Japanese Theatre

Japanese TheatreJapanese TheatreNoh

Kabuki

Noh DramaNoh 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 StageNoh 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

Noh Noh CharactersCharacters

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 ConventionsNoh ConventionsVery short, no definite plot, tragic in moodHighly stylized with very slow pace: 200-300 lines of

play can take an hour to performIntegrate singing, speech instruments, and dancingNo limitation in time or spaceHighly allusive, poetic, symbolic languageLess about characters than emotionsYugen: haunting poetic quality, suggesting quiet

elegance and grace, subtle and fleeting beauty

Types of Noh PlaysTypes of Noh Plays A Day’s Entertainment contains:

A god playA warrior play A woman play A realistic play A demon play

Kyogen Plays: placed between Noh plays as comic reliefNo musicBroad humorAbout 20 minutes long

Noh Masks

Female Mask

Male Mask

Old Man Mask

Demon Mask

Noh CostumesCostumes 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 Narrator and ShamisenShamisen

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

1. 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 StageKabuki Stage

Kabuki Kabuki StageStage

• Kabuki Playhouse1. Actors often enter through audience and up a

ramp2. Trap doors in stage3. Revolving stage (1793)**All borrowed by western theatre**

• Extra– Acting profession often inherited – lifelong– Extremely symbolic – artificial movements

Kabuki Kabuki CharactersCharacters                                  

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