Memories of the Morioka Bunshi-geki (Literary Theater) ① Before Rehearsals

Since I was a child, I have been bad at talking to people. Not just bad, but "impossible." Seriously impossible. I couldn't do it. I didn't know how to construct sentences or even how to project my voice, so I spent all my time in the classroom alone, just reading books.
Why, then, did someone like me end up playing a role where I had to fly into a rage in a play?

In Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, where I grew up, there is a culture called the "Morioka Bunshi-geki" (Literary Theater). "Bunshi-geki" might be a term not very familiar to the general public. It is a form of theater where so-called "literary figures" (bunshi), such as writers and journalists, stand on stage. It was established by Koyo Ozaki and others in 1890 and remained popular through the Showa era.

Following that tradition, performances are held every December in Morioka City, centered around local writers and announcers, in a three-part structure consisting of a modern play, a formal greeting (kojo), and a period piece. 2025 marked the 30th anniversary (it seems it will be consolidated into a single performance starting in 2026).

That said, I had never seen a Bunshi-geki performance until 2023. I have several friends who are involved in theater, so I have experienced watching plays many times, but there was a rumor that tickets for the Bunshi-geki were impossible to get, and years passed while I was caught up in the busyness of work and family life.

On the other hand, I have long been a familiar face at local creative gatherings. That is where I met a certain person who has been deeply involved in the Bunshi-geki for a long time.
It seems they counted even a hack writer like me as a "Morioka literary figure," and in fact, several years ago, I was invited through this person to perform in the Bunshi-geki. However, at the time, I thought, "Someone like me who can barely talk in front of people!" and since my baby had just been born, I declined.

However, this person didn't give up at all (laughs). They would invite me to come see the Bunshi-geki, and gradually the walls around me were closed in. Before I knew it, I was told, "We're short on people for the 30th anniversary next time (2025)," and by the spring of 2025, I had nodded in agreement.

I had many internal conflicts leading up to that point.
First of all, talking is impossible for me. It's so impossible that I only write words. Until middle school, I communicated with my few friends through writing (thank you to everyone from back then).

Once I started working and was tossed about by the waves of society, I became able to speak at a level that seems normal at first glance. In 2020, I was invited by that same person to read my own work at the "Morioka Version Literary Reading Theater," which was held in place of the Bunshi-geki that was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so the feeling that it was "absolutely impossible!" had begun to fade...
However, that was a small-scale event with only a few dozen people in the audience, and speaking in front of a large crowd was uncharted territory. I often end up saying things that don't make sense even to me. Or is that a different problem?

Morioka Version Literary Reading Theater Day 1

Morioka Version Literary Reading Theater Day 2

(Actually, it's on YouTube ↑)

But it is also true that as I've gotten older, in a sense, I've stopped caring about the little things. I spent about four months self-suggesting, "Well, maybe I can try it once?" and gave my answer.
The next problem was the issue of childcare during rehearsals on weekday nights, as I have many young children at home, but I decided to rely on my family and relatives as much as possible.
And when I met that person and accepted, they smiled fearlessly and said, "I'm thinking of a role that suits you..."

Spring ended, and the script was sent in the summer.
I had heard about it privately, but the period piece I was to perform in was—

"The Inugami Family" (Original work by Seishi Yokomizo)

Here it comes!
I was genuinely happy. My excitement grew.
I was already a casual literature nerd, but what I love most are mystery novels. (Recently, I've been declaring myself a "closet mystery nerd"... though I'm not really hiding it.)
I love the atmosphere of the old days so much that I write historical novels, so I love the Kindaichi series!

And when I looked at my role,

"Kikuno Aonuma"

The woman whom the head of the Inugami family, Sahei Inugami, once loved, and who gave birth to Sahei's son, Shizuma Aonuma.
In the original work and the movie, she survives as [redacted] (to avoid spoilers), but this time, the setting is that she is already dead.
There is a scene where this person, who was once abused by the three Inugami sisters, pours out her resentment in a flashback.

Thanks to me pleading with that person that I had "absolutely no confidence in speaking or memorizing lines," my lines were limited to just this one part. However, it was quite long, as I had to endlessly pour out grievances, saying, "What cold-blooded, heartless people you are," and ending with, "Someday, my son Shizuma will surely take revenge on you!"
Scary.
But it looks fun.

Naturally, I couldn't play a cute or lively young woman, so I thought if I was going to do this, I might as well go full rock 'n' roll.
That sounds amazing.
I read the script and felt excited, completely shifting my mindset (I'm simple like that).
For the time being, I wrote down all my angry lines on paper and plastered them all over the house, recorded the script on my phone for a solo rehearsal, and spent my days listening to it while washing dishes.

By the way, since my house is usually littered with notes for novel ideas and rough drafts, my family just ignored it, thinking, 'She's doing that thing again.'
However, when I had to invite the washing machine repairman into the washroom where these were posted, I really thought it was all over. I seized the first opportunity to tear them all down (continued in Part 2).