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愛すべき博多っこ！川上音二郎！！
Have you heard of Otojiro Kawakami? Recently there has been a surge of interest in him. Born in the Tsumashoji district of Hakata Ward in 1864, at the end of the Shogunate, Kawakami was a Meiji period actor who toured the world. At the age of 14, he boarded a ship in the Port of Hakata, sailed to Osaka, and then walked to Tokyo. Kawakami became involved in anti-government activities and the Freedom and Peoples’ Rights movement, but left Tokyo after the government began cracking down in the 1880s. The progressive thinker Chomin Nakae suggested that he try his hand at drama. Kawakami followed Nakae’s advice. One of the songs he wrote and performed on stage, oppekepe-bushi, took Japan by storm. The lyrics, which lampooned contemporary political conditions, became quite popular. Because Kawakami’s performances incorporated anti-government themes, they were known as soshi shibai.
He wore a jimbaori (coat worn over armor), a headband, a hakama (a divided formal skirt for men), and held a fan adorned with the rising sun during his performances. Kawakami married the popular geisha Sadayakko in 1891, and they established the Kawakami troupe. His wife became Japan’s first actress. In 1899, the troupe went to the United States, and performed in New York, Washington, and Boston. The following year, they were invited to perform at the Paris Exposition, and were a great success. The year after that, they toured 14 countries from Spain to Russia. They also made a recording of the oppekepe-bushi, said to be the first record made by a Japanese artist.
After returning home, Kawakami achieved success as an impresario, staging versions of Shakespeare’s Othello and Hamlet. He died during a performance on November 11, 1911. A commemorative memorial service will be held at Joten-ji, where he is buried. In addition, Osore wo Shiranu Kawakami Otojiro (The Fearless Otojiro Kawakami) will be the opening performance of the new Theater Creation in Tokyo’s Hibiya district from November 10 to December 30. This work was both written and produced by Koki Mitani. Yusuke Santamaria will appear as Kawakami, and the part of Sadayakko will be played by Takako Tokiwa.
Have you heard of Otojiro Kawakami? Recently there has been a surge of interest in him. Born in the Tsumashoji district of Hakata Ward in 1864, at the end of the Shogunate, Kawakami was a Meiji period actor who toured the world. At the age of 14, he boarded a ship in the Port of Hakata, sailed to Osaka, and then walked to Tokyo. Kawakami became involved in anti-government activities and the Freedom and Peoples’ Rights movement, but left Tokyo after the government began cracking down in the 1880s. The progressive thinker Chomin Nakae suggested that he try his hand at drama. Kawakami followed Nakae’s advice. One of the songs he wrote and performed on stage, oppekepe-bushi, took Japan by storm. The lyrics, which lampooned contemporary political conditions, became quite popular. Because Kawakami’s performances incorporated anti-government themes, they were known as soshi shibai.
He wore a jimbaori (coat worn over armor), a headband, a hakama (a divided formal skirt for men), and held a fan adorned with the rising sun during his performances. Kawakami married the popular geisha Sadayakko in 1891, and they established the Kawakami troupe. His wife became Japan’s first actress. In 1899, the troupe went to the United States, and performed in New York, Washington, and Boston. The following year, they were invited to perform at the Paris Exposition, and were a great success. The year after that, they toured 14 countries from Spain to Russia. They also made a recording of the oppekepe-bushi, said to be the first record made by a Japanese artist.
After returning home, Kawakami achieved success as an impresario, staging versions of Shakespeare’s Othello and Hamlet. He died during a performance on November 11, 1911. A commemorative memorial service will be held at Joten-ji, where he is buried. In addition, Osore wo Shiranu Kawakami Otojiro (The Fearless Otojiro Kawakami) will be the opening performance of the new Theater Creation in Tokyo’s Hibiya district from November 10 to December 30. This work was both written and produced by Koki Mitani. Yusuke Santamaria will appear as Kawakami, and the part of Sadayakko will be played by Takako Tokiwa.
川上音二郎という人のこと、聞いたことありますか？この人、博多区対馬小路に生まれて、世界を駆けめぐった明治の演劇人なのです。幕末の1864年に生まれ、14歳の時（明治11年）に、博多港から船に乗って大阪に渡り、歩いて東京まで行き、福沢諭吉の書生などをやりながら、政府に対抗した自由民権運動に参加するようになります。
明治20年代になると、自由民権運動の取り締まりが厳しくなって、音二郎は東京から追い出されます。そんなときに、進歩的な思想家だった中江兆民（なかえちょうみん）が彼に芝居をやってはどうかと勧めました。じゃあやろうか…と芝居を始め、出し物の一つとして生まれたのが一世を風靡する「オッペケペー節」です。自由民権運動にからませた歌詞が人気となり、大評判となりました。舞台で反政府運動を行っていたので、音二郎の芝居は「壮士芝居」と呼ばれました。歌詞の一部を紹介すると ♪権利、幸福嫌いな人に 自由湯（じゆうとう）をば飲ましたい オッペケペ オッペケペ オッペケペッポ ペッポッポー…
これを唄うときは陣羽織を着てハチマキを締め、日の丸の扇を持って袴（はかま）という格好です。
明治24年（1891）、売れっ子芸者だった貞奴（さだやっこ）と結婚、二人で「川上座」を立ち上げて、彼女は日本初の女優となりました。明治32年にはなんと川上座はアメリカに渡り、ニューヨークやワシントン、ボストンなどで興行、翌年にはパリ万博に呼ばれて公演し大人気を博しました。そのまた翌年にはスペインからロシアまで14カ国を回ったといいます。また「オッペケペー節」はレコードとなり、これが日本人最初のレコーディングだったとか。帰国してからは、シェークスピアの「オセロ」や「ハムレット」などを上演し、興行師として成功しますが、明治44年（1911）11月11日に舞台で倒れて亡くなりました。そういう訳で、川上音次郎が亡くなった11月11日、今年は日曜日にあたりますが、彼のお墓がある承天寺で「川上音二郎忌」があり、ゆかりのイベントが行われます。
また11月10日から12月30日まで東京・日比谷の新しい劇場「シアタークリエ」のこけら落とし作品として「恐れを知らぬ川上音二郎一座」が上演されます。作・演出は三谷幸喜、音二郎役にはユースケ・サンタマリア、貞奴を常磐貴子が演じます。なぜか今、川上音二郎に注目が集まっているのです。
Have you heard of Otojiro Kawakami? Recently there has been a surge of interest in him. Born in the Tsumashoji district of Hakata Ward in 1864, at the end of the Shogunate, Kawakami was a Meiji period actor who toured the world. At the age of 14, he boarded a ship in the Port of Hakata, sailed to Osaka, and then walked to Tokyo. Kawakami became involved in anti-government activities and the Freedom and Peoples’ Rights movement, but left Tokyo after the government began cracking down in the 1880s. The progressive thinker Chomin Nakae suggested that he try his hand at drama. Kawakami followed Nakae’s advice. One of the songs he wrote and performed on stage, oppekepe-bushi, took Japan by storm. The lyrics, which lampooned contemporary political conditions, became quite popular. Because Kawakami’s performances incorporated anti-government themes, they were known as soshi shibai.
He wore a jimbaori (coat worn over armor), a headband, a hakama (a divided formal skirt for men), and held a fan adorned with the rising sun during his performances. Kawakami married the popular geisha Sadayakko in 1891, and they established the Kawakami troupe. His wife became Japan’s first actress. In 1899, the troupe went to the United States, and performed in New York, Washington, and Boston. The following year, they were invited to perform at the Paris Exposition, and were a great success. The year after that, they toured 14 countries from Spain to Russia. They also made a recording of the oppekepe-bushi, said to be the first record made by a Japanese artist.
After returning home, Kawakami achieved success as an impresario, staging versions of Shakespeare’s Othello and Hamlet. He died during a performance on November 11, 1911. A commemorative memorial service will be held at Joten-ji, where he is buried. In addition, Osore wo Shiranu Kawakami Otojiro (The Fearless Otojiro Kawakami) will be the opening performance of the new Theater Creation in Tokyo’s Hibiya district from November 10 to December 30. This work was both written and produced by Koki Mitani. Yusuke Santamaria will appear as Kawakami, and the part of Sadayakko will be played by Takako Tokiwa.
