Performing the Mie

Main Stage, Kabuki Theatre, Night

Keiji returns to his performance after he froze up. He approaches the front of the mansion and speaks to Minamoto Raiko

Keiji: “Good evening, Lord Raikō. How do you feel?”

Raiko: “How strange it is. Why does an unfamiliar monk visit me in the middle of the night? Who on earth are you, you loathsome creature?”

Keiji pretends to laugh.

Keiji: “Such nonsense. Your suffering is not my fault.”

The audience watches on. They are deeply engaged with the acting. None of them seem to remember Keiji’s tripping. They are wholly and entirely enjoying themselves.

Wing, Kabuki Theatre, Night

Ōemon and Jun both watch with wide smiles.

Main Stage, Kabuki Theatre, Night

Keiji: “As the old poem says “my husband will come tonight as the spider's behaviour tells me so....”

Raiko: “Did you say the spider's behaviour? I see. I did not identify you and now understand that your behaviour is like that of a spider, which rudely approaches me.”

Keiji smiles evilly. The lightning on stage darkens. The shadow that Keiji casts upon the mansion turns into the shape of a spider.

Keiji: “I shall torment you!”

Keiji takes out a roll of string and throws it at Raiko. It sprays out into multiple long strands and appears like spider webs. The webs fall over Raiko.

The audience gasps with surprise.

Raiko rips the web off him and moves over to grab the prop sword next to him. He takes it out of its scabbard and swings at Keiji.

Keiji nimbly dodges out of the way. Raiko continues swinging at him, causing him to slowly move towards the centre of the stage. The way he moves is animalistic and in a way that resembles a spider’s crawling. He sticks close to the ground.

Wing, Kabuki Theatre, Night

Ōemon: “Here it comes.”

Jun looks on excitedly.

Main Stage, Kabuki Theatre, Night

Keiji gets low to the ground. He takes off the rosary prayer beads that were around his neck and stretches them taut across his mouth. He is performing the Animal Mouth Mie (畜生口の見得). When he does, there is a powerful fierceness to him. An aura of evil envelopes him. He is embodying the evil and brutality of the spider spirit.

The audience is incredibly impressed. They clap and cheer proudly.

Wing, Kabuki Theatre, Night

Jun cheers loudly and passionately from the wings. He shouts out Kakegoe (掛け声).

Jun: “This is what we’ve been waiting for!” (待ってました!)

Main Stage, Kabuki Theatre, Night

Kaoru watches from the front of the mansion. She looks on at Keiji’s Mie and makes a frowning expression. She is jealous of the attention and cheers that Keiji is getting, and she makes a determined expression.

Title card: Onnagata. Episode 11.

Backstage, Kabuki Theatre, Night

Keiji comes backstage. He is covered in sweat and breathing heavily. The performance has taken a lot out of him. Two stagehands come over to help him change his costume. One takes his coat while the other takes his props.

Jun runs over to Keiji.

Jun: “Keiji, you were amazing out there!”

Jun continues to gush over Keiji, while Keiji has a restless expression. He doesn’t appear satisfied with his performance.

Jun: “You aced every single line! And not to mention the Animal Mouth Mie (畜生口の見得); that was spectacular! God, the audience loves you out there!

Jun notices Keiji’s unsatisfied expression. He is concerned.

Jun: “Is everything okay?”

Keiji: “I was mediocre.”

Jun: “What are you talking about? You were great!”

Keiji averts Jun’s eyes.

Keiji: “I’m not good enough yet.”

Jun puts his hands on Keiji’s shoulders.

Jun: “Keiji, you were truly amazing. You’re more than good enough for Kabuki.”

Keiji looks at Jun.

Keiji: “I want to be good enough for you.”

Jun has a surprised expression. His cheeks blush. His entire face flushed red. He is flustered from Keiji’s comment.

Keiji takes Jun’s hand. He holds it tight with both his hands and looks deeply into Jun’s eyes.

Keiji: “I know I can get even better. So please help me, just one more time.”

Jun looks at Keiji. He smiles gently. He has never been more in love with Keiji. His heart pounds gently in his chest.

Jun (Narration): “You really are awesome, Keiji.”

Main Stage, Kabuki Theatre, Night

The audience has returned to their seats. Intermission has finished, and the show is starting again.

The curtains open. The setting has changed. The mansion downstage has been replaced. Now, the stage is empty except for a simple scaffold in the centre of the stage. The scaffold is covered by a black curtain.

From the side of the stage, Kaoru as Hirai Yasumasa enters. Behind her, there are three other actors, all dressed similarly. They are all warriors who serve as Raiko’s retainers, and they are searching for the spider’s den.

The audience clap and cheers at their entrance.

There is a close-up of the musicians playing their drums, flutes, and samisen.

Behind the scaffold, Keiji sits in relative darkness, waiting for his entrance. He has changed from his monk costume into his spider spirit costume, but the darkness obscures much of his appearance.

Keiji listens as just outside, Kaoru speaks her lines.

Kaoru (Off-panel): “Even a handful of soil and a branch of tree in this land belong to the Emperor. So, there is no room for a demon to live.”

Keiji breathes deeply and closes his eyes. He remembers what Jun had said to him.

Jun (Narration): “To take your acting to the next level, you have to put yourself into it. Use your own experiences to embody your character’s. What is the spider spirit if not evil and cruelty?”

Kaoru stands in front of the black curtain.

Kaoru: “It is me, Hirai Yasumasa, who is known among the warriors serving Lord Raikō. Demons, ogres, evil spirits, whoever will be exterminated!”

Stagehands dressed in black come up to the scaffold. They pull apart the black curtain, revealing Keiji. He is sitting behind the scaffold. Between the scaffolds, in front of Keiji, there is a large spider’s web.

Keiji’s costume is not fully seen. It is either shown only in close-ups or hidden behind the spider’s web.

Keiji’s eyes are still closed.

Jun (Narration): “And Keiji, you of all people should understand that, because the world has been nothing but cruel to you. Remember those experiences.”

An evil aura emanates off Keiji. It is like nothing else has ever seen. He begins to stand up.

The audience gasps.

Wing, Kabuki Theatre, Night

Ōemon has a surprised expression.

Ōemon: “Now this is unexpected.”

Main Stage, Kabuki Theatre, Night

Keiji stands behind the spider’s web. His full costume is now revealed. He wears a wild wig that appears almost like a lion’s mane. The make-up on his face is white with golden accents that make him look demonic. His kimono is large and golden, and appears with the designs and motifs of spiders and spider webs.

Keiji’s eyes open. He smiles.

Jun (Narration): “Use that.”