Ibaraki Doji, Wild Rose, Brushwood Demon

Inspired by Kawatake Mokuami's "Matsubamemono: Modoribashi: Ibaraki" (1883), Edo Kabuki
Soundmaking Inspired by Swedish Metal Meshuggah (from 1987)
I Love Song, New "Millenium Cyanide Christ"

Description: Kabuki Dance "Ibaraki" (1883)

History and Overview of the Play
The play premiered in 1883 (Meiji 16) by Onoe Kikugoro V.
Although technically a work from the Meiji period rather than the Edo period, it is a masterpiece written by Kawatake Mokuami, the last great composer of Edo Kabuki.
Incorporating the Noh play "Ibaraki," this masterpiece is a representative example of "Matsubamemono" (a dignified style imitating the Noh stage), and is counted as one of the "Ten Kinds of New and Ancient Theatre," the family art of the Onoe Kikugoro family.
This is one of the most popular modern kabuki plays, beautifully blending the fierce demon-slaying spirit of the Edo period with the elevated theatrical performance of the Meiji period.

Performance
This play is a sequel to "Modoribashi."
The story revolves around the demon Ibaraki-doji, whose arm was cut off by Watanabe Tsuna at Kyoto's Ichijo Modoribashi Bridge, and who returns to retrieve it.
The highlight of this play is the stark contrast between the old woman's stillness (eeriness) in the first half and the demon's movement (violence) in the second half, requiring a high level of mastery of both the male and female roles.

Thrills and Transformations
1. The Old Woman's Cry
In this scene, Tsuna's aunt, Mashiba (actually a demon), pleads with Tsuna to open the gate. Set to shamisen music (nagauta), the dance expresses the sorrow of old age and the affection of a foster parent, but the underlying obsession creates a sense of suspense for the audience.
2. One-Armed Dance
An unnatural and mysterious dance performed while hiding the fact that the dancer is missing an arm.
3. Bukkaeri (Transformation)
In a unique Kabuki performance, the moment the dancer regains her arm, her costume is instantly pulled away, transforming her from an old woman into a terrifying demon.