JaQela Macon
And
Mekia Wiggins
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The roots of Noh drama go back 1,300 years,
when the performing art called sangakuwas
brought over from China.
Begun by Kannami (who was a leader of one of
the performing groups at Kasuga Shrine at
Nara, and his son Zeami)
Shite: The leading character
Depending on the play, the shite may act as a holy old man, a deity, a demon, a spirit
or a living man. His movements express various moods.
Waki: The supporting actor
The waki plays roles such as a priest, monk or samurai. In contrast to the shite, the
waki always portrays living people.
Hayashi: The musicians
Four musicians provide accompaniment for the performance with a flute (fue),
shoulder drum (kotsuzumi), hip drum (otsuzumi) and stick drum (taiko).
Jiutai: the chorus
The chorus sits to the left of the stage and assists the shite in the narration of the
story.
Koken: Stage attendant
stage attendants. Dressed in black, the stage attendants are not part of the play but
assist the performers in various ways, such as handing them props
(dedication of Noh play A Venerable Old Man) on New Year's Day.
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All performers in Noh are mainly male.
Noh is a classical Japanese performance a form
which combines elements of dance, drama,
music and poetry into one highly aesthetic
stage art.
Based in cities of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto
 Originated in the between the 12th and 14th century
 Noh was popularized and formalized by a man named
Zeami during the Muromachi Period.
Noh performers feel that noh mask has certain power
inherent in which makes it spiritual than a prop used to
change appearance.
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Noh goes back to central Asian and mime forms,
which was brought into Japan, Korea, and China
in the early 8th century.
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Noh drama was developed in a sense of a prayer
for peace, longevity.
How is this style performed ?
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Noh theater is structured around
dance and song
Movement slow
Language is poetic
Tone is monotonous
Costumes rich and heavy
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Plot: legends, history, and literature
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Theme: Dreams, supernatural worlds,
ghosts and spirits.
How is it different from other
styles of theatre ?
 It is an art which utilizes masks.
 Instead of being actors or
“presenters” in western sense.
Noh performers are simply
storytellers who use their visual
appearance & their moment to
show essence of the tale instead
to enact it.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-VbWf6M0c&feature=player_detailpage