Signboards and Miniature Scale Stage

"O-edo shibai nenjyu gyoji" "Monkanban"
Artist：吟光　　O-ban, Colour print
Ritsumeikan Art Research Center (no. arcUP2058)　

During Kaomise performance, boards called Monkanban, name of an actor who contracted with the theatre and crest of him was printed in every board, were displayed in front of a theater. Shitamawari are lower class actors before promoted to Nadai, and usually their names were printed on a single board. This was called "dog pee" because their board was displayed in the very bottom where even dog can pee. In the picture, the miniature ornament of Sanbasou is displayed in front of the green blind. The back of the blind is Shikiriba, theater office, and they often used its front space as show window putting small stand and displayed the miniature scale stage. Shibai chaya also displayed the ornaments and curtain on the roof and this added floridness to the theater district (as you can see inhere). Miniature scales of stages were reproduced as Kumiage-e(a kind of Ukiyo-e designed for paper craft) by Kami soushi-ya(publishers doubled as distributor) and sold to the general public. Therefore people could enjoy various Kabuki programs not only in the theater but also at home.

[Glossary]
　Monkanban、Kaomise、Shikiriba、
[Related Topics]
　「化粧と衣裳」「観客の楽しみ」