Re: Research on Onnagata - help!

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: <b>Follow-up from JF:</b> : I just remembered that some time ago I compiled a list of publications on kabuki for a friend, so I am providing it here. The list includes the puppet (<i>jôruri</i> theater because many of the plays were first written for the puppets and through much of the history of both kabuki and <i>jôruri</i> there was a reciprocal influence. In learning about kabuki one should never ignore the puppet theater! : <b>Publications in English Containing Discussions, Libretti, or Summaries of Kabuki and Bunraku</b> : : <b>General Reference</b> : Ando, T.: Bunraku: The Puppet Theater, Weatherhill 1970; 222pp : Basic illustrated introduction (part of a five-part set on kabuki, bunraku, nô, buyo, and gagaku) : Bowers, F.: Japanese Theatre, Hermitage House, NY, 1952; 294pp : Good basic historical discussion of kabuki plus three translation of plays; some illus. : Brandon, J., Malm, W., & Shively, D.: Studies in Kabuki: Its Acting, Music, and Historical Context, University Press of Hawaii, 1978; 183pp : Good collection of essays on various topics related to kabuki : Dunn, C. and Torigoe, B.: The Actors’ Analects, Columbia University Press, 1969; 306pp : Good scholarly guide to a collection of writings by 17th C. actors; Recommended (insightful although limited in scope). : Ernst, E.: The Kabuki Theatre, Oxford University Press, 1956; 296pp : Good basic introduction to many aspects of kabuki; some illus. : Gluck, C.: You Mean to Say You Still Don’t Know Who We Are: Seven Kabuki Plays, Personally Oriented, Ashiya, Japan, 1976 : A terrible title, but useful translations of 7 plays. : Gunji, M.: Kabuki, Kodansha, 1985 (revised edition); 223pp : A basic introduction, profusely illustrated. : Gunji, M.: The Kabuki Guide, Kodansha, 1987; 144pp : Small Guide with 36 plays in synopsis; illus. : Halford, A. & Halford, G.: The Kabuki Handbook, Tuttle, 1956; 487pp : The basic guide with very useful and sometimes detailed synopses and commentaries on terminology. Recommended for general reference. : Hamamura, et. al.: Kabuki, Kenkyusha Ltd., 1956; 163pp : General guide to kabuki (no synopses of plays) : Hironaga, S.: Bunraku: An Introduction to the Puppet Theatre, Bunraku Theater, Osaka, 1959; 120pp : Many brief synopses of bunraku plays : Hironaga, S.: The Bunraku Handbook, ; Maison des Arts, Tokyo, 1976; 423pp : Good guide with many synopses (this edition has a few more entries than the original edition published by Tokyo News Service, 1964; 386pp). Recommended for the large number of synopses. : Leiter, S.: Kabuki Encyclopedia, Greenwood Press, 1979; 572pp : Adapted translation of kabuki jiten, with very useful synopses of many plays and commentaries on terminology; a few illus. Recommended for general reference. : Miyake, S. Kabuki Drama, Japan Travel Bureau, 1938; 157pp : Small guide with introduction to kabuki plus some plays in synopsis; illus : Scott, A.C.: The Puppet Theatre of Japan, Tuttle, 1963; 173 pp : Small guide with introduction to bunraku plus 10 plays in extended description; illus. : Scott, A.C.: The Kabuki Theatre of Japan, Allen & Unwin, London, 1955; 317pp : Good basic introduction to kabuki; six representative plays described in detail; Recommended for general principles. : Toita, Y.: Kabuki: The Popular Theater, Weatherhill 1970; 245pp : Basic illustrated introduction (part of a five-part set on kabuki, bunraku, nô, buyo, and gagaku) : : <b>Monographs or Special Focus</b> : Brandon, J. (ed.): Chûshingura: Studies in Kabuki and the Puppet Theater, University of Hawaii Press, 1982; 231pp : Interesting collection of essays on the Chûshingura & censorship plus a translation of 5 acts from the play; some illus. : Brandon, J.: Kabuki: Five Classic Plays, University of Hawaii Press, 1975; 378pp : Good brief introduction to kabuki plus 5 plays in translation : Keene, D.: Major Plays of Chikamatsu, Columbia University Press, 1961; 485pp : Scholarly introduction and translation of 11 plays by Chikamatsu. Recommended - the best collected English translations of Chikamatsu. : Keene, D.: The Battles of Coxinga: Chikamatsu’s Puppet Play, Its Background and Importance, Cambridge University Press, 1971; 205pp : Very good scholarly monograph and translation of the play. Recommended for its scholarship. : Keene, D.: Chûshingura: The Treasury of Loyal Retainers, Columbia University Press, 1971; 183pp : Very good scholarly monograph and translation of the play. Recommended for its scholarship. : Miyomori, A.: Masterpieces of Chikamatsu: The Japanese Shakespeare, Kegan Paul, London, 1926; 359pp : Early collection of translations of six Chikamatsu plays; basic introduction; somewhat out of date in terms of accuracy and scholarship, but still occasionally useful (see D. Keene, however) : Shively, D.: The Love Suicide at Amijima: A Study of a Japanese Domestic Tragedy by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, Harvard Yenching Institute, 1953; 173pp : Very good scholarly monograph and translation of the play. Recommended for its scholarship. : Motofuji, F. (trans.): The Love of Izayoi & Seishin, Tuttle, 1966; 172pp : Good discussion and translation of a play given in 1859 by Kawatake Mokunami