Transcript Japanese Theatre

Japanese
Theatre
Kabuki and Puppet Theatre
and
Noh Drama
 7th
Century to today
 Combined drama, music and dance
 The costumes, setting and acting styles
are very rigidly styled
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL4M
p53GOdg&list=PL28DCBADE6CAFBA79&in
dex=4&feature=plpp_video
Noh Drama
 14th
Century
 Solemn dances to indicate deep emotion
 Written in poetic language
 A No Drama program consists of:


Five Noh Dramas with music
Four kyogen farces without music
Noh Drama vs Kyogen Farce
 Noh



Drama
Actors become symbols for the living and
the dead
Deities, ghosts of warriors, women with
tragic destinies, mad persons, and devils
Masks, rich and elaborate costume
 Kyogen


Farce
Representational acting
No masks or makeup
Noh Drama and Kyogen
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o--
VbWf6M0c&list=PL28DCBADE6CAFBA79&i
ndex=1&feature=plpp_video
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKfri
CzdjSg&list=PL28DCBADE6CAFBA79&index
=2&feature=plpp_video
The stage
 Has
a roofed stage
 Audience-two or three sides of stage
 Suggested props only

Outline of a building, boat, etc.
 The
only backdrop is a painted pine tree
 Actors use the “bridge” to reach the
stage

Marked by three pine trees
Kabuki and Bunraku
 Formed-late


16th Century
Puppet Theatre or Bunraku
Theatre-dance-Kabuki
Bunraku (Puppet Theatre)
 Three


main elements
The Puppets
The Chanters
 sing

for the puppets
Samisen players
 provide
the accompaniment
Bunraku
 Chikamatsu


Monzaemon (1653–1725)
The greatest Japanese dramatist
Wrote chiefly for the puppet theater
 Height
of popularity-18th Century
 Replaced by Kabuki Theatre in early 19th
Century
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TKt6
7ouaqM&list=PL28DCBADE6CAFBA79&ind
ex=5&feature=plpp_video
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ii_0E
RHWw0&list=PL28DCBADE6CAFBA79&inde
x=3&feature=plpp_video
Kabuki Theatre
 Many
Kabuki plays are adaptations of
Bunraku
 1980’s-became popular with American
audiences

Spectacle, not drama
Kabuki Theatre
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67-
bgSFJiKc
Kabuki
 Text



of plays not as important as:
Remarkable acting
Music and dance
Brilliantly colored sets
Kabuki Stage
•
Large theatres
 Hanamachi

(raised platform)
Extends from back of theatre to stage
The Actors
 Acting
was a respectable profession
 Male only
 Onnagata-Female characters

Early on-were often required to maintain
the female persona outside of the theatre
Acting Style
 Mie

Striking as attitude
 Crossed
eyes and exaggerated expression for
dramatic effect
 Aragoto



“Rough-Style” of acting
Exaggerated voice and motion
Dramatic make-up and costume
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj98y
LVh5AI&list=PL28DCBADE6CAFBA79&index
=7&feature=plpp_video