Noh Theatre Japan

Japanese History During 6 th century A.D. Buddism arrived in Japan from India and China  written language 7 th century-new emperor  400 hundred yrs Japan flourished 1192 position ceded by a shogun (military dictator) Shogunate (like English monarchies) 1867 American intervention returned authority to emperor

Under the shogunate: Samurai warriors top with Shogun at head Merchants Artists and craftsmen Farmers and peasants Each had specific code of behavior and mode of dress

Noh Theatre Began about 1375 Zeami Motokiyo: wrote more than 100 of the 250 Noh plays & defined Noh’s goals and conventions Zen Buddhism Many Noh protagonists are ghosts, demons, or obsessed human beings whose souls cannot find rest because in life they were devoted to worldly goals that keep drawing them back to the physical world and its imperfections

Noh Drama classified into 5 types God plays Shows innocence and peace of the world of the gods Warrior plays Women plays Madness plays Middle 3 show the fall, repentance and possibility of redemption Demon plays Shows glory in defeating forces against peace and harmony

Noh scripts Short in length Emphasis not on storytelling Musical dance-drama that evokes emotional state and mood Lines are sung or intoned Spoken lines recited in stylized manner Ordinary speech used for summary, given by a player, between the parts of a two-part piece

Noh Characters 3 groups of performers: actors, chorus, and musicians All performers are male & trained since childhood Craft of acting is passed on from father to son Shite & followers (main characters) Waki – Secondary characters. Introduce drama and lead Shite to climactic moment Kyogen- perform in short comic plays on same bill as Noh, but also play commoners, peasants, and narrators Kokata – child actors. Students. Play children or minor roles.

Other Noh performers Chorus 6-10 members Sit at one side of the stage Sing or recite the shite’s lines (esp when shite is dancing) or narrate events. Musicians 2-3 drummers 1 flute player 2 stage attendants (1 for musicians, 1 for actors)

Costumes and masks Shite and followers: wear painted, wooden masks Costumes embroidered silk – based on 14 th & 15 th century official dress Chorus, musicians and attendants: Traditional samurai dress Stiff shoulder boards and divided skirts

Noh Stage Butai main area 3 pine trees in front symbolize heaven earth and humanity Rear walls painted wood: (Pine tree behind orchestra, bamboo painted on SL wall) Paintings are reminders of natural scenery of original Noh Audience sits on two sides

11 Noh in Performance