Engeki is a kind of traveling theater that is related to Kabuki, but it is less formalized which originated in the Edo period around the beginning of 17th century. Their troupes are called "Gekidan" or literally "theater" and they travel all around Japan every month. That means they travel for at least 12 times a year plus they perform twice (matinee and gala shows) a day. Uh...wow.

It is a kind of theater that is very casual, down to earth and have a special closeness to the audience since the stages are low and most of the time the performers have some casual interaction with the audience in the middle of a performance. 

This book discusses in detail different theaters
in Japan including Taishu Engeki.

In contrast to Kabuki troupes which hold a fixed theater (they change their plays every month), Taishu Engeki troupes perform in "Health Centers" or a Japanese Inn with stages. There are almost about 200 troupes all in all and only about 70% of them are able to perform in Health Centers. The troupe approximately consists about twenty (20) people or more and most of the time, they are immediate family members or relatives. Troupe members do not necessarily have blood relations, but most of the time, the inheritance go by blood in tradition just like in Kabuki. However, in Kabuki, the theaters are governed by certain clans and often, they inherit the names of their ancestors to represent their inherited artistry.

Traditionally, performers take a stage name to represent a particular troupe. Troupes also have family crests known as "Teimon"  and flags to represent their troupe (just like a clan).

Titles and Ranks

Respectful bow from chairmen of different troupes to the audience in a succession ceremony of a particular gekidan.

Even though Taishu Engeki has adopted popular culture over the years, one of the most impressive trait that was preserved is the giving of title and ranks of particular members of the troupe.

These troupes have ranked officers and titles on their names. The three major ranks are: "Hanagata" or the star of the troupe which is the third rank, "Fuku/Waka Zacho" or the Assistant Chairman which is the second rank, and "Zacho" or Chairman which is the highest rank that comes off with a title by generation. When these particular ranked troupe members are addressed by people, they are called by their rank or position instead of their names.

An example of which is the name of a Taishu Engeki star, Daigoro Tachibana. When he gained the rank Assistant Chairman, he was addressed by troupe members and other troupes as Fuku Zacho or Fuku Zacho no Tachibana. When he inherited his uncle's theater and gained the rank of a Chairman in the third generation, he is now addressed as Sandaime Zacho or simply Sandaime.

Isn't it a classy theater? 

Traditional Actors: The Onnagata

"When a man portrays a feminine character in its perfect form...that is art. There is no conflict in his masculine self." -Kanguro from American Geisha 

"The art of the onnagata is not to succeed in truly passing for a woman, but rather to emulate and express mastery of an idealized, romanticized, fantasy version of feminine grace." -F. Seifman

This one is my favorite part of Taishu Engeki: the variety of roles. In one performance, an actor could be a brave samurai or he can be a graceful woman.

Before, it was tradition to ban females within the theater because of prostitution, thus the emergence of the onnagata or an actor who specializes in female roles. Today, in Kabuki, this tradition still exists, in contrast, Taishu Engeki does not necessarily follow this tradition by allowing females to take part in performances (females can also be a tachiyaku or actors who specializes in male roles). However, the tradition of onnagata still exists and this is in fact one of the fan favorites and mostly celebrated traditional actors of today.

The most celebrated onnagata in Kabuki and has appeared in many films and performed overseas.

Above is the most celebrated onnagata of today, Bando Tamasaburo V or Godaime Tamasaburo Bando of the Kabuki Theater. Isn't he pretty? He is the same age as my dad though...

Modern in Traditional Ways

Disco King Nidaime Zacho: Tatsumaru. Smokin'~

As the "Pop Theater" of Japan, performances are greatly influenced by todays trends and pop culture even though their themes and dances are often traditional. At a typical performance, the audience can watch a short samurai play, maybe a love story and, for extra measure, a dance or a few schmaltzy songs known as enka. Surprisingly, even METALLICA  and Jpop songs are performed. Don't be surprised if you hear Kpop in one performance. lol


Fandom: My thoughts on Taishu Engeki...

I want those Engeki Graph magazines. Photo by F. Seifman.

I may sound like an avid fan of Taishu Engeki for years, however, I only came to like it three months ago. Yep, I became a geek about it just in a short span of time.  Well, I started liking Taishu Engeki when I encountered two of the most popular Taishu Engeki stars in the Hesei Era: Daigoro and Taichi (thanks to Takeshi Kitano and Chieko Saito). They came from different troupes however, they were named as two of the genius onnagata of this era. I don't know anything about the world they were in back then. I started liking it when I saw Sennen No Inori, a tragic story of a couple (just like Romeo and Juliet), however the play was in buyo-geki or dance-play style where no words were spoken. It is a good watch if you don't know Japanese. The play was very moving and creative. They never spoke a word, but you actually know how the story progresses. Because of that, I was interested in Taishu Engeki.

Taishu Engeki: Hanafubuki Gekidan  performance in Thailand.

One of the hurdles of Taishu Engeki is the language barrier since all the performances are in Japanese. The first play I saw was by Sujaku Gekidan where Taichi played a young swordsman. I didn't understand a thing they've said...but I was able to grasp the story. lol The plays I've seen so far are more moving and tasteful. Also, they have mixed traditional and modern aspects of theater, which is fun to watch and easy to understand. Because of that, I've learned to read kanji and increase my vocabulary in Japanese. 

"One of the distinct features of Taishu Engeki, the fans donate hundreds of dollars worth of flowers, cash, and other gifts to their favorite actors; an even more interesting feature is the gifts given directly by fans to actors at the edge of the stage, in the middle of the show."-F. Seifman

Taishu Engeki is actually about fandom. Actors or stars from the troupes are considered as celebrities today.  Some of these stars have their own management and agency. They usually appear on TV shows, movies and such. Just like Maiko, Geisha and Kabuki actors, they are referred as the traditional celebrities of Japan.

For a crash course, you can watch this clip:

The video above is the typical Taishu Engeki troupe performance. However, there's a big difference in performances if it is from a popular troupe, like this:

Big difference, right? Wah! I can see Ryoutaro~

Not long after knowing more troupes and stars in the Taishu Engeki world, I've become engrossed with it. One thing that made me like about it is how it stimulates me artistically since they always give off colorful and picturesque performances. Many people of today may refer Taishu Engeki as a theater for old people, but for me I don't think so...unless I am an old person in a young body. lol

Well, I'm still a newbie in this field. I still have more to learn and to share in the near future~