Miyake Ukon (三宅右近)
Ukon MIYAKE (1914 -) is a Kyogenshi (Kyogen [farce played during a Noh cycle] actor) of Izumi-ryu school.
He is the second son of Tokuro MIYAKE, the ninth (Living National Treasure). His older brother was the 19th head of the family of the Izumi-ryu school, Motohide IZUMI. His uncle was Manzo NOMURA, the sixth (Living National Treasure), his cousins are Man NOMURA (Living National Treasure), Mansaku NOMURA, Shiro NOMURA (Noh performer), Mannosuke NOMURA.
He studied under his father. He made his debut in 'Fukuro Yamabushi' (The Owl and the Warrior Priest) at the age of six. He played in 'Tsuri Gitsune' (The fox fishing) at the age of 22 and 'Hanago' (Visiting Hanago) at the age of 23 for the first time. In 1982 he was designated as the general holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property.
Since his older brother Yasuyuki (also known as Motohide IZUMI) succeeded to the head family of the Izumi-ryu school, he was adopted by the Yamawaki family and since then he has maintained the family line of his father Tokuro MIYAKE, the ninth family. His style of performance is not significantly different from that of the Manzo NOMURA family. However, it seems that realism of sewamono (play dealing with the lives of ordinary people) is noticeable in Hon Kyogen (played independently, this normally is the one generally called Kyogen) whereas fineness of Shikigaku (the music and plays for official ceremonies) is highlighted in Ai kyogen (comic interlude in Noh).
His first son Sukenori MIYAKE and second son Chikanari MIYAKE are both Kyogenshi.
Shuwa kyogen (farce played during a Noh cycle with sign language)
Japan Deaf People's Performing Art Troupe performs Shuwa kyogen played by deaf people. Ukon MIYAKE gave guidance to them from scratch and produced Shuwa kyogen as kyogen which is favorably compared with that played by able-bodied people.
Shuwa kyogen was organized in Japan Deaf People's Performing Art Troupe (social welfare corporation Totto kikin futai gekidan [Totto Foundation to train deaf actors]) based on the idea of Tetsuko KUROYANAGI, administrative director of Totto Foundation: 'Make people laugh in a short time and internationally.'
Tetsuko KUROYANAGI who has also a deep knowledge of Nohgaku has seen Ukon's play since Ukon was a junior high school student and well known his subsequent troubles such as the matter of the Izumi family.
Kuroyanagi asked for Ukon's cooperation because he was 'a person who understands other people's sorrow and pain as well as a great person as leader.'
Shuwa kyogen is kyogen that troupe members deliver their lines in sign language expressively on the stage and kyogen performers vocalize at the wing of the stage in line with acting (movements) of the troupe members and that can entertain both of hearing people and hearing-impaired people.
Troupe members used the old-fashioned sign language to express the nuances of old spoken language in Kyogen and tried one way after another for the timing of sign language and vocalization as well as the pauses between the lines, then Shuwa kyogen with strength of classical Japanese popular performing arts was produced.
In 1983 the troupe gave its first performance in Runa Hall in Ashiya City, Hyogo Prefecture (playing 'Rokujizo' [Six Jizo Ksitigarbha]). After a tour of seven cities over the country, the program was performed in 'World Congress of the Deaf, Theatre Festival' held in Palermo, Italy.
After that, the program was performed all over the country and all over the world and it was also performed in the World Theater Festival in Yokohama in 2006.
In 1987 he was awarded the Agency for Cultural Affairs Art Festival (Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs) prize. In 2002 he received The Prime Minister's Award.