A Puppet’s Dream and Other Theater Writings

An anxious husband polices his household. His wife imagines that arranging a romance for her servants will warm her own loveless life. Between them stands a young student whose longing, embarrassment, and dependence lead him toward a painful misunderstanding. Kishida Kunio’s five-scene A Puppet’s Dream turns the domestic drawing room into a stage for competing desires.

Nine accompanying pieces explore the theater from other angles. French actors’ wages, rehearsal rules, and social standing sit beside arguments for actor education, a pointed mock interview, a tribute to Osanai Kaoru, and a dream of theatrical reform abruptly interrupted by an earthquake. Kishida asks what actors need beyond a pleasing voice and appearance, and what institutions can help genuine talent grow.

A central figure in modern Japanese drama, Kishida writes with wit, impatience, and practical conviction. This complete selection preserves the essays’ arguments and the play’s dialogue, silences, and stage directions, with concise notes on names, allusions, and textual details.