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a commentary Böshibari: The Master has learned that his two servants make a practice of helping themselves to his wine whenever he is out. He has some business to attend to and is preparing to leave, but he Is determined to put an end to this outrage first. His strategy Is to tie both of them up. He succeeds by cleverly enlisting the help of Jirö, servant number two, and together they tie Tarò, servant number one, spread-eagle fashion to a pole. Jirö enjoys the spectacle Immensely, little realizing Ns turn Is coming. Soon he, too, is tied, with bis hands behind his back. Their protests are In vain, and the Master marches off confident and triumphant. The two cut ridiculous figures. Each blames the other for what happened, but they later laugh admitting they had brought it upon themselves. Any plans they may have had for another bout of drinking seem definitely foiled. But Taro is not one to give up easily. He proposes that they, at least, go down to the wine cellar and smell the wine. Once there he manages to remove the seal from a large earthen wine jar, and using a large bowl, or more properly the lid of a kazura-oke, a deep, round lacquered container, succeeds In getting to the wine. They have their fill. There is much merrymaking, singing and dancing. Their troubles are all but forgotten and so too is their Master forgotten. Even when he returns and stands poised behind them and they see his reflection In the bowl, they take it to be his miserly spirit that had stayed behind. They even make a song obout ,it. This bit of impudence and disrespect, however, in an expression of their ebullient spürt. (It Is not Improbable that Taro suspects that their Master Is actually standing behind them.) Still there Is no malice in it. The song represents a heady climax to the delightful scenes of song and dance, which in turn grow ■naturally out of the kind and quality or resourcefulness. Taro brings to his efforts in obtaining the wine. The demonstration of his ingenuity, presented through wonderful bits of pantomime, is surely the highlight of the play. Böshibari is a simple story. But there are several points that bear closer examination. The Master nray not be a master of his own house. (The final scene, before be drives his servants out is a beautiful

tableau that confirms this.) But he is shrewd enough to exploit the subtle rivalry that exists between the servants, especially the latent feelings of rebelliousness or resentment that Jirö harbors, as servant number two, toward Tarò, the ,“top dog.” This is why the Master calls Jirö first; he knows Jirö is more malleable, more likely to do his bidding. The Master tells Jirö only of his displeasure with Tarò, and his intention to punish him by tying him up. Jirö pleads for mercy, but somehow his plea sounds feeble, even perfunctory. His failure to be more forceful may be due to his character, for he is a follower rather than leader. Still, one suspects that he also shares a secret desire to see the “top dog" put in his place. And especially when the Master seeks bis advice he jumps at the chance. Not only does he show off In telling his Master about the lessons Taro has been taking in the sport of the pole. He gleefully offers a specific course of action that leads to Taro’s capture. He literally crows when he sees Taro in a most unaccustomed role. Again, when Tarò finally succeeds In getting the wine, but can fund no ready means to drink it himself the hand that holds the bowl Is tied at the end of a long pole Jirö Is only too willing to drink in his stead. His expression of concern for Taro, at least, lends ambiguity to his real feelings. It all works out alright for Taro; he does find a way. But In the meantime, Jirö has his “innings.” The rivalry between the two servants represents a by-play at best; It hovers In the background. But that It Is there at all is significant, for it reveals the often subtle workings of human nature. For the purposes of the play this rivalry holds a more important role as a dramatic vehicle to advance the action of the play and, especially, by bringing out the difference in their character and personality, to provide variation, contrast and a change of pace. This ils immediately evident on the visual plane. We see this even In the manner In which they are tied. Taro presents an image of strength, even Indomitabllity. There is a stiff, angular effect in the composition, quite in keeping with his customary role as the chief instigator of mischief and irrepressible leader. Jirö, by comparison, seems subdued and hesitant. The sharp horizontal line of the pole to which Taro is bound sharply contrasts with the rounded effect of the shoulder line of Jirö, who Is tied with his hands behind his back. This contrasting motif Is followed through consistently. It ils found In both the types of dance each presents and the songs that go with them. (The sequence in the dances are amusing In-

deed, especially where they substitute their heads for their fans they would use under normal circumstances.) But in tone and rhythm, the differences also lifrom us of the difference between the servants. Taro's dance is rhythmic and angular; Jirö's more lyrical and soft. Both songs have the theme of love. But Akatsuki, or “Daybreak”, to which Taro dances, deals with the love between a man and a woman and the tone is strong, full-fodied. Jirö dances to Nanatsugo, or “A Seven-yearold,” which expresses a delicate love and concern of an older woman, a wet-nurse perhaps, for a seven-year-old girl. It is this total integration of form, design and character that gives to this play its extraordinary strength and beauty.

na sokolovom vrelu TAKAHIME Seena je usamljeno ostrvo u dalekim morima. Na stenovitom, ogolelom ostrvu stojl Sokolovo Vrelo okruženo lešnikvim žbunjem. Sokolovo Vrelo je staro I usahlo. Nema ničega osim osamljenog zvuka vetra kroz krošnje drveća. Dok sunce zalazi, usamljeni jedrenjak primlče se obalama ostrve, a mladi čovek prilazi vrelu. Stene proriču da će mladi čovek Izgubiti svoje snove, ostati bez nade i umreti. Kada sunce zade, pojavljuje se Starac. Njegova je želja da proseta do vrela kao i svake večeri, čekajući da se njegove vode vrate. On stoji i priseéa se večeri jednog dana pre mnogo godina, kada je predivna devojka bez reel stajala kraj vrela, očiju zamućenih I dalekih. Starac se raspituje o identitetu mladog čoveka, a mladi čovek otkriva da je on persijski princ po imenu Cuchulain, koji je čuvši zvukove ovog vrela prešao sedam mora da bi ga posetio. Cuchulan moli Starca da ga odvede da vrela, tako da kada se potoci budu ulivali u vrelo, njegove želje postano stvarnost. Starac je prvi put posetio vrelo sa istim nadama da ée mu se želje ostvarlti, I to pre mnogo, mnogo godlna, ali svo njegovo öekanje je bilo uzaludno i on je ostao razočaran, jer to jedino vreme kad se potoci slivaju u vrelo, misteriozno je i nepoznato čoveku, i svaki put kada se potoci sliju u vrelo, Starac klone opčinjen njegovom magičnom moći i zaspi dubokim snom. Starac postaje svestan kako godine ovako prolaze, kako je osta-

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