Asian Theatre History

Theatre 1-2

Christy Moss

Fall 2011

General differences between western and eastern theatre

The play isn’t written first in Asian theatre. The story isn’t the most important element.

Asian theatre is a combination of song, dance, narrative, and great performers (essential).

Dancing and acting work together in Asian theatre.

Performers come to and move through audience.

Noh DramaMost elitist, most exclusive form of drama.

Closely related to Zen Buddhism

Evokes and uses a sense of mysticism and the supernatural.

Term: Yugen- relates to the “total experience” of the Noh play. You must look at the surface as well as what lies beneath.

Continued…

Play structure:Noh Drama contemplates a past action.

The past is reflected by the characters on stage.

Mystical: demons and ghosts.

Noh Dramas are presented in a 5 play cycle. Each with its own beginning, middle, and end.

Continued…Acting roles:

Sh’tePrimary characterThe audience is interested in his journey and his emotions.

WakiSecondary characterTraveling priestGives audience the exposition and sets up the play

Other rolesChorus and musiciansBoth are seated on stage left or up stage. They are the speakers for the whole play.

Continued…

Characters usually wear elaborate masks that show the audience the character’s emotions.

Continued…

Stage StructureTree

Hurry Door

Hashigakari

Pillars

AUDIENCE

Continued…

Tree is the only fixed piece of scenery

Small pine trees are on the bridge (hasigakari)

Hurry door: stage left; for unimportant entrances and exits.

Hasigakari: Bridge over audience for IMPORTANT entrances and exits.

Bunraku

Japanese puppet theatre

NOT for children

Puppets are made of wood or porcelain and are 2/3 human size. They wear Kabuki like costumes.

Continued…

Puppet Manipulation and Functions of Puppeteers:

Puppet is controlled by three puppeteers.

1 for hand inside puppet that controls head and right hand.1 for left hand and movement of body.1 for foot movement and sound effects.

Puppeteer and puppet become “one.”Puppeteers are masked and wear black.

Continued…

A single narrator does all of the character voices, sounds, and singing. There is one musician for music.

KabukiTheatre style began toward the end of the 16th Century in Japan.

Believed to begin as a woman’s idea.

Structure of playsFirst impact is physical

Series of conventions and symbols

Lots of movement, sound, and props

The fan was the most popular prop: greatest variety of uses

Lack of continuous plot; beauty was more important.

Elaborate staging.

Continued…Dance, song, and narrative are extremely important.Males play both female and male roles, even today!Costume and Make up:

No masksBeautiful and elaborate costumingWhite face, black and red make up used for detailing.Men who played women wore red lips and eyes.Male roles had bold red and black lines on face and body: the bolder, the more powerful.Wigs were made for each actor.

Continued…

Kabuki uses lots of scenery, like Broadway musicals.

THE MIE

Mie poses are an important part of kabuki and an indication of the dance origins of its performance. Basically mie poses are a freezing of a climatic moment in several rigid snapshots called mie. A mie pose is a highlight of a kabuki performance. And while the principal actor poses mie, the others on the stage usually stop their movements. The full attention of the audience and the actors is focused on the mie pose. Mie is considered as a challenge for each kabuki actor and can be played only by experienced performers.

Continued…

Stage Structure: primarily a western style stage.

Audience

Turn Table

Hanamichi

Continued…

Hanamichi: Bridge over audience. Allows audience to see action next to them.Elaborate scenic devices were used like the turn table.Lots of scenery.Thirty people or more were onstage at any given moment- LARGE PRODUCTION!

Beijing Opera (formerly Peking)

Structure of performance: Acting, dancing, and singing occurred before the text was performed.

Three part performance:Acrobatic displays and dancing/ singing acts.

Pantomime act.

Text performed.

Continued…

Acting roles:Sheng: Male lead roles

Lao Sheng: old menXlao Sheng: young menWu Sheng: Warrior types

Tan: Female lead rolesQing Yi: Quiet and gentleHua Tan: VivaciousLao Tan: Old WomanWu Tan: Warrior Maidens

Continued…

Ching: painted face roles (warriors, bandits, courtiers, officials, gods, and supernatural beings)

Ch’ou: Comic or Clown (Uses improvisation)

Questions to ponder…

What are the major differences between western and Asian theatre?

Which form of Asian theatre uses puppetry?

What is the point of the mie pose in Kabuki?