Meeting: #11 Subject: Japanese Theater Date: 8-4-97
Rakugo. It can be understood as a combination of storytelling, mime, and stand-up comedy, though Rakugo is always done sitting down in a small theater called a yose. A solo performer, the hanashika, enacts the story in two or more voices, using no props, save for a fan and handkerchief. Rakugo originated with storytellers who made a living entertaining warlords and provincial governors during the 15th and 16th centuries. The Edo Period saw the rise of professional hanashika based in theaters, and the art became so popular that in the city of Edo (pre-modern Tokyo) there was typically one such theater in every neighborhood. Rakugo prospers today on a smaller scale, and performances can be seen regularly on television.
Kabuki. Created around the year 1600, around the same time the English began to form colonies on the American continent, the history of Kabuki is as long as that of the United States'. It was created by the shrine maiden Izumo no Okuni, in Kyoto in 1603. Her performances in the dry riverbeds caused a sensation and soon their scale increased and a number of rival companies arose. Early Kabuki was comprised mostly of large ensemble dances performed by women -- most of whom were prostitutes off-stage. Finally the Tokugawa government banned women from from the stage in an effort to protect public morales. This is often seen as a good move, though, because it necessitated the importance of skill over beauty and put more stress on drama than dance.
During the late 17th century, the Genroku Period, the stylizations that formed Kabuki were created, and a close relationship between Kabuki and Bunraku (to be discussed in a moment) began, and the two continued to influence each other. However, the rise of skilled playrights in Bunraku helped it briefly eclipse Kabuki in popularity -- and it was remarked by one observer that it seemed as though "there was no Kabuki." Kabuki survived this, government oppression during the Edo Period, the loss of young actors in WWII, and even censorship by occupation forces after the war -- but it faces its most difficult enemies in modern forms of entertainment like movies and television. Interestingly enough, though, there has been a recent "Kabuki boom" centered around young people.
Bunraku. Japan's best-known traditional puppet theater, Bunraku is performed by a team consisting of a narrator, a shamisen (type of stringed instrument, not unlike the biwa) player, and puppets about 1.3 to 1.5 meters tall, each one manipulated by 3 puppeteers. Bunraku can be traced back to the Muromachi Period, but first attained wide popularity in the late 17th century. The term "Bunraku" itself came into use late in the 19th century, after the name of the Bunrakuza, a theater in Osaka famous for performances of the genre.
Each of the puppets used in Bunraku are controlled by 3 puppeteers working together in close coordination. The most important of the 3, the omozukai, supports the puppet's body and moves the head and right arm. Another, the hidanzukai, manipulates the left arm and a variety of props. A third, the ashizukai, controls the movements of the legs. Apprentice puppeteers begin by studying the art of ashizukai, the least demanding role, for 10 years. The art of hidanzukai is said to require another 10 years of training. Mastery of the omozukai is a life-long task. Precise tenchnique and teamwork makes Bunraku a unique form of drama.
No (Noh). Largely based in the cities of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, No is performed throughout the country by professional artists, mainly men, who have passed down the art among family members for numerous generations. Almost all actors in No plays wear masks or likewise keep their faces emotionless, the masks and lavish costumes being works of art in their own right. The acting style is stately, subtle, and symbolic, trying to express the elusive ideal of yugen, or mysterious depth. There are 5 categories of No plays -- in order: those that feature gods, warriors, beautiful women, miscellaneous (notable mad-women or present-time) figures, and supernatural beings. During the Edo Period, a full day's program consisted of the ritual piece Okina-Sanbaso followed by one play from each category in the aforementioned order.
Early in the Muromachi Age, during the 14th and 15th centuries, No developed into its present form under the leadership of the distinguished performer/playwrites Kannami and his son Zeami. Zeami, in particular, wrote many plays which are still performed today among the classical repertory of some 250 plays. Later during the Edo Period (1603-1868), No became the official performance art of the military government. Feudal military lords throughout the country supported their own troupes and many studied and performed the art themselves. With the societal reforms of the Meiji Period (1868-1912... think "Rurouni-Kenshin"), No lost its governmental patronage and was left to fend for itself. Although it nearly died out, enough performers regrouped, found private sponsors, and began teaching the art to amateurs so that it slowly began to flourish again. There are today approximately 1,500 professional performers who make their living largely through performing and teaching No.
The main character of a No play is called the shite who sometimes appears with one or more companion characters called tsure. The waki is an actor whose role is to assist the shite who often plays the role of a spirit or demon from beyond the world. The waki acts without a mask and remains firmly in the world of ordinary reality, bringing into focus the drama enacted by the shite. A chorus of jiutai, usually consisting of 8 people (again, the number 8), sits at the side of the stage and functions to narrate the background and the story itself. It also sometimes describes the character's thoughts and emotions or even sings lines for the characters.
Kyogen. The classical comic theater which balances the more serious No, while No is musical in nature, Kyogen emphasizes dialogue. The two are traditionally performed alternately on the same program and they share a common heritage. In addition to their own Kyogen repertoire of comic plays, Kyogen actors usually appear in interlude roles in No plays. Similarly, No instrumentalists also sometimes appear in Kyogen plays. The training methods of the two forms are also similar.