Transcript ppt
Japanese Theatre Theatre History Japanese Theatre-Noh Plays • Based on ritual • Much like the Chinese theatre in content and form • Short • Serious • Philosophical • Used poetry and dance Japanese Theatre-Noh Plays • • • • Formal, classic language Meant only for the aristocrats Still done today Remarkably unchanged Japanese Theatre-Noh Plays • Dance style: Used a series of sedate postures Each movement meant something specific Even small hand or finger movements were important Japanese Theatre-Stage • Specific stage size: - 18’ x 18’ square - audience on three sides - performed outside originally - roof like a Shinto shrine - floor supported by 4 pillars - floor is highly polished lacquer Japanese Theatre-Stage -large hollow jars for support to create a unique sound on stage - actors often thumped floor to get an effect - entered from greenroom along a corridor - each character bowed to audience - chorus of 6-8 - men only as actors Japanese Theatre-scenery and costumes • • • • • Scenery: Usually a tapestry on back wall A tree was always a part of the scene Items suggested symbols/actions Costumes: ornate • CHARACTERS: • Major actors wore large wooden masks • 15 standard masks used in Noh theatre gigaku Ko-omote is another Noh theatre mask. This represents a young woman who is calm. The Koomote mask represents the traditional Heian beauty featuring shaved eyebrows, blackened teeth, and neat hair. Bugaku Otoko masks are the masks that young men wear gyodo The shikami masks are used as the demon masks. Noh masks hannya mask. The person who wears this mask is supposed to play a jealous and evil woman who has turned into a demon chujo mask is another mask worn by a young male. These masks have very light skin and high eyebrows as well as black teeth,considered beautiful Full Noh Costume of Shikami Japanese Theatre-Kyogn • • • • Comedic interlude to the Noh plays Farcical No music 5 Noh plays and 3 Kyogen plays were given Japanese Theatre-Kabuki • • • • Theatre for the common man Song and dance used Melodramatic Subject matter: - heavy tension-filled tragedies - realistic suicides, murders, torture - love triangles - demons and grotesque dramas Japanese Theatre-Kabuki • Stage: - a large platform- but no pillars, roof, or bridge - entered from audience on a flowerway - stage had trapdoors Characters/costumes: - lavish costumes - characters wore huge wigs (up to 25 pounds) Japanese Theatre-Bunraku 17th Century • Doll theatre • 4 foot tall dolls as actors • Very realistic • Narrators told story • Puppeteers wore black- not seen as part of action Banraku puppets Japanese Theatre• Kabuki and Noh actors - acting skill all important - men who were good at impersonating women - few women still involved in this art form - passed along family lines- lifelong passion Japanese Theatre• Websites: • http://www.micheleyounglive.com/costumes. htm • Next- Chinese Theatre