Shibai Chaya

"O-edo shibai nenjiu gyo-ji" "O-bako cho-chin"
Artist: 吟光　　O-ban, Colour print
Ritsuemeikan Art Research Center(arcUP2056)


arcUP5784_s.jpg　O-bako cho-chin is a lantern placed under the scaffold which was set up on the roof in front of a theater to light up a hanged signboard. The hanged signboard came to be used after Edo-Sanza moved to Saruwaka-machi, but it is a rare case that a lantern was drawn beside the sighnboard.（reference）On the other hand, in the painting created around Kansei era, two huge lantern can be seen in front of a theater. The scaffold drawn in the picture was set only during the performance time. In contrast, in the painting named Edo Meisho Hyakkei Saruwaka-machi Yoru No eki by the first Utagawa Hiroshige, the usual situation of a theater and Shibai Chaya (tea-house in a theater) in break time can be seen. Ebi0305_s.jpg
This picture describes the drawing room from the front of a theater. The first Shibai Chaya named Cha-mise opened in Wakashu-Kabuki period, and it gradually came to have various functions and also became a place for rich spectators. Between the acts,　the spectators enjoy the food, change their clothes and meet favourite actors there. They could also invite Geisha and Yujo to the theater, and this is one of the reasons visiting a Kabuki theater costs money.
[Glossary]
　Yagura、Senshuraku
[Related Topics]
　「劇場と興行」