『The Kyogen of Errors』2005　photo by Shinji Masakawa

*Performed in Japanese

【 Note from the Director 】
The Kyogen of Errors was written by the late professor Yasunari Takahashi, and was dedicated to the Mansaku-no-Kai Kyogen Company. Despite some minor cuts, virtually all the major scenes in The Comedy of Errors are reproduced in The Kyogen of Errors. The principal differences are in the place and character names.
The Italian place name Syracusa (Syracuse in Shakespeare’s play) closely resembles the Japanese Shirakusa, itself meaning ‘White Grass,’ and hereafter known as ‘White Island.’ Given that Syracusa becomes Shirakusa, so Ephesus – the setting of Shakespeare’s play – becomes Kurokusa (‘Black Grass’ or ‘Black Island’). Shakespeare’s Mediterranean Sea is downsized in the Kyogen plan to become the ‘Seto-naikai’ – a sea with many islands in the western part of Japan. Antipholus is re-baptized Ishinosuke, while Dromio becomes Taro-kaja － the customary name of a Harlequin clown in traditional Kyogen.
Now I would like to introduce you a key for seeing this play—the rule I made. During the performance, the White Island twins exit and enter only through a white curtain covering the left-hand door, while their Black Island counterparts (played by the same actors) use a black one on the audience’s right. After you know this rule, I hope you relax, laugh, and more thoroughly enjoy the confusions of characters.
―――― Mansai Nomura

【 Synopsis 】
1. Prologue
A dumb show evoking birth and shipwreck.

2. A Festival Season in Black Island (Kurokusa)
A masked man, the Lord of Misrule, invites the audience to join in the chorus:
Ya-ya-koshi-ya (‘How complicated!’)
I am you, and you are me,
But what is ‘I’ in the first place?
Ya-ya-koshi-ya! Ya-ya-koshi-ya!

3. Naosuke the Merchant, who hails from White Island (Shirakusa), is apprehended in Black Island and sentenced to death. He tells the story of a shipwreck in which he and his wife lost their twin sons, along with their twin servants.

4. Ishinosuke (the son) and his servant Taro-kaja, who together hail from White Island, arrive at Black Island. The master reveals to the audience that he intends to find his twin. Very soon, however, he is mistaken for that very brother – Ishinosuke (Black Island) – by the other Taro-kaja.

5. Further confusion results as Okuma – the wife of Ishinosuke (Black Island) – takes Ishinosuke (White Island) home for lunch. Arriving back home with his servant and Kinjiro the goldsmith, Ishinosuke (Black Island) is furious when his wife denies him entry to his own home.

6. While dining at Okuma’s house, Ishinosuke (White Island) woos Okiku, Okuma’s sister, falling instantly in love with her. Meanwhile, his sidekick – Taro-kaja (White Island) – is horrified when a large woman launches herself at him, insisting that she is his wife-to-be.

7. After another bout of misunderstandings, Ishinosuke (Black Island) is apprehended and bound. At the same time, Ishinosuke (White Island) and his servant – desperate to leave this weird land of constant confusion – end up seeking refuge in the local abbey after getting involved in an unruly fracas.

8. The Lord – having entered on his way to see Naosuke’s execution – is pleaded with by Okuma to sort things out. Eventually, however, it becomes clear that something strange is afoot, as Ishinosuke and Taro-kaja are simultaneously sighted both inside and outside the abbey.

9. Naosuke is saved when his identity is revealed – not only by Ishinosuke (White Island), but also by the Abbess, who turns out to be his lost wife. Recognizing the confusion, the Lord annuls the sentence he has passed on Naosuke.

10. Everybody is invited into the abbey to celebrate the happy reunion. Ishinosuke (Black Island) and his wife embrace each other, while his brother, Ishinosuke (White Island) takes the hand of Okiku. Meanwhile, Taro-kaja (Black Island) is resigned to marrying his ungainly admirer, while his brother, Taro-kaja (White Island) dreams of jumping into the ocean in order to find his better half.

*Performed in Japanese

[ Written by ]　Yasunari Takahashi
[ Directed by ] 　Mansai Nomura
［ Designer ］　Yukio Horio
［ Lighting ］ Tsuge Yukihisa

[Performed by］　 Mansai Nomura ／Ukon Miyake ／ Yukio　Ishida ／ Chikanari Miyake ／Yuusuke Takazawa／ Hiroharu Fukata ／ Kazunori Takano ／ Haruo Tsukizaki ／ Ryota Nomura／ Mansaku-no-Kai Kyogen Company
[Musicians]
Fue (Noh-Flute) ： Hiyoruki Matsuda(12/23,24)／ Satoshi Tsukitaku(12/25,26)
Taiko (Noh-Drum) ： Hitoshi Sakurai

Setagaya Public Theatre 03-5432-1526