November 5, 2014
What is Noh and Kyogen?
Yoji Moronuki, National Noh Theatre
Have you ever seen Noh? How about Kyogen? Recently, theatres have begun staging only Kyogen performances, but for over 600 years in the past, Noh and Kyogen were performed together on specialized Noh stages. It is a form of classical theatre in Japan. But, even though it is classical, it is by no means outdated, and in fact, there are many refreshing aspects of the performance. For example, large stage sets and backgrounds are not used on the Noh stage. The actor's movements and lines help paint the picture of mountains, oceans or the inside of a house, where the drama takes place. The emptiness of the stage stimulates the audience's imaginations, and these types of performances have influenced a variety of other performing arts.
A scene from Onigawara, a Kyogen performance by Mansaku Nomura
Many of the themes explored through Kyogen are derived from everyday occurrences during the middle ages and are performed by a small number of actors (usually two or three). The script plays a central role in Kyogen. Even though the set takes place in the middle ages, the people being portrayed face many of the same or similar challenges that we do in our modern world. Although the emotions are expressed through a semi-formulaic performance, the script helps bring the emotions to life via a realistic and open performance, making it easy for first time viewers to understand what is happening. You can probably sympathize with the various characters that make an appearance in the performance.
A scene from Izutsu, a Noh performance by Genshou Umewaka
On the other hand, Noh is written based on historical events and stories, and performed through song and dance. Many of the characters including spirits, demons, Gods, and women are portrayed by actors wearing extremely detailed masks and clothed in beauty and luxury. This is one key difference between Noh and Kyogen: unlike Noh, Kyogen is self-examining, and does not depend on a fancy stage or set up to get the point across. Noh performances also feature a singing chorus and musical accompaniment through an instrument called hayashi. The words used in Noh are similar to Japanese poetry or linked poems and may be hard to understand at first. A quick study of the story synopsis should help. These stories often have themes that are easy to understand, and you can appreciate a beautiful performance, different from that of kabuki or bunraku.
Currently, there are about 250 works of Noh that exist, but the works by Zeami are considered to be one of the best. Some of the most popular performances include Izutsu, based on the Tales of Ise, depicts the nostalgic love of a woman; Tadanori and Kiyotsune, a story based on the Tales of Heike; and Sakuragawa, a story about a mother who is looking for her child. The National Noh Theatre is showing Nishikigi in December and Yamanba in January, both of which are works by Zeami. Come to the Theatre to enjoy both performances.
Super Noh "Zeami"
Additionally, the National Noh Theatre is involved in creating brand new works of Noh and Kyogen. Last year, we created a performance about Zeami himself, a super Noh performance called Zeami. In the past, we have adapted a play called Kurenai Tennyo, which appears in a comic series called "The Glass Mask," to a Noh performance. We recommend that first-time audiences enjoy Noh and Kyogen using these new works as gateways.
An unknown world opens before you through Noh and Kyogen. You don't want to miss it!