Mimicry of Actor's Voice

"O-edo shibai nenjiu gyoji" "Yomitate"
Artist: 吟光　　O-ban, Colour print
Ritsumeikan Art Research Center(arcUP2052)

Two men standing in front of the theater entrance were called Kido-geisha or Kido-ban. They were theater staffs and attracted potential audiences by reading out programs and casting the day before the first performance. This was called Yomitate, and they also amused the audience by mimicking the actor's voice. Yomitate was held not only the previous day of the first performance, but also before every play.
The kimono that Kido-geisha wears were prepared by Zatou, the leader of troupe, or Tachi onna-gata, the top of onnagata, and we can see peony which was the crest of Ichikawa, and also Chidori, the crest of Sawamura on their kimono.
This picture also clearly shows how Ekanban, signboard depicting scene from a play placed in front of a theater, looked.
　
[Glossary]
　Yomitate、Yakuninkaena、Kidogeisha、Ekanban
[Related Topics]
　「化粧と衣裳」「劇場と興行」「観客の楽しみ」