Utsumi Keiko, Tokyo Manzai Legend, Passes Away at 97
Utsumi Keiko and I in 2012 at the restaurant Yoshikawa in Asakusa.
Utsumi Keiko, of the manzai duo Keiko・Yoshie, passed away on August 22nd at the age of 97. The cause of death was multiple organ failure. Utsumi Keiko, a legend in the Tokyo manzai scene, started performing at the age of 16 and continued performing, even after the death of her manzai partner Yoshie in ‘97, into her mid-nineties. In recent years, she had been featured on programs focused on her amazing longevity. Younger audiences were made aware of her by her apprentices, the popular manzai duo Knights (ナイツ). At times they would take the stage with her at the Tōyōkan in Asakusa (and on television) while at other times they would lovingly imitate her in their act. With a career of 81 years, spanning the Japanese eras of Taisho, Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa this article could go on and on with her achievements. Actually, I like to share my personal experience with Ustumi Keiko.
While studying women in manzai in Tokyo for my Masters degree in Comparative Culture I was fortunate enough to meet Utsumi Keiko several times and talk with her informally about her career and the place of women in manzai. She was a bit intimidating at first, especially when you saw how the younger comedians treater her with such respect. (You also had to speak loudly as her hearing was quite poor.) The first time I formally talked with her was certainly the most memorable. While she was getting ready for her performance backstage at the Tōyōkan I introduced myself, told her what I was studying, and said I hoped to interview her at a future date. After that short conversation, I made my way to an area backstage above the audience (where the spotlight was stored) and settled in to see her show.
To my surprise, in her show, she brought up the fact that I was there to study manzai and that I should join her on stage! In a panic, I rushed down from the hard to get to area where I was seated and ran on to the stage to join her. Without thinking, I had forgotten to take off my slippers, a no-no on stage, and was promptly told to take them off. The next few minutes were a bit of a blur. We talked for a bit on stage and then she sat me down to join her (and her shamisen) in a traditional style of song (poem) called dodoitsu. Afterward, she was nice enough to invite me to lunch with her manager, the married manzai duo Niiyama Hideya Yasuko, and herself. It was an unforgettable experience and even though I was never able to get a formal interview with her (for some reason, her husband and manager, Narita, was against it) I will forever appreciate that I was able to make my stage debut at the Tōyōkan with the legendary Ustumi Keiko.
Suddenly on stage with Utsumi Keiko.
An unusual stage debut with comedy legend Utsumi Keiko.
(I am also forever grateful for Furuya Inaya (currently of the manzai duo Super New New) for taking the photos of my appearance onstage with Utsumi Keiko. I was thinking all that time, “I wish I had pictures of this!” And she was nice enough to read my mind and provide me with a record of this unforgettable chance.)
