Atariburumai (Full-house Feasting) (当たり振る舞い)
Atariburumai was a feast to celebrate a full house production.
Summary
When a kabuki performance became so popular as to fill the venue to capacity, the producer invited all the actors for dinner to celebrate it.
Full-house celebration was usually held at midday.
Among the dishes offered were sashimi, koikoku (carp miso soup) and grilled fish.
Special sakazuki (drinking cups) for full-house celebration were placed on a decorated table called 'shimadai.'
With full-house lanterns hung from the eaves, the producer congratulated the actors on their success.
A notiication of a full house feast was posted on a bill a few days ahead of it, announcing the date of the feast and asking the performers to remain after 'uchidashi' (the end of the day's show). For example, in the early modern age, the third floor of Edo-shibai-theatre was used as the venue for feasting. Main guests were the actors who played on the third floor. Subsequently, actors who played on the mezzanine-floor, kyogen players and musicians were included. As the venue had become too small to accommodate them all, the place was moved to a restaurant outside the theatre.
This resulted in the decrease of various party entertainments associagted with full-house kyogen commonly seen in a full-house feasting, such as mochiban, sakaban, chaban (improvised farces), a fan-throwing game and haiku. Likewise, elaborate decorations associated with the occasion were also discontinued. Consequently, full-house feasting became an ordinary feast.