国宝 National Treasure

 国宝

    興行成績トップクラスの映画『国宝』を見て来た。前半は良かったが後半は面白くなく、だらだらと話が続く、何処で終わらせるか、監督も困ったようで、早く終わらないかと思った。

　歌舞伎役者の跡取り（俊介）と血筋のない余所者（喜久雄）の悲劇を扱っている。跡取りは血筋に頼り、芸を磨かない。余所者は芸を磨いて名を上げるしかない。

半二郎を余所者に襲名させるところから話は面白くなる。二人それぞれの葛藤を描いているが、クライマックスがない。

無理に事件を起こしている。花井半二郎が交通事故で舞台に立てなくなる。白虎襲名披露の時に血を吐く。俊介が道成寺で足が動かなくなる。義足で「曽根崎心中」を熱演する。一つ一つのエピソードは引き付けるが、結局、全体として何なのか。盛り上がりとカタルシスがない。歌舞伎の見せ場を寄せ集めているから、「歌舞伎への招待」のような映画だ。

 二人の若い俳優は道成寺や藤娘を踊る。素人にしては女形踊りが様になっている。特に、『曽根崎心中』で、「証拠なければ理もたたず。此上は徳さまも、死なねばならぬ品なるが、死ぬる覚悟が聞きたい」の台詞は上出来。

 吉田修一の原作を脚色し過ぎたか。 

---

National Treasure

I went to see National Treasure, a film that ranks among the top box-office hits. The first half was good, but the second half dragged on without being interesting. The story meandered, and even the director seemed unsure of where to end it—I found myself wishing it would finish sooner.

The film deals with the tragedy of a kabuki heir, Shunsuke, and an outsider without lineage, Kikuo . The heir relies on bloodline and neglects to refine his art, while the outsider has no choice but to polish his craft and earn recognition.

The story becomes engaging once the outsider is given the stage name Hanjiro. It depicts the struggles of both men, but there is no real climax. Events are forced: Hanjiro is injured in a traffic accident and can no longer perform; during the Byakko name-taking ceremony, he coughs up blood; Hanjiro’s son loses the use of his legs while performing Dōjōji; he later gives a passionate performance of The Love Suicides at Sonezaki with a prosthetic leg. Each episode is compelling on its own, but taken together, what does it amount to? There is no build-up, no catharsis. Because it strings together a series of kabuki highlights, the film feels almost like an “Invitation to Kabuki.”

Two young actors dance Dōjōji and Fuji Musume. For amateurs, their onnagata dancing is surprisingly convincing. In particular, in The Love Suicides at Sonezaki, the line:

“Without proof, reason cannot stand. As things have come to this, Tokusama too must die — but I would hear your resolve to die.”

is delivered remarkably well.

Perhaps the adaptation strayed too far from Shuichi Yoshida’s original novel.

 

最後の歌 The Last Song

最後の歌 

1945年3月21日、日本は大砲も航空機も軍艦も不足する中、必死にアメリカと戦っていた。敗戦は明らかであったが、公の場でそれを口にすることは禁忌とされていた。

45歳の日本人歌手・淡谷のり子は、九州の知覧飛行場にある食堂の舞台で、約30人の若い兵士たちの前で「別れのブルース」を歌っていた。

歌う前、責任者の男が言った。

「申し訳ないですが、歌っている途中で、何人かは席を立たねばなりません」 

「かまいませんよ」と彼女は答えた。

歌い始めると、やがて10人ほどの若い兵士が静かに立ち上がり、彼女に敬礼して一人、また一人と去っていった。

歌い終えた後、男は言った。

「ありがとう。皆、あなたの歌を聴けて喜んでいました。あなたの歌が、彼らの人生で最後に聴く歌でした」

「最後の歌？　どうしてですか？」と淡谷が尋ねた。

「彼らは全員、特攻隊員です。今まさに飛び立つところです」

吃驚して、彼女は窓へ駆け寄って見ると、数機の爆撃機が次々と高度を上げていました。彼女はその場に崩れ落ち、涙が止まらなかった。

 

何んと悲しい話ではないか

   

The Last Song

      It was March 21, 1945, when Japan was desperately fighting against the United States despite of lack of artillery, aircrafts, or warships. It was obvious that Japan would lose the war, but it was a taboo to say so in public.

A 45-year-old Japanese singer Awaya Noriko was singing, “Farewell Blues” in front of about 30 young soldiers at a restaurant stage in Chiran Airport in Kyushu, the southernmost island in Japan.

Before she sang, the man in charge said, “I’m sorry to say that some of them must leave while you are singing.”

“That’s no problem,” she replied.

She began to sing. Soon about 10 young soldiers quietly stood, saluted to her, and left one after another.

After she sang the song, the man said, “Thank you. Everyone of them was happy to hear your song. That was their last song to hear in their lives.”

“Last song? Why?” Awaya asked.

“Because they are all Kamikaze pilot. They are just about to fly.”

Shocked, she rushed to the window to see several bombers climbing higher and higher. She collapsed and couldn’t stop crying. 

What a pitiful scene!

尿が出ない Unable to Urinate

 尿が出ない　

　11月２２日（土）、朝から逼迫尿意。トイレに行っても尿が一滴も出ない。風呂に入ると尿の出が良くなるので、豊田線「浄心」にある龍泉寺温泉に行き、湯上りに瓶ビールを一本飲んだ。

午前中にコーヒーを飲み、昼飯に汁物や茶を飲んだから、膀胱に尿が溜まっているはず。でも、一滴も出ない。

帰宅後、晩飯を食べて、十九時頃Chat GPTで「尿が出ない、どうすべきか」と尋ねたら、「救急車で病院に行くべし。放置すると、膀胱が損傷する。腎臓に負担がかかる。血圧上昇。感染症のリスクあり」と返事。

女房の運転で、聖霊病院の救急外来に２１時頃に着いた。医者が尿道に管を入れようとした。なかなか入らない。何度も失敗し、ついに聖霊病院ではお手上げ。

夜中の２２時頃、市大病院に行った。医者が上手く管（カテーテル）を尿道に挿入し、尿を出してくれた。約１２００ｃｃ（大きなペットボトル満タン）あった。逼迫尿意は消え、気分が、すこぶる良くなった。

女房の運転で帰宅したのは２３：４０頃。

カテーテルを着けたまま寝たが、午前三時頃、パンツが、べたべたするので見てみると、パンツもパジャマも毛布も敷布も血だらけ。血尿だ。血だらけのパンツとパジャマは処分して、着替えた。

翌朝、敷布と毛布に付いた血を洗った。

　翌朝（２３日）９：３０頃、市大病院で診察。膀胱洗浄。止血剤。カテーテルを着けた不自由な生活。

　２８日（金）９：１５　聖霊病院で診察。カテーテルは取らずに１２月朔日に取る。

Unable to Urinate

From the morning on November 22 (Saturday), I felt an urgent need to urinate, but even when I went to the toilet, not a single drop came out. Since bathing usually improves my urine flow, I went to Ryusenji Onsen at Jōshin on the Toyota Line, and after bathing I drank a bottle of beer.

I had coffee in the morning, and with lunch I drank soup and tea, so my bladder should have been full. Yet still, not a single drop came out.

After returning home and eating dinner, around 7 p.m. I asked ChatGPT, “I can’t urinate, what should I do?” The reply was: “You should go to the hospital by ambulance. If left untreated, the bladder may be damaged, the kidneys will be strained, blood pressure will rise, and there is a risk of infection.”

My wife drove me to Seirei Hospital’s emergency department, arriving around 9 p.m. The doctor tried to insert a tube into my urethra, but it wouldn’t go in. After several failed attempts, he gave up.

Around 10 p.m., we went to Nagoya City University Hospital. There, the doctor successfully inserted a catheter into my urethra and drained the urine. About 1,200 cc (enough to fill a large PET bottle) came out. The urgent need to urinate disappeared, and I felt wonderfully relieved.

My wife drove us home, arriving around 11:40 p.m.

I slept with the catheter still in place, but around 3 a.m. I noticed my underwear was sticky. When I checked, my underwear, pajamas, blanket, and sheet were all soaked with blood—bloody urine. I threw away the bloodstained underwear and pajamas and changed clothes.

The next morning, I washed the blanket and sheet that had blood on them.

 

On November 23 (Sunday), around 9:30 a.m., I had a check-up at Nagoya City University Hospital. They performed bladder irrigation, gave me hemostatic medication.  

I have been living my life with the catheter in place. That is most inconvenient. I always have to hold a long tube that comes out of my urethra to the catheter.

I had another check-up at Seirei Hospital on November 28 (Friday), 9:15 a.m. The catheter was not removed; it will be taken out on December 1.

 

観光バスの衝突 Sightseeing Bus Collision

 昨日（１１月１０日）富士五湖廻りの途中、本栖湖でバスがバックして停車する時、後部バンパーが、駐車中の乗用車の側面に当たり、凹んでしまった。

添乗員と運転手と、乗用車の運転手が損傷箇所の傍で話し始めた。（私はバスの窓側に座っており、彼らの遣り取りが見えた）添乗員は会社に電話をしているようであった。

添乗員は乗客に謝り、「会社の指示は、警察に連絡をとる。代用のバスを回送する」とのこと。運転手も我々観光客に謝った。

困った。本栖湖を予定通りに出発しないと静岡駅発の新幹線に乗れない。乗れなければ、後発の新幹線の自由席に乗ることになる。私は一時間半も新幹線に立ち続けることはできない。

２０分ぐらい経つとパトカーが来た。警官が現場を調べ、写真を撮り、約２０分後に去って行った。

回送バスは来ない……。

添乗員が「会社に警官の調べがあったと連絡したら、そのまま走って良いとのことでした。今から発車します。途中で土産店でのトイレ休憩は飛ばして、静岡駅に直行します。新幹線には、予定通り乗車できます」と言った。

ああ、良かった。

こんな経験は初めてだ。飛行機や電車の事故で、客が待合室やコンコースで座り込んでいる光景を何度も見たが、他人事ではなかった。

Sightseeing Bus Collision

Yesterday (November 10), while touring around the Fuji Five Lakes, our bus was backing up to stop at Lake Motosu when its rear bumper struck the side of a parked car, leaving a dent.

The tour conductor, the bus driver, and the car’s driver began talking near the damaged spot. (I was seated by the bus window and could see their exchange.) The conductor seemed to be calling the company.

After that, the conductor apologized to the passengers, explaining, “The company has instructed me to contact the police. They will send a replacement bus.” The driver also apologized to us tourists.

This was troubling. If we didn’t leave Lake Motosu on schedule, we wouldn’t make our Shinkansen from Shizuoka Station. Missing it would mean boarding a later train in the unreserved section. I cannot stand for an hour and a half on the Shinkansen.

After about twenty minutes, a police car arrived. The officers inspected the scene, took photos, and left about twenty minutes later.

But the replacement bus never came…

Then the conductor announced, “After reporting the police inspection to the company, they told us we can continue as we are. We’ll depart now. We’ll skip the restroom stop at the souvenir shop and go straight to Shizuoka Station. You’ll be able to board the Shinkansen as scheduled.”

Ah, what a relief.

This was my first time experiencing something like this. I’ve often seen passengers stranded in waiting rooms or concourses after plane or train accidents, but now it wasn’t someone else’s problem—it was mine.

なぜ「帰りは怖い」のか Why Is "Returning" Scary?

なぜ「帰りは怖い」のか

童謡に「通りゃんせ」がある。

 

通りゃんせ 通りゃんせ

ここはどこの 細道じゃ

天神様の 細道じゃ

ちっと通して 下しゃんせ

御用のないもの 通しゃせぬ

この子の七つの お祝いに

お札を納めに 参ります

行きはよいよい 帰りはこわい

こわいながらも 通りゃんせ 通りゃんせ

 

最後の行に「帰りはこわい」とある。何故、怖いのか。

Chat GPTによると、答は以下の如くであった。

神社は「あの世」と「この世」の境と考えられていた。「行く」は生（現世）から神域へ入るから、いと易きこと。しかし、お札を納めて、神域を離れ、生現世）へ戻る。神域を離れたから怖い。

 

　Why Is "Returning" Scary?

Go ahead, go ahead
Where does this narrow path lead?
It leads to the Tenjin shrine.
Please let me pass for a moment.
Those without business may not pass.
I’ve come to offer a talisman
For this child’s seventh birthday.
The way there is easy, the way back is scary.
Even so, go ahead, go ahead.

Chat GPT answered this way: 

The return path symbolizes leaving the sacred realm of the gods and returning to the mortal world, and the fear expressed as “scary” reflects the unease and reverence felt when departing from such a divine space.

 

We Happy Few 我等の数は少ないが、幸せ者だ

 昨日、YWC|Aのシェクスピア講座で「アジャンクールの戦い」の原文を読んだ。この戦いについては、３４年前（１９９１年）、生徒にKNOW THE WORLD WITH MAT "MATの目”でプリントを配った。以下は、そのプリントである。

原文を併せて付加えることにした。

Yesterday, I studied the Battle of Agincourt in the Shakespeare Class at  Nagoya YWCA. I had given printed materials about the battle in my English class 34 years ago. I was 48 years old then. I added Henry V's encouragement speech to the Bilingual Bulletin No. 25. 

 南山高等学校　２年　日英バイリンガル通信　NO. 25　July 19, 1991

　　　　　　　　　　少ないほど大きい

　諸君は世界史で「アジャンクールの戦い」について習いましたが覚えていますか。１４１５年、アジャンクールでヘンリー５世の率いる三千のイギリス軍が、二万のフランス騎士軍を破りました。フランス軍の死者は一万、イギリス軍は二百人でした。シェクスピアの「ヘンリー５世」によると、王は次のように言って兵士を鼓舞しました。
　『援軍を望む者もいよう。しかし我々が戦死するなら三千で十分だ。生き残るのなら少数なほど名誉も大きい。戦う勇気のない者は立ち去るがいい。我々は共に死ぬのを恐れるような者と死にたくはない。今日は聖クリスピアンの祭日だ。今日を生きのび無事故郷に帰る者は、毎年この日に胸を張ることだろう。今日を生きのび長生きする者は、毎年友達に「明日は聖クリスピアンだ」と言って古傷を見せ、「これは聖クリスピアンの日の傷だ」と言うことだろう。老人は忘れ易いが、今日の手柄は決して忘れず、息子に語り聞かせるであろう。我々は少数だが幸せだ。クリスピアンの日が来さえすれば我々のことが思いだされるからだ。今日、朕と共に血を流す者を朕の兄弟としよう。たとえ卑しい身分でも貴紳としよう。故国で今寝ている者はここにいなかったことを残念がるだろう。』

　　　　　THE FEWER, THE GREATER

　　You studied the Battle of Agincourt during your world history lesson. Do you remember it? An English army of 3,000 men led by King Henry V defeated a French force of 20,000 knights at Agincourt in 1415. The French losses were 10,000, while the English losses were only 200. According to Shakespeare’s “Henry V,” this is how the king encouraged his men.
　　“Some of you may want to have more men from England, but if we are to die, 3,000 of us are more than enough. If we are to live, the fewer we are, the greater is our share of honor. He who has no stomach for this fight, let him depart. We will not die with those who fear to die with us.
　　“Today is the Feast of Crispian. He who survives today and goes home safely will be proud of himself when this day comes. He who survives today and lives to an old age will say to his friends every year, ‘Tomorrow is Crispian’s day,’ and he will show his scars and say, ‘I got these wounds on Crispian’s day.’ Old men often forget, but they will never forget what they did this day. They will tell this story to their sons. We are a happy few. Every year when Crispian’s day comes, we will be remembered.
　　“He who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother. However vile he may be, he shall be called a gentleman. The gentlemen lying in bed in England will be sorry that they are not here.”

*********************************************
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
　　　　　　　　　　--Shakespeare “Henry V”

The St. Crispin’s Day speech from Henry V

by Private: William Shakespeare

King Henry V: What’s he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin:
If we are mark’d to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires:
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England:
God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more, methinks, would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day

From Henry V, Act IV, Scene III

「レ・ミゼラブル」でミゼラブル ”Les Miserables" Made Me Miserable

愛知県芸術劇場でミュージカル「レ・ミゼラブル」を観た。上演時間は約二時間半。歌手もオーケストラの演奏者も皆外国人で、ロンドン公演のプロダクション。ミュージカルは英語で演じられ、日本語字幕が付いていた。

19,500円という大金を払った。その分、楽しめるだろうと思っていたが、 “ミゼラブル”な気持ちになった。

第一に、歌手の英語がほとんど理解できない。20％も理解できなかっただろう。英語の歌を理解するのは、英会話を理解するよりもずっと難しい。単語一つの発声に長く時間がかかるからだ。

第二に、音量があまりにも大きく、耳が壊れるのではないかと思った。鼓膜を守るため、しばしば指を耳に入れた。

第三に、舞台照明に眼が眩んだ。観客に向けてわざと、ピカーっと照明を浴びせ、目を開けていられなかった。なぜ演出家は照明を、あそこまで明るくしたのか理解できない。

第四に、日本語字幕が読みづらかった。文字が小さすぎて全く読めない。そのため、物語を理解できなかった。私の席は三階だったため、字幕スクリーンが遠すぎた。席はS席（スペシャル席）だったが、文字は現在の二倍の大きさにすべきだ。

約20年前、チャールズ・ディケンズの『オリバー・ツイスト』のミュージカル「オリバー」をロンドンで観たことがある。とても面白かった。しかし今回の「レ・ミゼラブル」は全く楽しめない。お金、時間、エネルギーの無駄。

実は、後半には胸に痛みを覚え、深く呼吸することができなくなった。そこで、心不全で死なぬように、ゆっくり呼吸した。幸いにも、公演が終わり劇場を出たときには、生きていて、普通に呼吸できた。

好きな歌舞伎「娘道成寺」が上演されている御園座に行くべきだった。

”Les  Miserables" Made Me Miserable

Today, I saw a musical “Les Miserables” at Aichi Prefectural Art Theater. It lasted for about two hours and a half. The singers and the orchestra players were all foreigners (they say it is a London production). The musical was performed in English with Japanese subtitles.

I paid 19,500 yen for the musical. That’s a lot of money. I hoped I would enjoy as much as I paid. But alas. The performance made me ‘miserable.’

First, I hardly understood the singers’ English. Probably, I understood less than 20 percent of the performance. To comprehend English songs was far more difficult than English conversation because the simple utterance of a word or words takes a long, long time.

Second, the volume was so loud and noisy that I was afraid that my ears would be damaged. I often put my fingers in the ear holes to protect ear drum injuries.

Third, the stage lights were so bright that they often blinded my eyes. Some of the lights were aimed at the audience. They shot the lights at us, audience. I couldn’t keep opening my eyes. I don’t understand the director’s intention to make the stage lights too bright.

Fourth, the Japanese subtitles were difficult to read because the letters were so small that I was not able to read them at all. So, I failed to understand the whole story. Maybe my seat was on the third floor, from which the subtitle screens were far away. My seat was S (special) seat, though. The letters should be twice as large as the present size.

About 20 years ago, I saw a musical “Oliver” based on “Oliver Twist” written by Charles Dickens. I enjoyed it very much. However, I did not enjoy “Les Misérables” at all. It was a waste of money, time, and energy. To tell you the truth, I felt pain in my heart at the latter part of the performance. I was unable to breathe deeply. So, I tried to breathe slowly and steadily so that I would not die of heart failure. Thank God, after the performance finished and when I went out of the theater, I was alive and breathed normally.

I should have gone to see my favorite Kabuki at Misono Theater, where Musume Dojoji is performed.