BIG IN JAPAN
Mitsugoro Bando X
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| Kyodo |
The most significant event
in the tradition-laden kabuki world is when an actor changes his name to a higher-ranking
one, usually held previously by his father or older brother. Such an event took place this
Jan when Yasosuke Bando became the tenth holder of the name Mitsugoro Bando.
Yet it was touch and go a few months ago whether the name-changing would go ahead. Just
four months after the official succession notice in Feb 2000, Yasosuke revealed that he
and his second wife, former Fuji TV announcer Sato Kondo, were divorcing after only 18
months of marriage. Alleged reasons for the breakup included the hardship Kondo
experienced caring for both of her husband' sick parents until they passed away, and
meeting her husband on only a handful of days during the entire matrimonial period.
However, the clincher was being told not to get pregnant because it would upset the apple
cart Minosuke, Yasosuke's 12-year old son from his previous marriage, is heir to the
Bando empire and doesn't need any rival claimants.
Whatever the reasons, a divorce during the run-up to a kabuki succession is not deemed
good luck or good form. But at this point the president of Shochiku, the entertainment
Goliath that owns the bulk of Japanese theaters and cinemas stepped in and gave his
personal blessing to the event proceeding. It was a sound business decision that saved
face all round. With that, the impetus picked up again and in Oct Yasosuke held the
official opening party, announced which plays he would perform, and participated in the
traditional festive parade through the grounds of the Asakusa Kannon Temple.
His slight build is deceptive, for Mitsugoro has powerful diction and specializes in
brash, larger-than-life, bombastic characters that fill the stage with their presence. The
"Goro" part of his name comes from the character name of the younger, louder,
and hotter-tempered of the two Soga brothers, famous for plotting to avenge the death of
their father. The role of Goro is one of the most important in the Edo kabuki repertoire
and Mitsugoro chose to attempt it for the first time as part of his Jan celebratory
program at the Kabuki Theatre.
Mitsugoro was born Hisashi Morita on Jan 23, 1956 in Tokyo and made his first stage
appearance at 14 months in the arms of his great-grandfather. Heavy expectations were
placed on him because he was the first boy born to, rather than adopted into, the Bando
acting line for 74 years. After his acting debut at six he trained vigorously in both
acting and dancing, since he was also the heir to the Bando School of Japanese Dance,
whose current membership stands at 30,000. Later he entered Aoyama University's Literature
Department, but quit in order to concentrate on his work.
During his career Bando has won six major awards for his acting and dancing ability, and
has traveled in North and South America, Europe and Asia to perform kabuki. He has also
acted in non-kabuki productions, notably the lead role in 425 stage performances of Chikamatsu
Shinju Monogatari, an Edo period double suicide love story. His goals from now are to
create new kabuki and incorporate outside elements into the art. The name Mitsugoro has
had somewhat solemn and weighty associations because Mitsugoro IX (1929-1999) did not
assume it until he was 58. In contrast, the new Mitsugoro says he wants to bring a younger
and more mischievous image to the name passed to him by his father.
Jean Wilson |
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