Giō

祇王 Giō/Ninin Giō (Kita)

1 Source and/or Related Material

The Tale of the Heike 1

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Hōshō, Kongō, Kita (where it is known as Futari Giō, “Giō for Two”)

4 Synopsis

The Heike patriarch Kiyomori is living in semi-retirement when a shirabyōshi dancer lady named Hotoke arrives to offer her services. Connoisseur that he is, Kiyomori already has a favorite shirabyōshi dancer, Giō, with whom he is quite intimate, so he refuses to grant Hotoke an audience. However, Giō takes pity on her younger colleague and refuses Kiyomori any more of her own attentions unless he lets Hotoke in. He agrees, and our play begins as Kiyomori’s retainer Seno’o Tarō (waki) leads Giō (tsure) and Hotoke (shite) out before Kiyomori together. Hotoke apologizes to Giō for imposing, while introducing herself and talking about her life. Kiyomori asks them both to dance, so they go to prepare their costumes. One of Tarō’s servants (ai) reviews the story thus far while talking to himself, and then Giō and Hotoke dance a duet (aimai). In this moment, Kiyomori’s affections shift from Giō to Hotoke, so he asks Hotoke to do a solo. Hotoke feels bad for Giō, so she promises that she will make it up to her somehow.