performing arts reference question

Anne McKnight amck at gol.com
Sat Aug 15 03:48:32 EDT 1998


Hello,
I've got a question more proper to stage drama than film, but since there's
such a cross-over of performing arts, I thought I'd give it a shot.  

I'm translating an article which is partly about Meiji 30s entertainment
troupes -- travelling acrobats, to be precise.  (This passage is a zoom-in
reading of a passage in a TAMURA Toshiko piece of fiction called "Ikichi." 
Some people may have read it, it ran in an early issue of the feminist
journal _Seito_.)  There's a striking young woman who appears in an "otoko
hakama" costume.  The author of the article is using her, & particularly
the act of cross-dressing, in a larger analysis of various sorts of sexual
anarchy among the _Seito_ crowd & the "new woman" in general. I can't get
ahold of the author at the moment, so would be immensely grateful if anyone
has any suggestions for reference books (preferably illustrated) on Meiji
performing arts genres, fads, histories, etc.  The article implies act of
cross-dressing (?) is at the cutting edge of Meiji 30s honky-tonk pop
culture...

Thanks for any help.  If anyone's at all curious, I'll let you know what
turns up.
Sincerely,

Anne McKnight
UC Berkeley/Tokyo University



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