TOKYO - The stage play Daigyakuten! Sengoku Warlords Honored, a fantastical period drama blending impersonations, songs, and slapstick comedy, opened on September 20th at the Meijiza Theater in Tokyo.
Actor Ken Matsudaira, known for his many samurai roles, portrayed both Oda Nobunaga and a farmer, and teamed up with veteran impressionist Korokke, who appeared as Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Matsudaira recreated Korokke’s well-known gag, the "Itsuki Robot," performing in a mechanical style alongside him, drawing laughter from the audience. The performance also featured a sword fight staged with vegetables as weapons, adding an eccentric twist to the historical drama.
At a press conference after the show, Korokke praised Matsudaira’s take on the routine, noting the precision of his movements and improvisation. Matsudaira explained that he had no formal coaching in the routine, but instead picked it up by observation. "I just watched and learned," he said. Korokke added that the routine is demanding on the knees, joking that his own joints sometimes ache from practicing the robot moves.
The play combines theatrical spectacle with unexpected humor, offering audiences both traditional samurai storytelling and modern parody. While Matsudaira insisted he is not about to become a full-time impressionist, his performance received strong applause, suggesting audiences are more than ready to see him cross boundaries between historical drama and comic parody.
Source: Kyodo
