御園座社長殿 Dear President of Misonoza Theater

御園座社長殿

以下の文は２０１８年４月１９日の「ＭＡＴの目」のコピーです。趣旨を公開状（Open Letter)として、下記のように英語に直しました。

先日、御園座柿葺落四月大歌舞伎（夜の部）を観てきたが客の入りが少ないのに驚いた。三等席はほぼ満員であったが、二等席の三列か四列が、列ごとずらりと空席であった。旧御園座を解体してから五年間経って、やっと名古屋地域の歌舞伎フアン待望の新御園座がで落成したというのに、この入りである。それも二代目松本白鸚と十代目松本幸四郎の襲名披露公演であるのにである。友達に訊いたら初日からすでに空席が目立っていたという。
これは御園座のチケットが高すぎるからではないかと思う。七月公演の大阪松竹座の同襲名披露は一等席2万円、二等席一万円、三等席六千円であるのに対して、御園座はＳ席二万四千円、Ａ席二万円、Ｂ席一万２千円、Ｃ席八千円である。
空席が目立つまま公演するくらいなら、もっと安くするとか、約千三百円で鑑賞できる幕見席を設けるとかしなければ、この地方の歌舞伎フアンを増やすどころか、この先またもや経営が困難になるのではないかと危惧する。

Open Letter

Dear President of Misonoza Theater,
I am writing this letter because I am a great fan of kabuki and want your Misonoza to prosper and attract more kabuki fans in the Nagoya and Tokai area.

Five years ago, the old theater was demolished to construct a new one. I had been looking forward to the opening of the new Misonoza Theater for these five years.

This April, the new theater was at last completed to the delight of all the kabuki fans in this district. What added to the excitement of the opening was the “shumei” performances commemorating the succession to the names of Matsumoto Hakuho and Matumoto Koshiro (2^nd and 10^th respectively).

I went to the theater on April 15, but was greatly shocked because I saw so many empty seats. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Although the third-class seats were nearly full, almost a dozen rows of the second-class seats, probably one-third, were empty. I wondered why there were so many empty seats despite the occasion of the grand opening of the new theater and the “shumei” performances.

Considering the frugal characteristics of Nagoya citizens, one of the main reasons of the scarce audience is, in my opinion, the expensive tickets. The same “shumei” performances cerebrating the new Matsumoto actors to be held in July in Osaka Shochikuza Theater cost 20,000 yen for the first-class, 10,000 yen for the second-class, and 6,000 yen for the third-class seat, while Misonoza cost 24,000 yen for the special seat, 20,000 yen for the A-class seat, and 12,000 yen for the B-class seat. On average, Misonoza seats are 120 to 200 percent more expensive than those of Shochikuza.

A theater with almost a third of its seats empty will inevitably lead to poor business results. Empty seats earn no money. Even a child knows that the more the seats are occupied, the more you can earn.

Therefore, I would like to ask you sincerely: could you consider reducing the ticket prices and also introducing a “makumi” (standing room) system? Otherwise, the new theater will lose kabuki fans in the area and ultimately face the financial difficulties again. It will surely be a tragedy to see another demolishing.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Sincerely yours,

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Hiroshi Matsuoka