《Flowers and Women》by Hanagumi-Shibai　

Cast

SYNOPSIS

ACT 1

SCENE 1《TSUGAWAYA＝Geisha house》
Masako, who has had her first period, is depressed. Tsutayo is washing the soiled underwear. They are friends who work for the same geisha house, TSUGAWAYA. There are several “shibazakura” (a type of cherry blossom) and dying goldfish which are wrapped in old newspapers at her feet. Tsutayo plans to bury them in the geisha house's garden.

SCENE 2《HANAMURA＝Japanese restaurant》
Masako and Tsutayo are called into the room of the rich Eto who has decided to become Masako's patron. Both KABUKI players; Sanen and Senshichi are also there. Sanen is the son of Senshichi’s master, but he has less fame then Senshichi. Eto who starts on a journey to Europe on business gives Masako a ruby ring as an engagement ring. Masako and Tsutayo perform a dance in front of the guests. As Masako loses her balance, likely because of the tension, Senshichi gives her his hand for support, and the surrounding adults have an unpleasant premonition that something bad is going to happen.

SCENE 3《TSUGAWAYA》
Ayahachi, the master of TSUGAWAYA chastises Tsutayo because she has sold her virginity, which should be the main selling point of a geisha, to an unfamiliar guest. Ayahachi is upset because this is something that cannot be undone, but, Tsutayo doesn’t seem overly troubled by the chastisement. Moreover, the ardent love report of Masako and Senshichi is recorded in a newspaper article at the same time, and Ayahachi is at the end of her rope. The answer, 'I just wanted to send money to my Mother in the country' comes back when Masako asks Tsutayo the reason for selling herself. Masako, who doesn't know her parents, is touched by the filial piety of Tsutayo. But Masako was so shocked hearing the story that she buried the dead goldfish under the “shibazakura.”

SCENE 4《HANAMURA》
The day when Masako is formally fallen into Eto’s hand. Masako cries and confesses to actually loving Senshichi. She refuses him though Eto presents a European diamond as a souvenir to comfort her. Masako says that the diamond is smaller than Mrs. Eto’s ring.

SCENE 5《YOSHIDA=rendezvous hotel》
Tsutayo comes to the hotel where Senshichi waits for Masako. Tsutayo tells him that Masako is working so hard for him. Senshichi denies the rumor of him marrying his master’s daughter and says that his dream is to become independent, and marry Masako.

SCENE 6《YOSHIDA》
The next morning. With Masako alone and at a loss in her room, Tsutayo appears carrying a change of clothes. She did not return to the geisha house yesterday because she was with a guest. To pay tribute to Senshichi, Masako sells over the diamond gotten from Eto to Tsutayo for 1/4 the price. Tsutayo tells a lie though Ayahachi is angry, 'We got drunk in the parlor, and slept in a huddle all together'. Masako tries to confess the truth honestly is scolded by Ayahachi oppositely. The landlady of the HANAMURA comes after the two leave, and says that Masako's recent kimono seems to reflect Senshichi’s taste.

SCENE 7《The way to the HANAMURA》
Tsutayo has decided to become a politician's concubine, and therefore quits the geisha house and leaves.
The Great Kanto Earthquake breaks out.

SCENE 8《TSUGAWAYA》
5 years have passed. Masako, who had been adopted by Ayahachi and is working as the geisha house's master, is holding a funeral for Ayahachi. Tsutayo comes back there after an interval of five years. She has quit her position as concubine and made a comeback as a geisha with the name 'Cherry blossoms'. Tsutayo and her mother decide to live in TSUGAWAYA.

SCENE 9《HANAMURA》
Masako works so hard to support her loving Senshichi. Tsutayo says to the jealous Eto; “If you give me proper money, they are going to be separated”, and so he does. Masako who doesn't notice anything still firmly believes in her marriage with Senshichi.

SCENE 10《HANAMURA》
Masako and Senshichi are called to the parlor, because Sanen got a new mistress. It was Tsutayo. Because Sanen is a senior, Masako naturally becomes the lower rank of Tsutayo. Masako who cannot endure such a disgrace runs away from the room, separates from Senshichi, and quits the geisha house.

SCENE 11《KIMURA=Masako’s inn》
Another five years have passed. Tsutayo is a landlady of the assignation house, and Masako is a manager in an inn now. One day, the geisha companion Tsuruya looks for Masako's inn. She was once saved from a predicament by Tsutayo, and Tsuruya has been working like a prostitute in Tsutayo’s assignation house after that. As Tsuruya asks Masako to help her, Tsutayo’s mother, Fuji comes to the inn. According to her, Tsutayo wants to be reconciled with Masako. Two people are reconciled contingent on accepting the wish of Tsuruya.

SCENE 12《KIMURA》
Kazuto Yamada is one of the regular visitors of KIMURA. He is embarrassed because instead of the simple noodles which he has ordered, a grand dish is served. Yamada worries about the price, and then Masako and Yamada have a quarrel. Masako says the dish is served from the goodness of her heart. Yamada is defeated after all, eats, and admits Masako to be his favorite actually.

SCENE 13《KIMURA》
The next morning. The two seem comfortable with each other. A young man comes to visit Yamada, and he gives him some wastepaper. Yamada burns the paper, and confesses to Masako that he is a left winger. He goes out and never comes back.

SCENE 14《KIMURA》
After the end of World War II. Masako and Tsutayo are arranging luggage that returned from the evacuation. Masako is angry because Tsutayo treats Masako’s furniture as her own. A demobilized soldier who introduces himself as Makoto Yasui visits. He is a man who has promised Tsutayo marriage when coming back from the war. However, there were many men who had made the same promise with Tsutayo. Tsutayo is in a panic, but it breaks down as soon as Yasukawa's face is seen.

ACT2

SCENE 1《KIMURA》
1961. Ryuzo Wakui finishes an interview in a room in Masako’s inn. The woman he interviews, Kazuko Yamada, is an editor who seems to have a mind for him. Masako is very surprised because Wakui looks exactly like Mr. Yamada. Wakui invites Masako to a performance of the ballet. Tsutayo’s mother Fuji comes to the inn, and she seems to have become quite senile. Tsutayo grieves and says that her mother has forgotten her. Only Masako sees Fuji of seeming to remember slightly, and Tsutayo asks Masako to let Fuji undergo rehabilitation at the inn.

SCENE 2《KIMURA》
The night Masako and Wakui went to ballet performance. Young guests are talking about Masako who is all dressed up. In another room, Masako and Wakui are quickly becoming closer. Unfortunately, Fuji's condition changes suddenly, and Wakui goes out.

SCENE 3《KIMURA》
Fuji's funeral. Masako didn’t call any priests, yet many priests come to the inn by Tsutayo’s arrangement

SCENE 4 《Two petitioners》
Petition of the landlady of HANAMURA and Fuji’s nurse, Segawa. The landlady of HANAMURA grieves that Tsutayo makes young geishas into proprietresses of Tsutayo’s bars without any permission. Moreover, Tsutayo suspects the nurse of murder, and the wage is not paid to Segawa. They can do nothing but cling to Masako who was a longtime friend of Tsutayo.

SCENE 5《KOKONOE=Tsutayo’s building》
Tsutayo’s residence, on the top floor of KOKONOE. Masako tries to persuade her to stop picking geishas out, but Tsutayo doesn’t care at all. She consents only to pay Segawa her salary. Makoto Yasukawa appears there. He has been working as a kind of janitor or handyman in Tsutayo’s building since the end of the war.

SCENE 6《KABUKI-ZA November》
Masako invites Wakui to Kabuki to return the favor of the ballet. The audiences are looking forward to Senshichi’s stage because he became a new member of the Japan Art Academy recently. Masako meets her old patron Eto accidentally, but he pretends not to know her. At this time, the clerk of Senshichi comes and tell Masako that Senshichi wants to meet her. He tells her it will be a reward for the gift of congratulation “the bonsai of the blur” which Masako has not actually sent to him. Masako and Wakui head towards the dressing room though she realizes that this was instigated by Tsutayo.

SCENE 7《KABUKI-ZA dressing room》
Senshichi’s dressing room. Masako, Wakui and Senshichi are drinking tea. Senshichi is still using the tea cup that he had been using when Masako broke up with him.

SCENE 8《KABUKI-ZA》
Wakui notices the relationship between Masako and Senshichi from their conversation. He tells Masako his wish to go to the United States to study. Masako who is beginning to notices herself loving him becomes depressed.

SCENE 9 《Stage》
Senshichi’s stage.

SCENE 10《Taxi》
Wakui takes off on his journey from Narita. Masako and Kazuko Yamada meet Tsutayo who has come to see off Eto by chance. The three people return together by taxi. On the way to the home, Kazuko calls geisha “high-level prostitutes,” and fights with Tsutayo. After Kazuko gets out of the taxi, Tsutayo tells Masako that Yasukawa left her building.

SCENE 11《Hospital》
Masako and Tsutayo had operations for baldness treatment together. Because Tsutayo pretended the reason of her hospitalization was cancer, the room overflows with gifts. There is one splendid bonsai, and Tsutayo notices that it is from Yasukawa. She sneaks out of the hospital to meet him. And at the same time, Masako receives a letter from the United States. It is a letter from Wakui, declaring his love for her.

SCENE 12《KIMURA》
Because she spent the night with Yasukawa, now Tsutayo has more awful baldness. Kazuko shows up there, and tells her that Wakui had a traffic accident in the US and died. In addition, Kazuko is pregnant with his child, and Masako is confused. However, it is revealed that it was only Masako that Wakui loved sincerely, and Kazuko leaves. Masako decides to go and drink with young guests who recall Wakui.

SCENE13《Night Club》
In Tsutayo’s night club, Masako sees fantasies of men from her past one by one.

SCENE 14《KOKONOE》
Masako wakes up in Tsutayo’s room. She got drunk and has fallen asleep in the night club. Telling her to sleep a lot, Tsutayo and Yasukawa leave the room. Masako sobs quietly.

FIN