The Final Years

Abstract

In many respects, the troupe’s newfound independence placed it squarely back where it had been before being discovered by the Hamamatsuza. No longer did it have the luxury to concentrate exclusively on rehearsing and touring; now all members were required to help with the behind-the-scenes work that the theatre had managed so adeptly for six years. Surprisingly perhaps, only a handful of girls quit the troupe in the aftermath of the breakup. Most members chose to stay and perform in a three-month tour through Tōhoku and Hokkaido from August to October 1958 and at the Misonoza (Nagoya) in December. If the actresses recognized the precariousness of their situation, they did a good job of hiding it from the press; in interviews, they greeted their change in status with excitement and optimism.