noun
fairy play; pantomime
A type of traditional Japanese theatrical performance featuring fairy tales or pantomime, often associated with children's entertainment. The term is somewhat dated and may not be widely recognized today.
昔、子供たちはとぎしばいを楽しみにしていた。
Long ago, children looked forward to fairy plays.
この資料館では、とぎしばいの古い写真が展示されている。
Old photographs of pantomime performances are exhibited in this museum.
童話劇 is a more modern and common term for a fairy-tale play, whereas とぎしばい is an older, less common word.
Compound of 伽 (とぎ, 'attending' or 'entertaining') and 芝居 (しばい, 'play'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it likely referred to a type of play meant to entertain or amuse, especially children.