Japanese Theatre

Japanese Theatre NohKabuki

Noh Drama • Emerged in the 14th c. • Frozen in the 17th c. • Invention attributed to Kanami Kiyotsugu (1333-1384) • Perfected by his son, Zeami Morokiyo (1363-1443)

Noh Stage

Musicians • Hayashikata(instrument players) of whistle, drums, etc. sit at the back of the stage. • The Jiutai (singers) sit in a line on the left

Conventional roles in all dramas Shite: principal character -- the only true “person” Waki: secondary character -- introduces story and asks questions; often a priest Tsure: shadowy companion to shiite and/or waki Kokata: child Kyogen: clown -- usually lower class Noh Characters

Noh Conventions • Very short, no definite plot, tragic in mood • Highly stylized with very slow pace: 200-300 lines of play can take an hour to perform • Integrate singing, speech instruments, and dancing • No limitation in time or space • Highly allusive, poetic, symbolic language • Less about characters than emotions • Yugen: haunting poetic quality, suggesting quiet elegance and grace, subtle and fleeting beauty

Types of Noh Plays • A Day’s Entertainment contains: • A god play • A warrior play • A woman play • A realistic play • A demon play • Kyogen Plays: placed between Noh plays as comic relief • No music • Broad humor • About 20 minutes long

Female Mask Noh Masks Male Mask Demon Mask Old Man Mask

Noh Costumes Costumes are heavy silk kimonos often luxuriously embroidered The ability of the shite and waki to express volumes with a gesture is enhanced by their use of various hand properties, the most important of which is the folding fan (chukei). The fan can be used to represent an object, such as a dagger or ladle, or an action, such as beckoning or moon-viewing.

Narrator and Shamisen

Kabuki • Common man’s drama = kabuki • Began around 1600 when a woman started singing and dancing to crowds in the street • Continued though women were banned from stage in 1629 • Wide range of subject matter – tension filled historical tragedies, domestic love triangles, ect.

Kabuki (Japanese) Theater • Translates into sing, dance, skill • Created by a shrine maiden named Okuni, who began performing dance/skits in dry river beds of Kamo River • Style was immediately popular • Around 1629, women were banned from the Kabuki stage for the purpose of protecting public morals • Government thought Kabuki was expressing dangerous thoughts in minds of men

Characteristics of Kabuki • Use of exaggerated body movements, monotone voice & dance accompanied by Japanese instruments 2. Use of makeup and wigs to convey character (makeup referred to as Kumodori and is very non-realistic) 3. Use of universal themes/historical events

4.Use of costumes, scenery, plot & stage devices to enhance plot (Also known for its use of properties) Ex: Paper fan- prop used to represent things 5. Use of Onnagata: men studying psychology and behaviors of women

During WWII, many Kabuki houses were destroyed; died out for a time, but re-emerged again • In modern Japan, Kabuki is still relatively popular

Kabuki Stage

Kabuki Stage • Kabuki Playhouse • Actors often enter through audience and up a ramp • Trap doors in stage • Revolving stage (1793) **All borrowed by western theatre** • Extra • Acting profession often inherited – lifelong • Extremely symbolic – artificial movements

Kabuki Characters

Onnagata:females played by male actors. The ideal for the onnagata is not to imitate women but to symbolically express the essence of the feminine. Aragota: vigorous heroes

Kabuki Colors • Deep Red- anger, forcefulness • Red- passion, eagerness • Pink- youthfulness • Light Blue- calmness, coolness • Indigo- melancholy • Light Green- Tranquility • Purple- nobility, loftiness • Brown- selfishness • Gray on chin- dreariness, cheerlessness • Black- fear, terror, gloom

Japanese Theatre