Noh

created, $=dv.current().file.ctime & modified, =this.modified tags:theaterdancejapandisguises rel: Tractate on Japanese Aesthetics Disguises

Thought

A few years ago I starting poking around Noh Theater performances that I could find after yugen research and watching Sotoba Komachi. The pace and alien nature of the performance was compelling.

I recall seeing this comment which I saved:

When the flute-player sounds like he’s so old the flute might fall out of his hands, and is missing more notes than he’s hitting; When the singers sound like nothing more than the wind in the trees, sub-human, like a bunch of belly-aching bums on the street could do it better; when the entering actor is so old he has to shuffle and catch his breath, and you don’t know if he’s going to MAKE IT, coming up the entrance way …’ when the chanting sounds like it’s maple syrup dropping into a bucket, one drop at a time … . . When the whole cultural tradition comes across like something as moldy as blue cheese … THEN, and ONLY THEN, is it good NOH! This is good stuff, here!

Noh (能, Nō) is a form of theater involving music, dance and drama, originating in the 14th century. Noh as we know it today was popularized and formalized by a man named Zeami.

Noh theater is structured around song and dance. Movement is slow, language is poetic, tone is monotonous, and costumes are rich and heavy. Plots are usually drawn from legend, history, literature and contemporary events. Themes often relate to dreams, supernatural worlds, ghosts and spirits.

rel:Bridges of Japan and China All sides of the stage are open except for the back side which consists of a wall with a painted image of a pine tree. A bridge runs at an oblique angle off the stage for performers to enter the stage.

Roles

All male.

• Shite - leading character. A holy old man, a deity, a demon or spirit.
• Waki - supporting actor, normally a priest or monk or samurai. Always portrays living people.
• Hayashi -the musicians.
• Jutai - the chorus who assist the shite in the narration of the story.
• Koken - the state attendants. Dressed in black, they are not part of the play but help in such ways as handing out props.

Masks

One key element of noh are the masks which the shite wears. They tell the audience what kind of character is being portrayed. Frequently used masks represent demons and spirits, as well as women and men of various ages. The masks are carved from blocks of Japanese cypress. Their three dimensional properties allow skilled actors to induce a variety of expressions with changes in head orientation.