When we think of theatre we usually are drawn to mainstream theatre, specifically musicals or naturalist plays. We are reminded of Les Misérables, Hamilton, Waitress and to those more accustomed to plays, those of Chekhov, Williams and O'Neill. Although these are still incredible, there are other styles of theatre from various cultures that should be given the same importance and appreciation. Theatre reveals truths about society and reflects the society in which it is created. It is a great medium to understand a culture that is unknown to us and gives us an insight into the values of that society. For this reason, we are going to delve into Japan’s Noh theatre.

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Noh theatre is one of the oldest styles of theatre in the world, with its name being derived from nō, meaning ‘talent’ or ‘skill’. It is a classical Japanese's style of theatre consisting mainly of music and dance and usually retells legends from the Muromachi Period (1336-1573). Originally a festival drama performed in temples in the 12th and 13th centuries, it became a distinctive form in the 14th century. It was then refined as a style up until the Tokugawa period between 1603-1687, later becoming a ceremonial drama performed on occasions for the warrior class as a prayer for prosperity, longevity and peace for the social elites. Although less popular, there were performances that the public could attend. However, with Japan being pressured to industrialise by the West and the Meiji Restoration (1868), the existence of Noh theatre was threatened. Despite this, a few notable actors attempted to maintain the tradition, and following the Second World War, an increased interest amongst audiences led to the revival of the form.

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Noh can be divided into two categories: Genzai Noh, which focuses on telling stories in the present and Mugen Noh, which has more of a complicated structure, usually interweaving dreams and visions into a present story. The structure is usually simple and, instead of there being actors or ‘representers’ (traditionally all men but recently women have been involved too), performers are storytellers who simply use their movements and appearances to suggests the essence of the story, rather than acting it out.

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The main role in a Noh production is called the shite and this person usually acts as director and producer as well. In the first half, the shite is called the maeshite and in the second they are called the nochishite. These may be completely different characters but are usually played by the same performer. The waki, known as the secondary role, is crucial to nearly all Noh productions, playing a variety of roles such as a travelling priest, a foe to the shite and, in Mugen Nohs, when the shite of afflicted in some way, the waki provides a form of release. Occasionally, there are other performers involved, however, the main roles are the shite and the waki.

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Noh can be divided into different categories: god, man, woman, mad-woman and demon. In a full Noh production, one from each category would be represented. This is known as the tradition of gobandate and was developed in the Tokugawa period. Between each Noh, a kyōgen (comedy) would be performed. A traditional gobandate would start in the morning with a god Noh (promise of peace, happiness, abundant crops etc), then move on to focus on a warrior’s story (tales predominantly based on Heike Monogatari in which a warrior seeks redemption from warrior hell, where all warriors are fated to enter). This would be followed by the story of a beautiful woman (usually about the ghost of a woman who has been condemned to wader the earth trapped by the love she feels) and later move on to the madwoman’s tale (usually driven mad by a terrible experience). Lastly, otherworldly spirits would be depicted in the demon Noh, usually consisting of intense dance, complicated drumming and lively music.

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Song and dance are crucial parts of the performance and the music is played by the hayasha. This is made up of four instruments: the fue (flute), kotsuzumi (shoulder drum), otsuzumi (hip drum) and taiko (stick drum) and they set the mood and pace of the show. The musicians also use their voices to create rhythms for the performance. The character’s movements are usually to this beat and are generally slow and precise, though occasionally a quicker sequence may occur.

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Noh also uses a variety of performance elements to create a masterpiece. Masks are essential and are used to represent a character’s masks to signify the characters' gender, age, and social ranking and personality, with emotions easily being conveyed by head motions. Evidently, some masks may look like they are smiling when tilted upwards but frowning when tilted down. They are crafted by skilled artists and are treasured by Noh families. Costumes, including kimonos, are vibrantly coloured and heavily embroidered which is a remnant of the days when Noh was supported by the elites. Like the masks, costumes display the age, gender, occupation and social status of the character. For example, the colour of the collar (eri) represents the nature of the characters and red is reserved for young women. Props are also used in performances; known as tsukurimono (meaning made things), they are simpler and more modest. They are usually hand-fashioned from material like bamboo and are usually more symbolic than realistic, implying structures such as boats or graves.

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Noh is evidently a very fascinating and unique form of theatre that is worthy of a larger audience than it receives. Immersing ourselves in the theatre practices of different cultures gives us a deeper understanding of the values of that society and celebrate them. Noh theatre is only one of countless different theatre styles developing from different cultures around the world and it is worth stepping out of our comfort zones and exploring more about these.

 

If you are interested in learning more about Noh Theatre, here is a list of some resources:

https://www.the-noh.com/en/world/index.html

Kashu-Juku Noh Theater

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Written By Layal (Drama subject rep.)