Kanjin-cho Benkei

Kanjin-cho Benkei depicts one of Kabuki's most celebrated pieces, in which the warrior-monk Benkei — loyal retainer of Minamoto no Yoshitsune — bluffs his way past a suspicious toll barrier by pretending to beat his own lord, convincing the barrier guard that Yoshitsune cannot be who he is because Benkei would never treat his lord with such disrespect. Benkei's tears of remorse at having struck his lord, and his fierce theatrical presence, make him one of the most emotionally complex characters in the Kabuki repertoire. Sadanobu III renders this dramatic moment with his characteristic theatrical authority.